AmeriCorps Members will serve in Head Start and Early Head Start child care centers with Episcopal Children’s Services in Lake and Marion Counties. Episcopal Children’s Services (ECS) helps undeserved children in Northeast and Central Florida build a strong foundation for educational success. ECS’s dedicated staff, members and volunteers use curriculums based on the latest research and best practices to ensure our community’s most vulnerable children enter school ready to learn.
2020 Start Dates: January, March, May, August
Position Types: 300, 450, 900 and 1700 hour positions
Service Activities
1. Deliver Classroom Learning Focus intervention in assigned classrooms for Social-Emotional, Language and Mathematics development.
2. Work with identified children to focus on identified learning domains. Document progress on activities as directed by Program Manager.
3. Interact purposefully with children to imbed learning activities.
Community Need Addressed
ECS launched its first AmeriCorps program in 2019 to address a growing need to provide additional support for teachers in Head Start classrooms so that young children may be successful in achieving specific school-readiness benchmarks. The need for this program is significant and aligns with our mission to support under-served children in Northeast and Central Florida build a strong foundation for educational success. ECS programs use a “whole child” approach that helps kids grow intellectually, emotionally and socially. Members serving in classrooms help achieve this goal by working with children who may be facing obstacles to success and simply need more individualized support.
Position Outcomes
Members of Episcopal Children’s Services’ AmeriCorps Program provide a commitment of service as Education Support Specialists, assisting teachers directly in Head Start pre-school classrooms. Members primarily will work one-on-one or in small group sessions, focusing on assisting children achieve benchmarks in areas of social-emotional development, language and mathematics.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
All members will complete their DCF 45 hours during their service as well as become certified in First Aid and CPR
Education Benefits
GED/High School Diploma
CPR, First Aid, DCF 45 hours, Professional Development
Skills you will gain
Teaching, Early Childhood Education, Mentoring, Resiliency
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, Turn taking
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility
Planning
Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment