FORESTDALE INC.
Family Enrichment Center Community Associate
hace 15 días
Forest Hills
Job Description Background Forestdale is a child welfare agency working to enhance family well-being and prevent child maltreatment through parenting, prevention, and foster care services for families in Queens and Brooklyn. We help thousands of families work through complex trauma, raise the next amazing generation of children, and help youth successfully launch into adulthood. Forestdale’s mission is “to ensure that children and families have the fundamental assets they need to thrive and live independently.” Forestdale is proud to be part of a groundbreaking initiative in ACS’ Division of Child and Family Well-Being, which aims to establish Family Enrichment Centers citywide. A Family Enrichment Center is a home-like inclusive environment where community members can gather, build new relationships, learn skills, participate in activities, and get access to resources they need in order to thrive. The FEC initiative stands apart from many initiatives in that it is community-led in both design and operation, with Forestdale partnering with residents and local community organizations in Southeast Queens to co-create the Center, which is called Community Connection. Job Summary The FEC Community Associate is responsible for contributing to the day-to-day operation of the FEC including creating a warm and welcoming gathering place and assisting with the planning, preparation, and delivery of offerings. This position will be on-site in our Family Enrichment Center which is located in St. Albans, Queens. Major Responsibilities/Activities • Cares for and attends to the physical space of the FEC program to ensure it is safe, welcoming, organized, and appealing to participants and community members., • Contributes to the design and promotion of the monthly calendar of offerings, in collaboration with other FEC staff, external providers, and community members;, • Assists with preparing for offerings/events at the FEC, making sure the physical space, food, and materials are ready;, • Works in partnership with families to appreciate how they would like to contribute to the community, and to understand their needs and the resources or assistance they are interested in pursuing,, • Works in collaboration with the Family Advocate to share information about, and assist families with referrals to, community-based resources and services, • Coordinates scheduling, communication, and task follow-up with FEC staff and interns, • Ability to warmly connect with and engage children, youth, and adults; skilled at pro-actively establishing relationships and forming new groups, • Lived and/or worked in southeast Queens, • Ability to juggle several projects at the same time, • Experience planning and hosting events (family gatherings and parties count!), • Experience navigating systems to get resources to meet families’ needs, • The ability to communicate in more than one language, • A Bachelor’s Degree in social work, human services, public policy, education, or related field; and/or equivalent experience, • Ability to accommodate a flexible work schedule, including evenings and weekends Benefits: Join the Forestdale Team and Enjoy Excellent Benefits: Four weeks’ vacation Medical/dental/vision/life/disability insurance 401(k), 7% employer contribution + 2% match Tax-deferred health care/dependent care/commuter plans Flexible Schedule Opportunities for educational scholarships Additional Information Forestdale Inc. is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that stands up for justice and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our values and approach, and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with. Forestdale Inc. is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and te