Family Success Advocate

CHS Harrisburg - Harrisburg, PA

Full-Time

The Family Success Advocate is passionate about nurturing, educating, and empowering children and families in social and financial need to lead fulfilling and productive lives. The Family Success Advocate is expected to engage, equip, and empower families of children attending the Center. This family liaison is responsible for supporting the implementation of family engagement policies, procedures, and strategies, engaging families, and assisting them in admissions activities by working as a case manager. This individual will work to incorporate family feedback to enhance the family engagement experience. The Family Success Advocate will act as a liaison between the Center and families, reporting directly to the Family Success Manager, and working closely with other Family Success Advocates, and families to ensure that questions about the education, health, and safety of their children are answered. The salary range for this position is $51,750 to $69,000 based on experience.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborating with the CHS Central Office enrollment / family engagement team and implementing CHS family engagement policies, procedures, and strategies
• Using a Student Information System to track family engagement objectives and milestones
• Representing CHS to parent groups and individuals away from the CHS center
• Assisting families in all aspects of the enrollment process
• Understanding family needs and helping families navigate the system of applying for services like transportation, food, clothing, etc.
• Pointing families to community resources and family events at CHS
• Leveraging impactful communication tools to deliver effective communications supporting healthy relations between parents, children, and CHS
• Conducting home visits and family meetings to identify concerns
• Researching initiatives to support families and enable child success
• Supporting child retention by developing successful relationships with families
• Working beside a team of other Family Success Advocates to collaborate and implement best practices
• Remaining updated of developments in the fields of family studies and child development
• Developing individualized plans for each family in need, understanding how different experiences (culture, traumas, etc.) should impact the treatment approach
• Aiding the Family Success Manager in training efforts between CHS and families
• Planning family engagement events and activities such as and family-oriented initiatives
• Implementing a system of feedback loops and gap resolution around family and community engagement
• Reinforcing best practices in building strong relationships with families, children, and community partners
• Assisting in the orientation and adjustment of newly enrolled children
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Family Studies, Human Development, Counseling, Psychology, or related field
• Coursework in some of the following: child development, group counseling, educational counseling, resiliency training, case management, non-profit, behavioral management, crisis intervention, and family systems
• 3 years of previous experience in family and/or community engagement
• Valid PA Driver's License
• Certification in counseling, education, or mental health (preferred)
• Responsible, enthusiastic, and cares about working for a mission-focused organization
• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to effectively work with low-income families (preferred)
• Willingness to be held accountable and receive feedback
• Comfortability with technology including MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and/or willingness to learn
• Commitment to the mission and values of CHS and MHS and demonstrated high degree of integrity as all MHS and CHS staff are considered to be role models for children
• Ability to work with a team as well as skills in mediation and negotiation
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities
• Ability to proactively identify problems and implement solutions
• U.S. work authorization and successful completion of pre-employment background checks and clearances

Who we are and what we’re looking for

At CHS, we are leaders passionate about early childhood education and community betterment. Our work is driven by the desire to endow children with the resources for educational and physical well-being, while supporting and empowering their families. We listen to the needs of our diverse community and adapt to give everyone a voice. We hold each-other accountable for bringing our best and most authentic selves to school every day, creating an environment of mutual respect.

We strive to build a team of individuals that is passionate about our mission, brings in new creative ideas, and loves their work. If this sounds like you, we look forward to seeing your application.

About Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning

At Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning, we nurture children, support them in discovering their world, and help them grow to reach their fullest potential. We are passionate educators, caregivers, and role models dedicated to successful early childhood development. We believe that a rich and solid foundation, along with a nurturing and supportive environment, is critical to helping children grow. We focus on the whole child, helping them flourish in mind and body. And we set them on a path to become their strongest, brightest, and best selves in school and beyond.

Catherine Hershey’s dream was to provide children with a well-rounded education. That dream lives on in her name and is our mission at Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning.

We urge you to apply through our website. Please use this troubleshooting guide if you have any difficulty submitting your online application.

If the issue persists, please email [email protected] with details of the issue, your resume, and cover letter.