Family Advocate

About the Family Enrichment Center

The O.U.R. (Organizing to be United and Resilient) Place Family Enrichment Center (FEC) is a warm and welcoming community-gathering place in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx. It is a space where any member of the community can come for support, information and offerings. The FEC is a home like setting, which reflects the community, and offers activities and resources that promote individual, family & community wellbeing and empowerment. In partnership with FEC staff, the Hunts Point Community drives the planning, development, and sustainable co-ownership of the center. Community members who participate in the FEC are encouraged to share their expertise by volunteering or through other meaningful opportunities to teach, engage with and support neighbors and peers. The goal of the FEC is to strengthen the characteristics and conditions that reduce or buffer the effects of risk, stress, or trauma and build community connections, capacity and resilience.

Position Summary:

The Family Advocate is one of five full-time positions at the FEC. This individual is responsible for contributing to the day-to-day operation of the FEC including, co-designing and delivering offerings, providing concrete advocacy for community members, making referrals and following up on individual requests and concerns. The Family Advocate helps create and sustain a warm, inviting gathering place, welcomes newcomers and regular community members, recruits community volunteers and ensures that their contributions are heard and valued. The Family Advocate builds connections amongst FEC & Graham-wide staff, community partners, and community formal and informal stakeholders. A key part of the Family Advocate’s job is to convene, support, and collaborate with a team of local parents to deliver monthly events (training will be provided).

A successful FEC Family Advocate is:

• Warm, outgoing, enthusiastic, and can engage, and positively impact individuals and groups from a diverse community
• A natural collaborator, able to co-create with the FEC Community
• Able to focus on the big picture as well as the details
• Able to set appropriate boundaries with the community that respects their privacy, their right to self-determination and their unique skills, attributes, and contributions.
• Skilled at working in a fast-paced environment with multiple projects occurring simultaneously

Responsibilities:

• Interacts regularly and frequently with the FEC Community Members:
  • Engages with whomever walks in the door.
  • Checks in regularly with community via txt, email, phone or in-person.
  • Follows up regularly on community concerns, issues, requests.
  • Communicates opportunities, activities, offerings, resources regularly.
  • Provides in-person individual coaching to community members using an Appreciative Inquiry approach.
  • Follows up with providers to insure that community is receiving appropriate services that address their needs
• Interacts regularly with Hunts Point/Longwood Community Partners:
  • Represents the FEC at community events and meetings.
  • Builds relationships with community partners and follows up to insure that families are receiving services that address their needs. 
  • Engage community partners to participate in or where appropriate, lead O.U.R. Place offerings. 
• With the FEC Advisory Council:
  • Co-creates surveys to understand community interest in offerings, using the information to co-design future offerings.
• Co-leads Offerings in response to community priorities:
  • Leads Monthly Community Café’s using the Strengthening Families model.
  • Co-leads regular offerings that are grounded in one or more of the seven protective factors, and serve to affirm & amplify community voice, celebrate family and community successes.
• Provides regular documentation which reflects FEC planning with community and the activities/offerings completed.
• Insures that the supplies needed for activities and offerings are in place and available prior to each event, submits all follow-up documentation including petty cash reimbursement, purchase orders and Vendor check requests.
• Regularly attends Graham activities & events including staff meetings, annual recognition events, Graham-wide graduations, trainings and learning opportunities.

Requirements:

• Associates Degree in social work, public policy, education, public administration, or related field; and/or equivalent experience
• Bilingual (Spanish/English)
• Lived and/or worked in the South Bronx
• Strong interpersonal skills, be able to connect with and engage individuals, families, community members and partner organizations.
• Technologically competent.
• Experience running street outreach events, developing community partnerships and developing community resources
• Experience in any of the following areas a plus: political campaigns, street outreach and/or developing community programs and services, community organizing.

Position Type: Full Time

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Graham Windham offers eligible employees a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, holiday pay, retirement savings plan, and much more.