Bilingual Family And Community Advocate

Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Bilingual Family and Community Advocate is responsible for providing a variety of outreach, advocacy and support services to Spanish speaking individuals and families throughout Metro-East and Southern Illinois; services include interpretation and translation, information and referral, advocacy, arranging for health care, access to public benefits, coordination of educational workshops.

The Advocate works collaboratively with internal and external partners to support Spanish-speaking families. This position delivers services that align with agency mission and service delivery model. The Bilingual Family and Community Advocate is a part of the Puentes de Esperanza team.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Remains knowledgeable about services available to immigrant communities and community resources and their respective eligibility.
• Assures that accurate and complete data is compiled in the reporting systems as required by the grant in order to document the compliance with the goals, objectives and quantity of services. Participates in the on-going comprehensive quality improvement process.
• Conducts outreach to target populations for community resources and support. Participates and supports community events and meetings as an organization representative.
• Meets goals as stated in grant/ program plan; works within programs focused on case management, education and outreach, and individual or group sessions as assigned.
• Coordinates workshops through partners and/ or leads workshops on various topics as assigned.
• Enters and maintains data in required systems as identified by agency and other funding sources.
• Responds to request for services for Spanish-speaking individuals and families; assesses service requests are within program deliverables and agency mission; assists in referral of services to meet family need.
• Responds on-call case assistance for Spanish speaking families involved with Department of Children & Family Services as assigned.
• Must be certified in the CARE practice model and provide support to others 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.

Requirements

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Serve as a connector and resource for the community on issues related to immigrant and Spanish-speaking populations.
• Implement the CARE practice model and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) methods with fidelity and consistency.
• Exhibit professionalism, punctuality, responsibility, and conduct that align with agency standards.
• Participate in required meetings, trainings, and program activities as directed by the agency and grant funders.
• Deliver assigned program services and fulfill all grant deliverables in accordance with agency policies.
• Fluency in English and Spanish
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Ability to engage youth, parents, and community members on sensitive topics.
• Understanding of community needs and the ability to analyze local data.
• Critical thinking within a face-paced environment
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Must meet DCFS/CANTS Clearance Requirements.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and maintain proof of automobile insurance.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma or GED required; Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution preferred.
• Must be bilingual (Spanish and English) and have experience working with immigrant or multicultural populations, preferably in community-based programs.

CARE & TCI

Hoyleton has adopted the CARE (Children and Residential Experience), developed by Cornell University, to guide our culture and practice. CARE is grounded in six core principles: Developmentally Focused, Family Involved, Relationship Based, Ecologically Oriented, Competence Centered, and Trauma Informed.

Completion of CARE and TCI training is an internal requirement for all staff and must be completed upon hire. Ongoing application of these principles is expected and essential to successful job performance.

TCI (Therapeutic Crisis Intervention). Employees must:

• Pass the written test annually
• Pass the physical test every six months (if applicable to their role)

Consistent participation and application of both CARE and TCI principles drive company culture and are essential to job performance.

BENEFITS

• Medical insurance with company funded Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Dental and vision insurance
• Paid vacation, sick, and personal days
• 10 company holidays and 1 floating holiday
• Monthly cell phone reimbursement
• 6 weeks paid parental leave
• 403(b) retirement plan with up to 5% employer match
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Optional supplemental benefits including: voluntary life, short-term disability, long-term disability, accident, and critical illness coverage
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available to employees and their household members for additional support
• Tuition reimbursement to encourage continued learning and growth
• BenefitHub Perks Program offering valuable employee discounts

WORKING CONDIDTIONS

This position operates in a professional office and a community-based environment and may require travel to Monroe, St. Clair, Clinton, and/or Washington counties, depending on role responsibilities.

The role involves periods of walking, standing, or sitting, and may occasionally require climbing stairs, bending, kneeling, or lifting materials up to 10lbs depending on job duties.

Minimal exposure to environmental factors such as noise, dust, or varying indoor/outdoor temperatures may occur depending on program needs and client-related activities.