Resource Specialist, AmeriCorps Member- New Bedford Strengthening Families (NBSF) AmeriCorps Program

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AmeriCorps Service Position Title:

Resource Specialist, New Bedford Strengthening Families (NBSF) AmeriCorps Program

Reports to: NBSF AmeriCorps Program Manager at the United Way of Greater New Bedford (UWGNB) and Host Site Supervisor at Assigned Community-Based Organization

Service Locations: The Resource Specialist will serve at one of the following community-based host sites: People Acting in Community Endeavors (PACE), Community Economic Development Center (CEDC), Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction (PAACA), Immigrant’s Assistance Center, Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, New Bedford Shannon Program, New Bedford Housing Authority or the New Bedford Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI)

Commitment Required:

• AmeriCorps is a national service program where members provide service to make people safer, stronger, and healthier and to strengthen their communities.
• Full-time members will serve a minimum of 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, to include some weekday evenings and occasional Saturdays
• Part-time members will serve a minimum of 20 hours per week, Monday through Friday, to include some weekday evenings and occasional Saturdays
• AmeriCorps positions require a member to serve a minimum number of hours over the course of a predetermined service term.

Full-time:

• Complete 1700 service hours over the course of 10.5 months

Part-time:

• Complete 900 service hours over the course of 10.5 months

Organization’s Mission and Work: The United Way of Greater New Bedford mobilizes people, partnerships, and resources to strengthen the community. The NBSF AmeriCorps Program is led by UWGNB, in collaboration with seven community-based organizations, to prevent child abuse and neglect. A team of AmeriCorps members ( Parent Educators and Resource Specialists) will work with families of children under age 18 to build parenting skills and provide concrete supports in times of need. The NBSF AmeriCorps program uses the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework that centers on five interrelated family protective factors that are known to be associated with child abuse and neglect prevention. These protective factors are knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete supports in times of need, social connections, social and emotional competence of children, and parental resilience.

Member Impact: AmeriCorps Resource Specialists will make an important contribution to the well-being of children and families in New Bedford by connecting families with concrete resources in times of need, one of the critical protective factors in reducing child abuse and neglect. Full-time NBSF Resource Specialists will have an active caseload of 15 individual families and will serve a total of 30-45 parents over the course of the program year. Part-time Resource Specialists will have an active caseload of 8 families and will serve a total of 16-24 families over the program year.

Service Position Summary: NBSF Resource Specialists will be trained to assist New Bedford parents and caregivers with children under age 18 in accessing concrete supports in times of need, or the basic necessities everyone deserves in order to grow (e.g., healthy food, a safe environment), as well as specialized medical, mental health, social, educational or legal services . They will assess the family's level of concrete supports using the Protective Factors Survey, Concrete Supports Edition. Based on family needs, members will facilitate supported referrals and connections to needed services. The members will meet with parents/caregivers regularly to implement their service plan. Resource Specialists will also work as part of a team with other NBSF AmeriCorps members to plan and implement Parent Cafes and co-facilitate Nurturing Parenting Programs. Parent Cafes are evidence-based, small-group structured discussions that enable parents to explore strengths, strengthen social connections, learn about the protective factors, and create strategies from their own wisdom and experiences to help strengthen their families. Nurturing Parenting Programs are family-centered, evidence-based parent education curricula that assist families to improve their parenting skills and thereby reduce their risk for child abuse and neglect.

Depending on host site placement, members will serve families with a range of needs and may serve specialized populations (e.g. families seeking health care, families seeking substance abuse treatment, immigrant families, families impacted by domestic violence, out-of-school youth, parenting teens and others depending on host site service population).

At ALL host site placement, members will be asked to complete the essential functions below:

• Assess the parent's levels of concrete supports using the Protective Factors Survey, Concrete Supports Edition, at intake and at three months.
• Develop a family service plan based on the results of the Protective Factors Survey and other needs identified by the client and host site.
• Make supported referrals to connect families to needed resources in the community.
• Follow-up with families to ensure connections have been made and to advocate and mentor as needed.
• Keep accurate records of services provided to families.
• Work in teams with other NBSF AmeriCorps members to plan and implement a monthly Parent Cafe in community sites.
• Work in teams with other NBSF AmeriCorps members to research, plan and co-facilitate sessions of Nurturing Parenting Programs to families in New Bedford.
• Participate in National Days of Service as required by the Massachusetts Service Alliance and UWGNB.

Specialized functions, dependent on host site service population: In addition to these essential functions, each Resource Specialist will have specific roles at their host site to best meet the specialized needs of their primary service population. These roles will be outlined in the member’s final position description and member contract.

Specialized training and certifications: AmeriCorps Resource Specialists will gain specialized training and credentials in case management skills, including a one-day training on motivational interviewing. They will also participate in a one-day training on the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework and how to implement Parent Cafés and a three-day training on facilitating Nurturing Parenting Programs. These credentials are assets in future employment.

AmeriCorps Requirements State that Applicants MUST:

• Be at least 17 years old on their first day of service
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
• Have a high-school diploma or high school equivalency (or willing to enroll in a high school completion or GED program)
• Submit to a full background check, including a sex offender registry check, state criminal history registry check, and FBI fingerprint-based check. This position may have recurring access to vulnerable populations and selection is contingent upon satisfactory results of these checks.

Preferred qualifications:

• Lived experience as parent or primary caretaker of a child or teen
• Desire to help vulnerable populations in the community
• Experience in human service field, such as social work, health care, childcare, etc.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Strong organizational skills
• Willingness to learn and serve others

Benefits:

• AmeriCorps Member Full-time Living Allowance of up to $15,000 OR Half-time Living Allowance of up to $7,500 depending on AmeriCorps position in which the member is enrolled.
• Eligible to receive Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $6,195 upon completion of minimum 1700 hours of service OR $3,097.50 upon completion of minimum 900 hours of service, depending on AmeriCorps position in which the member is enrolled.
• Full-time members are eligible for Health Insurance and Childcare, if needed and applicable

• Eligible for student loan deferment on qualified student loans

• Monthly Bus Pass or Mileage Reimbursement up to a set value.

To request additional program information, contact Andria Chien, Strengthening Families AmeriCorps Project Manager at achien@unitedwayofgnb.org

*To apply for an AmeriCorps Parent Educator Position, please complete the application at this link: https://forms.gle/2QPxEdz1Rg5Cx5vH6

Reasonable accommodations can be made for interviews and service.

All positions are contingent on receipt of grant funding by the UWGNB

United Way of Greater New Bedford is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.