Caregiver Engagement Specialist

Detroit MI

Friends of the Children—Detroit is looking for a passionate, committed trauma informed candidate to perform the role of Caregiver Engagement Specialist to provide comprehensive resource navigation and direct service support to families. Our model is proven to break the cycle of generational poverty for children who face the most barriers by providing paid professional mentors to thousands of youth across the country. The Caregiver Engagement Specialist will be tasked to support the establishment and expansion of our innovative, evidence-based model in Wayne County. The Caregiver Engagement Specialist will partner closely with caregivers who have experienced significant trauma themselves, with community-based organizations, and with the mental health and foster care systems to build parental protective capacities and improve family stability. He or she will engage and empower caregivers to reach their individual goals for their families.

The ideal candidate will have a smart head for data, and be an innovative leader deeply connected to the communities we serve. He or she will be proactive, results-driven, and possess a sense of urgency while at the same time look to focus their entrepreneurial talents to make a real difference for children whose families are most at risk of entering the foster care system. The Caregiver Engagement Specialist will work closely with the Program Director (PD) and will help guide the Detroit site’s implementation, assessment, and evaluation of our two-generation model of support. The right candidate will be fiercely committed to equity and will ensure that every aspect of the organization’s mission is executed with full engagement of communities impacted by our work.

Here’s what we have to offer you:

• The ability to implement and supervise a proven evidence-based mentoring model.
• A strong, cohesive Local and National team committed to innovation and high standards.
• A team of talented employees who are passionate about working together to create an extraordinary organization.
• Respect for work-life balance. You’ll work hard, and we expect you to recharge your batteries.
• A comprehensive benefit package
• Salary $55K annually
• Most of all, you get to serve in an exceptional organization that helps children facing incredible odds change their life story every day.

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Essential Functions/Core Job Accountabilities:

Responsible for assessing risk factors, improving overall protective factors for each family, and collecting outcome data.

Responsibilities include providing the primary source of empowerment support and encouragement, tracking caregiver progress toward individualized goals; building intentional partnerships that advance targeted parent outcomes; providing resource referral, parent skill-building, and, crisis intervention; delivering a caregiver survey and collecting outcome data. The Caregiver Engagement Specialist works directly with Friends to ensure a “whole family” approach that promotes family stability and well-being.

Primary Responsibilities:

A. Caregiver Assessment

• Collect, record, and administer participant self-assessments and all other participant data for outcomes progress an

grant data reporting.

• Co-develop individual goals plans with families that build protective factors in caregivers and advance family stability.
• Assess and monitor families’ needs over time and provide ongoing support.
• Maintain efficient, confidential and organized records; provide timely and appropriate case notes in our Efforts to Outcomes database.

B. Caregiver Empowerment

• Model and coach the client family in multiple forms of parenting and communication skills, anger management, and problem-solving.
• Empower and build skills in parents to positively and proactively engage in their youth’s education.
• Mobilize parents to implement plans that advance the goals they have for their families.

C. Partnership Engagement

• Work closely with PD to build intentional partnerships so that parents can meet their goals
• Support families to build positive social networks.
• Collaborate and strategize with parents to effectively partner with outside support systems and organizations.
• Complement the work of the PD Friends by serving as an additional resource specialist in a variety of life domains that include, but are not limited to, mental health, workforce development, housing, and public benefits.

D. Program Support

• Work closely with the PD to ensure caregiver outcomes are achieved.
• Support PD in the child identification and selection process.
• Solicit and obtain feedback from parents on monthly basis. Document and maintain all feedback and include in quarterly reports.
• Collaborate with other employees to ensure quality, seamless service delivery to youth and families.
• Plan, coordinate, and lead parent support groups/activities.
• Collaborate with the Program Director in planning, training, retention, and provide support to families, Friends, and volunteers.

E. Additional Responsibilities

• All Friends-Detroit employees are mandated reporters and are legally required to ensure a report is made when abuse is observed or suspected.
• Be willing to work flexible hours and non-traditional hours on a regular basis and be on call in crisis situations.
• Participate in Friends of the Children training to have a baseline of the content, skills, and language used throughout program for participants and staff.
• Communicate effectively and appropriately in all directions regarding organizational issues, concerns, policies, and procedures. Raise and resolve issues appropriately.
• Participate in regular conference calls with Program leads in the network, and otherwise communicate with personnel at the National office and other chapters about the program. Research, develop, implement, and sustain best practice programming to serve current and future needs of the organization as required.
• Utilize program data to help develop, implement, and sustain enrichment activities and program excellence.
• Be relentlessly committed to ensuring that youth and families reach their long-term outcomes.
• Communicate regularly and effectively with the Program Director about key aspects of the program, including the status of families, recommendations for improvement of the program.
• Develop trusting, supportive relationships with families, and guardians of the children we serve.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills; organizational and time management, delegation and follow-up skills.
• Proven ability to deliver trauma-informed, culturally responsive services to families and their children.
• Ability to cultivate and sustain relationships and work effectively with a wide variety of constituencies, including staff, program children, parents, schools, organizational supporters, Board members, and community partners.
• Ability to represent, effectively and professionally, the organization to a wide variety of audiences.
• Ability to research, analyze data, design/develop, propose, implement, and sustain programming.
• Ability to solve problems, work in a team environment, manage several issues concurrently, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced constantly changing work environment.
• Strong project management skills. Proven ability to manage multiple deadlines, responsibilities, and competing priorities.
• Ability to work in diverse work environments.
• Knowledge of child development and child issues, particularly those most relevant to our program youth.
• Awareness of community resources, and the ability to cultivate and sustain relationships with these resources.
• Enthusiasm for helping to plan and manage the anticipated growth of Friends-Detroit in Wayne County, and commitment to developing personal skills and knowledge as appropriate to that growth

• Master's degree in a mental health field from a nationally recognized accredited school or program offering mental health service delivery or related health care field, plus two years of experience in an appropriate and relevant setting.
• Valid Michigan driver’s license, driving record, and personal vehicle insurance acceptable to Brown & Brown insurance carrier.

Friends-Detroit is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to addressing discriminatory practices, and to working toward racial equity. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends of the Children provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, disability, or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. Friends of the Children hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.

Friends of the Children is growing rapidly as communities across the country are experiencing the power of how “One” changes a child's story: One Friend. One Child. 12+ years. No matter what. #ThePowerOfOne

To learn more about Friends of the Children go to https://friendsdetroit.org