Family Support Advocate

• Center for Early Relationship Support Programs - Healthy Families
• Waltham, MA, USA
• Full Time

Jewish Family & Children's Service of Greater Boston invites you to apply for our position of Family Support Advocate!

The Family Support Advocate provides intensive outreach and home-based service (currently combined with virtual) to pregnant or parenting moms and dads in the towns of Acton, Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Boxborough, Burlington, Cambridge, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Needham, Newton, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley, Weston, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn. 

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

Healthy Families Central Middlesex is an intensive weekly home visiting program for first-time parents 23 years of age and younger providing family advocacy and parental coaching.  Family Support Advocates/Home Visitors are trained by Children's Trust and are employed by Jewish Family and Children's Service located in Waltham.  The program goals are to prevent child abuse and neglect, support health and development of children, assist with parental education and economic self-sufficiency, promote optimal parental health and wellness, and reduce repeat teen pregnancies.  Our teamwork, training and work with families is currently being conducted with a combination of in-person home visits and virtually through Zoom, FaceTime, and WhatsApp. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Family Support Advocate is a full-time position of 36.25 hours per week. This position reports to the Healthy Families Program Coordinator.

Your workday will include:

• Conducting regular home visits (including virtual meeting methods) with up to 15 families in the service area, building and maintaining relationships with family members and directly assisting the family prenatally, through pregnancy, delivery, and up through to the child's 3^rd birthday
• Providing coaching and resources on a range of topics, including infant and child development, immunizations, positive nurturing routines, family planning, nutrition, breastfeeding, home safety and stress management
• Working closely with the Healthy Families team, conduct family assessments, develop, and implement individualized family goal plans based on the family's goals
• Facilitating appropriate use of primary care and other services, track immunizations and referrals made
• Encouraging family members and co-parents to participate in family support services, social activities, parent education and health promotion activities
• Working with Healthy Families team to plan social activities and incentive programs for program participants, and assist in other partnership projects as needed
• Attending meetings of the Healthy Families team, participating in regular individual supervision, and attending scheduled staff development and extensive training programs
• Helping to insure continued linkage to primary care and family support services, and outreach to families in need of follow-up
• Collecting data, documenting all encounters on a web-based system, and participating in Healthy Families activities in accordance with all Healthy Families America standards

The role comes with the following benefits:

• Best-in field paid time off, including 22 days of vacation time, plus national and Jewish holidays
• Mileage reimbursement
• Immediate eligibility for insurance and benefits 
• Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
• Life Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• 403b Retirement Plans
• Disability, Critical Illness, and Accident Insurance

ABOUT YOU

Ideal candidates for the Family Support Advocate position have the following qualifications/experience:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field
• Significant experience (3+ years) working with families and children can be substituted for bachelor's degree requirement
• Bilingual proficiency preferred but not required (Spanish/English)
• Driver's license and car for home visiting (mileage reimbursement available)
• Ability to establish trusting relationships, accepting of individual differences 
• History working with culturally diverse populations
• Open to reflective practice; capacity for self-reflection in relation to others 
• Ability to work well in a team
• Knowledge of infant, child, and adolescent development 
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite (excel, word, outlook, power point)

ABOUT THE PROCESS

Applying for the position of Family Table Assistant Volunteer Coordinator has the following requirements:

• A current resume
• Cover letter
• COVID-19 vaccination and proof of vaccine

If you are selected for consideration, the hiring process could include: 

• An initial phone screen
• An in-person interview with team members 
• Background check
• 3 References, including two professional references
• Copy of diploma of highest education received
• Other hiring requirements

**In compliance with federal vaccine mandates, COVID-19 vaccination & proof of vaccine will be required prior to employment or employees must have an approved exemption for medical or religious reasons by the first day of employment with JF&CS.**

ABOUT US

For more than 150 years, Jewish Family & Children's Service has been helping individuals and families build a strong foundation for resilience and well-being. We intentionally serve and employ people of all faiths, backgrounds, cultures, and abilities.

Our work is guided by core tenets of faith and commitment not by bureaucratic processes or a desire to maximize profits. Our goal is to improve lives and improve the world which is part of what makes JF&CS a special place.

We have a strong culture of professional development, work-life balance, and promoting from within. 

JF&CS is an equal opportunity employer who serves and employs people of all cultures and faith traditions and highly values diversity, equity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all without regard for race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability.