Family Advocate - Kingsbridge Heights Community Center : Job Details

Overview:

Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC) is a 50 year old multi-service not-for-profit

organization based on the settlement house model and located in the Bronx. We provide resources for Bronx residents from cradle to career to advance education and well-being for a vibrant community. KHCC serves over 5,000 families annually with an inclusive environment for children with special needs, low-income families, recent immigrants, survivors of sexual and domestic abuse, and at-risk teens. KHCC helps participants overcome adversity and develop the skills they need to build bright futures.

Position Overview

In 2017, The Administration for Children's Services launched Family Enrichment Centers (FEC).

FECs are a family-centered, primary prevention model that provide community-designed supports in a warm, inviting home-like space where neighbors can connect, contribute to their community, find resources, support one another, and build strategies that help families thrive.

The Family Advocate will contribute to daily operations of the FEC by building relationships with staff, community members, and stakeholders in the Bronx CD 7 - Kingsbridge / Bedford Park. The ideal candidate will adhere to the center's model of appreciative inquiry and collaborative co-design in order to facilitate community-led decision making in every step of the center's operations.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

● Engage in outreach to parents, children, and other community members to encourage them to visit the FEC and attend and design offerings.

● Serve as a liaison between community members and external organizations, facilitating access to

essential services and resources such as education, healthcare, and social support.

● Engage in proactive outreach activities to encourage community members, including parents and

youth, to visit the FEC and actively participate in co-designing relevant offerings.

● Promote collaboration, cooperation, and stakeholder buy-in to ensure the success and impact of

FEC activities, while effectively managing program data, resources, and the physical space of the

center.

● Help parents, children, and other community members connect to local resources, services, and

other supports.

● Use Appreciative Inquiry and other strength-based tools to engage community members in

co-designing offerings.

● Create monthly calendars, website content, and other outreach tools to promote and document

offerings.

● Additional related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

● Must be authorized to work for any employer in the US

● Willing to undergo fingerprinting and background checks in accordance with federal, state and

local laws

● Minimum qualifications include a bachelor's degree AND three (3) years of professional

experience;

○ OR a high school diploma AND five (5) years of professional experience in

community-driven-programs working directly with children, youth, and families.

● Experience in community driven programs working directly with children, youth, and families.

● Flexibility with daily schedule to accommodate community needs and varying program hours

● Exceptional people/interpersonal, community organizing, collaboration, and advocacy skills.

Preferred

● Knowledge of, lived experience in, and commitment to, the FEC community

● Outstanding people/interpersonal skills

● Bilingual

● Available to work occasional evenings or weekends as needed.

● Experience caring for children (as a parent, guardian, relative, neighbor, or babysitter)

Physical Demands:

● While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit;

handle, or feel; talk, hear, smell or taste. On rare occasions it may be necessary to move quickly,

run, etc. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with

hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The

employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25

pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by

this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.