BASIC FUNCTION/POSITION OBJECTIVE

Responsible for assessing risk factors, improving overall protective factors for each family, and collecting outcome data. Responsibilities include: providing the primary source of support and encouragement, tracking the participants’ progress toward education and employment goals, resource referral and periodic trainings, crisis intervention, and collecting outcome data. The Caregiver Engagement Specialist works directly with parents to monitor program partnership and inspire personal success.

Primary Responsibilities:

A. Direct Services

• Co-develop individual goal plans for parents to provoke self-discovery and personal growth; engage in goal setting and meaningful action.
• Coach parents by encouraging self-responsibility, promoting alignment between their personal values and actions and generating innovative solutions.
• Complement the work of the Program Director and Friends by serving as a bridge to support services in a variety of life domains that include, but are not limited to, mental health, workforce development, housing, and public benefits.
• Assess each family’s needs and growth over time as well as provide follow-up support.
• Coach parents to progress in their life skill development and achieve goals by providing support, crisis intervention, guidance, and resource referral.
• Collaborate and strategize with participants on effectively partnering with outside support systems and agencies.
• Support participants in managing their finances to ensure they are maximizing their resources.
• Maintain efficient, confidential and organized records; provide timely and appropriate case notes in ETO.
• Collect, record and administer participant self-assessments and all other participant data for outcomes progress and grant data reporting.
• Collaborate and participate in team meetings with program staff.
• Work with families and other staff collaboratively through family goal planning sessions and provide support to mentors when appropriate.

B. Program Support

• Work closely with the Program Director to ensure outcomes are achieved.
• Model and coach the client family in multiple forms of parenting and communication skills, anger management, and problem solving.
• Plan, coordinate, and lead parent support groups/activities.
• Be willing to work flexible hours and be available in crisis situations
• Develop and maintain accurate client records and participate in the development of needs/strengths assessment.
• Collaborate with the Program Director in planning, training, retention, and providing support to families and Friends

C. Other Duties as assigned

• All Friends L.A. employees are mandated reporters and are legally required to ensure a report is made when abuse is observed or suspected.
• Participate in Friends of the Children training to have a baseline of the content, skills, and language used throughout program for participants and staff.

• Serve as role model and mentor for families to ensure that they have resources necessary to perform reach their family goals.
• Know and understand the needs and issues of the families served. Meet with each Friend one-on-one each month, and review Roadmaps and Transition Plans for each child and family on a monthly basis.
• Communicate effectively and appropriately in all directions regarding organizational issues, concerns, policies, and procedures. Raise and resolve issues appropriately.
• Solicit and obtain feedback from parents on monthly basis. Document and maintain all feedback, and include in quarterly reports.
• 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.
• Support Program Director in the child identification and selection process; including developing and sustaining a robust, formalized process, and training.
• 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 Program Director about key aspects of the program, including status of families, recommendations for improvement of the program.
• Develop trusting, supportive relationships with families, and guardians of the children we serve.
• Responsible for the quality, integrity, and timely entry of program data.
• Ensure compliance with and accountability to organization’s policies, procedures, and practices as outlined in the Employee Manual and Friends Handbook. Contribute to the development of any of these as required. Help move the organization to one of increased accountability and zero tolerance.
• Collaborate with and benefit from National team resources.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience Required:

• Master’s degree; Licensed Preferred.
• Seven to ten years’ experience working with child-related programs.
• Ability to research, analyze data, design/develop, propose, implement, and sustain evaluation methods currently utilized.
• 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 LA, and commitment to developing personal skills and knowledge as appropriate to that growth.

Benefits

Friends LA cares about our employees as whole people. We offer a generous vacation and sick leave policy, quarterly reset days, 12 paid holidays, summer half days, a summer recess the first week of July, and an annual winter recess during the last week of December. Employees are eligible for medical benefits (including vision and dental), 401k retirement plan, EAP, and ongoing professional development opportunities.

Employees can add optional plans, at employee expense, which include medical coverage for dependents, Flexible Spending Accounts, supplemental life insurance, and more.

Friends LA requires COVID-19 vaccines for all employees. As of March 1, 2022, we will be expanding our in-person vaccination requirement to include booster shots. Accommodations or exceptions can be requested for medical or religious reasons.

Friends of the Children – Los Angeles 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 – Los Angeles hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.