AMERICORPS – Family Support Specialist

Martha O'Bryan Center

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Job Summary

ABOUT THE MARTHA O’BRYAN CENTER 

Martha O’Bryan Center (MOBC) is an anti-poverty non-profit organization with longstanding history and deep community roots, grounded in tradition and strengthened by innovation.  Founded in 1894 when Miss O’Bryan organized the Gleaners Society at First Presbyterian Church to support impoverished North Nashville residents, Martha O’Bryan Center has operated from the heart of Cayce Place – Nashville’s most distressed community – since 1948.  This is where we continue in service, partnering with Cayce Place families to open doors of hope and possibility, create a culture of attainment, and positively shape future generations.  Martha O’Bryan Center serves 12,000 people annually with its programs in early learning, parent empowerment, youth development, adult education, food security, crisis counseling and public charter schools East End Prep and Explore! Community School. 

 

Mission Statement:  On a foundation of Christian faith, Martha O’Bryan Center empowers children, youth, and adults in poverty to transform their lives through work, education, employment, and fellowship. 

AmeriCorps at the Martha O’Bryan Center
When you join AmeriCorps, you use your energy, ideals, and talents to help others. Plus, you’ll earn money for education, learn to be a leader, and gain real job skills.  AmeriCorps is a national volunteer program that supports hundreds of service members across the country every year, providing a living allowance and other benefits while you give back to the community. 

MOBC Family Success Network

Beginning in 2017, MOBC conducted a Human-Centered Design Process with Cayce residents to incorporate lessons learned from its Academic Student Unions and recast its early childhood education programming as two-generational, whole-family programming. Our goal was to create an accessible and inclusive third space where community members would belong, to develop a two-gen framework that provides families with the tools, opportunities, and networks necessary for educational success, economic security, and holistic wellbeing, and to surround families with a team of support that would empower and uplift families to their individual goals.  The resulting Family Success Network combines MOBC and partner services in a single setting, serving the child and parent together with coordinated hours. Offerings include early learning interventions, parent education, high school equivalency prep, college/career coaching, health and wellness supports (developmental screenings, nutrition workshops, health advocacy), family and couples counseling, crisis supports, and recreation and fellowship opportunities. Together, these services address key indicators surrounding education, employment, health/wellbeing, and social capital. Family-Centered Coaching lies at the heart of this new framework, with families served as an interconnected unit with coexistent goals. Based on assessment of strengths, needs, and wellness, families will be assigned a Family Success Coach and a tiered level of support. This includes regular one-on-one coaching and trauma-informed care coordination. 

 

Position Summary
The Family Support Specialist will work alongside our Family Support & Clinical Services team to provide holistic educational experiences for families enrolled in our Family Success programs. Our innovative family success programs help to educate parents so that they are better able to facilitate the development of healthy, competent and caring children. Our educational model combines four core strategies: (a) Prevention and early intervention; (b) Empowerment and strengthening; (c) Development of supportive social networks; (d) Promotion of broad community change. This opportunity is for an 11-month AmeriCorps term starting August 23, 2021. Service times are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri, with occasional weekend events.

Job Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Recruit and retain families for Family Support Services and Family Success Network programs.
• Make referrals based on the parent’s request/worker’s basic assessment.
• Maintain up-to-date progress notes.
• Provide educational information regarding MOBC’s family support services, both in-person and through social media.
• Assist the Family Support team with wraparound services for families enrolled in the Family Success Network.
• Develop curriculum and assist in the teach and leading of classes within the Family Support program.
• Data entry and data analysis.
• Participate in AmeriCorps professional development and community building workshops.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. 

Education and Experience:  

• College degree or currently enrolled in a degree program; degree in Social Work a plus.  
• Leadership experience is a plus. 
• Demonstrated success with participant recruitment & small event planning. 

The above qualifications express the minimum standards of education and/or experience for this position. Other combinations of education and experience, if evaluated as equivalent, may be taken into consideration. 

 Knowledge and Abilities: 

• Passion for empowering families. 
• Ability to work in a chaotic, sometimes noisy environment. 
• Strong interpersonal skills; excellent customer service skills. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
• Maintains credibility through sincerity, honesty, and discretion. 
• Builds and maintains positive relationships with internal and external constituents. 
• Strong organizational skills. 
• Strong time management skills; uses time effectively; consistently meets deadlines. 
• Maintains a high level of confidentiality regarding sensitive information. 
• Documents regularly, thoroughly, accurately, and completely. 
• High level of detail, accuracy, and attention to grammar. 
• Exercises good and consistently fair judgment, courtesy, and tact in dealing with the staff and public in giving and obtaining information. 

Language Skills: 

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. 

Reasoning Ability: 

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. 

Other Skills and Abilities: 

• Computer literate including familiarity with word processing, spreadsheet, database, and desk top publishing software, clerical skills, and written and oral communications skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to operate and diagnose standard office equipment; thorough knowledge of voice mail, e-mail, and Internet use. 

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus. 

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

• On feet for 3 – 4 hours at a time.

Additional Information

Benefits

How to Apply

Click HERE to apply.

Details

• Date Posted: May 13, 2022
• Type: VISTA / AmeriCorps
• Job Function: Other
• Service Area: Community Development