Family Opportunities Advisor

Characteristics of Work

This Family Opportunities Advisor (H.S.) advocates and works primarily with Head Start families from every station in life and sometimes dire economic backdrops to ease them through transitions, hardships, and mentally tough times. This position is responsible for working within a team to assist in delivering services to Head Start children and their families utilizing a case management approach.

Essential Functions

These essential functions include but are not limited to, the following. Additional essential functions may be identified and included by the Agency or assigned by the supervisor.

Planning and Organizing

Implementing the Head Start recruitment, orientation, and enrollment of age and income-eligible children and families. Continuous document collection to ensure families are in compliance to attend a Head Start center.

Develop a Family Partnership process via assessing and building on family strengths and community assets;

Completes intake and eligibility procedures for applicants of Agency services.

Ensure electronic records of families are maintained and up to date, including, but not limited to, requirements for CSBG Standards; Head Start standards as they relate to eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, attendance, family, health, and nutrition services; and LIHEAP requirements.

Maintain accurate and up-to-date case files in one central location, filed in alphabetical order, and all sites required under program policies.

Implementing Activities

Provides information and referral services to persons needing assistance from other social service agencies. Complete Head Start, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Community Services Block Grants (CSBG), Emergency Solutions Grant, City of Jackson Emergency Services Program, CMPDD Transportation, and other applications.

Maintains documentation of services provided through entries in COPA and mandated programmatic systems. Monitors and/or follows up on applicant’s progress periodically, as prescribed and/or required. Enter and update all customer data and follow up information in accordance with Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and enter into COPA database.

Ensure families have access to all needed resources both internally and externally. Ensures ongoing relationship-building with families. This could include conducting home visits to ensure opportunities are met.

Record Keeping and Reporting

Compiles and submits reports on the services provided to/received by the customers and/or on the customer’s progress in the program to the case manager supervisor upon request.

Reviews and updates customer roster, daily schedule, customer services, and allocation amount.

Maintains comprehensive, confidential social/health services files on each enrolled child.

Inputs data into computer applications to effectively track services as directed.

Accurately documents all contacts with families, including types of referrals made and types of services delivered.

Comunicating and Guiding

Provides referral assistance to families in crisis situations.

Provides Community Resource Directory, Parent Handbook, and other program materials to parents.

Collects survey information from families and the community.

Show top customer service skills, including returning customer calls in a timely manner and scheduling follow-up appointments when necessary.

Training and Supporting

Participate in staff meetings, team planning sessions, and parent meetings.

Participate in Agency training, workshops, conferences, and in-service training as it relates to program operations.

Actively solicits parent involvement in the program.

Recruit volunteers and in-kind contributions.

Qualifications:

A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university, good writing and documentation skills, and computer experience. Handles pressure, objectivity, confidentiality, organization, planning, reporting skills, persistence, proactive listening, verbal communication, and client relationships.

Supervisory Control

The Family Opportunities Advisor (H.S.) is directly responsible to the Center Administrator who is responsible to the Assistant Vice President for Head Start and Early Childhood Programs. The Family Opportunities Advisor (H.S.) will be evaluated biannually by the Center Administrator. This evaluation will be conducted through a process of performance monitoring and progress

reviews. The evaluation will be reviewed and approved by the Family and Community Services Director and in coordination with the Family Opportunities Advisor Supervisor. The Family Opportunities Advisor (H.S.) will be monitored on an ongoing basis by the Family and Community Services Director the Family Opportunities Advisor Supervisor.