Bilingual Family and Community Advocate
Hoyleton Youth and Family Servicesis looking to hire aBilingual Family and Community Advocatefor our Puentes de Esperanza team inFairview Heights, IL. Are you ready to take yourcareer in social services to the next levelwith awell-respected organizationthat has been serving southern Illinois for over 125 years?
In addition to acompetitive salarybased on experience, theBilingual Family and Community Advocateposition is eligible for afull range of benefitsincluding:
Health
Dental
Vision
Health savings account (HSA)
403(b) retirement plan
Paid holidays
Paid time off (PTO)
Employee assistance program (EAP)
Life insurance
Continuing education
Fun, celebratory culture with a yearly employee retreat
If this sounds like the right social services opportunity for you, apply today!
ABOUT HOYLETON YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES
We are a faith-based organization, founded upon the social justice heritage of the United Church of Christ. Since our founding in 1895, we have grown to be one of southern Illinois' leaders in providing emotional and mental health services for every stage of youth and family development. We offer a wide variety of programs, including foster care, counseling, residential, and community programs. Our mission is to enable all people, young and old alike, to realize the wholeness of life that God intends.
Our team professionals are energized daily because they have theopportunity to bring positive change to someone's life. In fact, "changing lives" is in everyone's job description. We also offercompetitive pay,excellent benefits, andpositive work culture.
POSITION SUMMARY
This is a full-time position located in Fairview Heights, IL.
TheBilingual Family and Community Advocateis responsible for providing a variety of outreach, advocacy, and support services to Latino individuals and families; services include interpretation and translation, information and referral, advocacy, arranging for health care, access to public benefits and support and education to parents and adolescents. This position will be a part of the Puentes de Esperanza team.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Works with the program supervisor to identify appropriate activities and resources to support Spanish-speaking families.
Conducts outreach to Spanish-speaking families for community resources and support.
Connects with Spanish-speaking families for services.
Receives and responds to requests for services and assistance made by Latino families, individuals, and/or service providers on behalf of Latinos.
Assesses the request for service and determines if it is within the mission and capacity of Puentes; discusses alternatives with the family in order to enlist the family in developing and carrying out a plan of action
Remains knowledgeable about public benefits, community resources, and their respective eligibility; assists and advocates on behalf of clients to assure that they receive services and benefits that they are eligible for and need.
Maintains written records of each pre/post-session assessment and program session as directed by the program supervisor.
Meets goals as stated in grant/ program plan.
Attends all trainings as identified by the agency and/or funder.
Attends staffing and meetings as needed.
Assists families and individuals to access needed health care; provides interpretation and translation; assists families to develop resources for transportation.
Maintains records and statistics as required by the agency, and other funding sources and makes suggestions for revision and review. Performs other administrative tasks as assigned.
Participates in and supports additional community events as an organization representative.
Responds to on-call case assistance for Spanish-speaking families involved with the Department of Children & Family Services.
Provides education and positive youth development activities as needed in accordance with the program delivery plan and consistent with CARE Principles.
Must be certified in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention and capable of performing crisis prevention and de-escalation techniques with fidelity to the TCI model. Expected to conduct TCI methods as required
Will actively seek to prevent behavioral crises, de-escalate crises as they occur, and respond to crises in accordance with TCI guidelines.
Other duties as assigned
SKILLS and ABILITIES
Strong organizational and time management skills
Ability to recruit sites for program implementation and community leaders within the target area.
Ability to engage youth, parents, and community leaders around difficult issues and topics.
Understanding of community needs and ability to analyze data about the service site
Interpersonal and communication skills
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE
A High School diploma or GED: Bachelor's Degree preferred.
Must be bilingual (Spanish & English) and have experience working with the Latino population.
Preference will be given to individuals who have been worked directly with Latino families for 2+ years.
Must possess and retain a valid driver's license and auto insurance.
The personal characteristics and experiential background that enables the Bilingual Family Support Specialist to provide appropriate care for children and adults, develop positive, therapeutic relationships with them, to guide them in their development, and actively engage the Spanish-speaking community.
Ability to receive a DCFS/CANTS Clearance.
CARE & TCI
One of the essential job functions of any position within the agency is to align your performance with our overarching philosophy of CARE. All decisions, actions, communication, and performance should align with the six CARE principles (Developmentally Focused, Family Involved, Relationship-Based, Ecologically Oriented, Competence Centered, and Trauma-Informed). Not only must you complete the CARE training with satisfactory participation, but you must then put that training into practice in your everyday work.
Every employee must also pass TCI training with a satisfactory grade in written and/or physical testing. All employees must remain current on refresher training that is provided monthly at all locations. You will be tested every 6 months on the physical portion, if applicable to your position. You will be tested annually on the written portion regardless of your position. If you are not current on your TCI refresher training every six months, you will be required to retake the full course. If you do not pass either test, you may be required to retake the full course. Not only must you complete the TCI training with satisfactory participation, but you must then put that training into practice in your everyday work.
READY TO JOIN OUR TEAM?
If you feel that you would be right for this clinical position with our social services organization, please complete our initial3-minute mobile-friendly application. We look forward to meeting you!
Location: 62208
