Children's Services Associate

CHILDREN’S SERVICES ASSOCIATE

Position Type: Part-Time & Full Time

Compensation: $22.00/hour

Priority Application Deadline: Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 11:59 pm

Hamilton Families 

Our mission is to end family homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area. Established in 1985, Hamilton Families is San Francisco's leading service provider to homeless families, with carefully designed programs to prevent homelessness, provide shelter and stability, return families to permanent housing and support the well-being of children experiencing homelessness. We currently operate these programs across five San Francisco sites. In recent years, we have partnered with organizations such as the Giants, Google, Salesforce, Twitter, Airbnb, government officials and the wider Bay Area community. For more information, visit  www.hamiltonfamilies.org.   

Program and Position Overview

Hamilton Families operates 3 residential sites. The Shelter Program in the Tenderloin provides a safe place to sleep, three meals a day, emergency beds for families in immediate crisis, private rooms for families on the city’s shelter waitlist, and critical social services to 50 families a night (about 150 individuals) for up to six months. The Transitional Housing Program located North of the Panhandle serves 20 families for 12-18 months. Holloway House, located in Ingleside, serves up to 18 participants for 3-12 months.  Holloway House is operated in partnership with the Homeless Prenatal Program and the Department of Family and Children's Services.  

Families participating in our residential programs receive comprehensive social services to identify and address factors contributing to their homelessness to enable them to return to stable, independent housing and economic self-sufficiency, including case management with referrals and linkages to community services and benefits, employment and life skills training, access to basic health services, children’s services, and innovative and direct assistance in securing permanent housing.

Reporting to the Children’s and Volunteer Services Manager, the Children's Services Associate (CSA) is responsible for planning, organizing, and leading a wide variety of activities for children ranging in age from infancy to teens for the facility’s Children’s Services Program. 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Supervise children’s activities including playtime, snacks, tutoring, arts and crafts and field trips.
• Participate in coordinating and overseeing the afterschool program, including providing transportation, leading activities and homework help, and supporting children academically, socially and emotionally.   Participate in coordinating and facilitating additional programming for teens and toddlers.
• Set up and clean up after children’s services activities and maintain high safety and cleanliness standards in the program.
• Work with Manager to develop and facilitate children’s and volunteer events and activities.
• Assist the Manager in contacting volunteers and maintaining communication with volunteers regarding Volunteer Program needs.
• Consistently evaluate children’s services activities and provide feedback to the Manager.
• Observe children’s services volunteers and assist the Manager in evaluating their performance.
• Maintain communication with families regarding opportunities for children within the program and within the community.
• Model and facilitate appropriate behavior for participants in terms of daily living skills, self-care, personal interaction, social relationships, and constructive time management.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with participants and staff, respond to participant requests in a professional and courteous manner, and observe and adhere to participant confidentiality standards. 
• Respond appropriately to emergencies, including contacting appropriate staff and supervisor(s), interacting with police, fire, and medical personnel as needed.
• Actively participate in staff development and staff training as required.
• Participate in weekly case review and other meetings.   
• Assist in coordinating partnerships and on-site programming. 
• Maintain participant confidentiality and HIPAA requirements; maintain program standard of documentation of Children’s Services; keep accurate records, files, correspondence, and statistics.  Prepare reports and presentations as required.   Use Salesforce Database to accurately track participant demographics, documentation of services provided and case information. 
• Transport children from school to program and other necessary obligations including fieldtrips. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

• 12 core semester units in early childhood education/development or must meet alternate California Community Care Licensing requirements for School Age Teachers. More info available here: www.ccld.ca.gov.
• 6 months experience in any of the following: Licensed childcare, Teacher assistance in Elementary /Middle school, Paid or volunteer work in school guidance or counseling programs, Paid or volunteer work in Physical Edu or youth development, Paid or volunteer work experience in human services
• The position is in a Licensed School Age Child Care Program. The position is contingent on meeting Licensing requirements around education, health and criminal history. 
• High School Diploma or GED required and 12 core semester units in early childhood education/development or must meet alternate California Community Care Licensing requirements for School Age Teachers.   More info available here:  www.ccld.ca.gov. 
• 6 months prior experience with children and/or families required. Experience must be in a licensed childcare setting, as a teacher’s assistant in an elementary or middle school or paid or volunteer work in the following areas: school guidance or counseling programs, physical education, youth development or human services. 
• Sensitivity to the needs of homeless families; able and willing to work with diverse staff and clients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook, etc.
• 16 Hour EMSA CPR and First Aid certification required within first 6 months of hire.
• Essential job functions include using a telephone, working at a standard computer terminal; ability to follow reasonable ergonomic accommodations; sit and stand for long intervals; reach, bend, lift, and carry up to 40 pounds depending on position; and walk up and down stairs several times a day.
• Criminal background check, fingerprint imaging, Child Abuse Index Check and documentation required post-offer. Position is contingent upon background check approval from the California Department of Social Services. 
• California Driver’s License & DMV Report are required.