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 Parent-Child Activities that are designed to strengthen social connections among families. Parent Cafes are evidence-based, small-group structured discussions that enable parents to explore strengths, learn about the protective factors, and create strategies from their own wisdom and experiences to help strengthen their families.
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).
Service Activities
• 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 to research, plan and provide biweekly parent-child activities for New Bedford families. These may include family literacy activities, playgroups, or other methods to engage families and build connections.
• Participate in National Days of Service as required by the Massachusetts Service Alliance and UWGNB.
Community Need Addressed
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 19 AmeriCorps members (7 Full-Time Parent Educators, 4 Full-time and 8 Half-time 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.
Position Outcomes
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.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance
Education Benefits
College Degree, GED/High School Diploma, Credential or Certification
Nurturing Parenting Programs
Skills you will gain
case management, motivational interviewing, service provision to youth and families
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, 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
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
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
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Operate tools and equipment in accordance with established operating procedures, safety standards, and ethical guidelines
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, 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