Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

The first national agency I explored was The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). I chose this organization because their mission is to “serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources” (NAEYC, 2014). A job that interests me is a teacher’s position.  The qualifications are have a bachelor’s degree in a child-related field from a college or university that is accredited or a minimum of two years of experience in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related field (NAEYC, 2014).

The next organization that I chose is called Jump Start. I chose this organization because it is a national early education organization that recruits and trains college students to serve preschool children who reside in low-income neighborhoods. They have a proven curriculum that helps children develop the language and literacy skills needed to ready then for kindergarten (Jump Start, 2014). A position I chose with this organization is Associate Program Director (ADP). The ADP is responsible for ensuring high-quality implementation. Qualifications are a bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related discipline; Masters preferred, commitment to the organization’s mission and values of learning, connection, joy, determination and kindness, and 3-5 years of experience.

The last organization I researched is National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC). This organization works on behalf of family child care providers. One of the goals of this organization is “to promote the diversity of the family child care profession through training, state and local associations, public education, and Board Membership” (NAFCC, 2014). There were not any job openings available.

References

Jump Start. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.jstart.org/

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2014). Retrieved

            from http://www.naeyc.org/about/mission

National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC). (2014). Retrieved from

            http://www.nafcc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=573&Itemid=28

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

I currently reside in Georgia, so I searched for agencies in this state. I found several agencies of communities of practice that I have knew nothing about. The first agency where I would like to be employed is The Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD).  This agency uses a focused approach to improve early childhood and development. Two of their goals are to promote high quality and accountable early learning and development programs for all children and promote family support and engagement in the child’s development. A job that interests me is Head Start Program Specialists. I chose this position because I feel young children need high quality programs that will help them succeed.

The second agency I explored is Child Welfare Information Gateway. This agency promotes the safety, permanency, well-being of children, youth, and families. This organization has a program called Family-Centered Practice. What this program does is work with families, formally and informally, to enhance their capacity to care for and protect their children. Its focus is on children’s safety and needs within the context of their families and communities.  A job that interests me in this organization is a Social Worker. This job entails providing education and training to staff, assist with other programs within the organization, and prepare written findings. I chose this job because I can provide staff with the information needed to assist these families and help them care for their children. I can also be of assistance in more than one area of the organization. This position requires a Master’s degree in the related field, able to adapt o sudden changes, and no minimum years of experience.

The third organization I explored was Zero to Three. This organization provides parents, professionals, and policy makers the knowledge and teaches them how to nurture early development.  They want to ensure all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. A career that interests me is Senior Policy Strategist. I’m interested in this job because I will serve as a proactive resource to Congress and the Administration about infant and toddler policy issues. This will be a great opportunity to be a part of a team that is working to educate individuals about the importance of nurture for infants and toddlers. A Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and knowledge of early childhood policy are some of the requirements.

References

Child Welfare Information Gateway (2014). Family-centered practice. Retrieved from

            https://www.childwelfare.gov/famcentered/

The Office of Early Childhood Develeopment (2014). An office of the administration for

            children and families. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd

 Zero to Three (2014). National center for infants, toddlers, and families. Retrieved from

             http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/careers/jobs/