VolunteerAR

Service Position Title and Type: Child Development AmeriCorps (900 hours, 6-month)

Name and Address of Program: Our House 302 E. Roosevelt Road Little Rock, AR 72206 Service Location: Our House Site Supervisor/Title: Natalie Baber, Child Care Manager; natalie@ourhouseshelter.org 501-374-7383, ext. 208

Purpose: Our House – Founded in 1987, Our House is a comprehensive program for the working homeless serving over 1,400 clients annually. Operating on a 7-acre campus in central Little Rock, Our House empowers homeless and near-homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workforce, in school, and in life through hard work, wise decision-making, and active participation in the community.

Service Position Summary: The Child Development AmeriCorps Member will serve at Our House’s child development center, called Little Learners which serves 65 children ages 6 weeks-5 years old. The Child Development Member will serve in two of four classrooms (Toddler 1 and Toddler 2 or PreK3 and PreK 4-5) that are led by a lead Teacher. The Child Development Member will serve with the teacher to help plan and implement activities for the children, ensure the safety of all children in the program, and create an enriching, fun and safe environment for the children helping them to meet their developmental goals and milestones. The Child Development AmeriCorps Member will serve to meet established outcomes goals for Our House’s AmeriCorps project, including: serve at least 75 children in Little Learners; help at least 50 children ages 1-5 meet the developmental milestones on the developmental assessments.

Essential Functions of Position:

• Provide hands-on support to children in the Little Learners Child Development Center to help them meet developmental goals and milestones
• Assist in the implementation of pre-kindergarten enrichment activities and programming
• Organize service projects to benefit the children and parents of Our House, including developing partnerships with outside organizations, recruiting volunteers, recruiting participants, and other activities necessary for successful service events
• Design and implement health and wellness, arts, and STEM enrichment activities for Little Learners
• Assist in the collection of performance measurement data to track and analyze progress towards the above outcomes
• Facilitate parent engagement programming for parents of Little Learners children, i.e. Family Fun Night
• Serve collaboratively with other AmeriCorps members, VISTA volunteers, and staff members to implement programs, achieve and track outcomes, and other activities to benefit the clients and programs of Our House
• Participate in AmeriCorps Days of Service and additional service projects as approved by the program director
• Attend Our House National Service meetings led by the VISTA Leader
• Attend weekly Our House staff meetings and other meetings as directed by supervisor
• The Arkansas Service Commission has determined that the probability of access to vulnerable populations is so great that all members will undergo all required criminal history checks: NSOPW, FBI, and Arkansas State Police, as well as other states, as necessary.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required: The Child Development AmeriCorps Member will be thoroughly committed to Our House’s mission. All candidates must enjoy working with children, have a positive attitude, and serve as a role model for the children in the program.

Academic and Experience Qualifications: High school diploma or GED required; Child development background and/or relevant college courses preferred.

Service Conditions: This service is performed primarily indoors. This is a physically active role where you will engage with children ages 1-5.

Commitment Required: 40 hours a week for a six (6) month term beginning March 3, 2020 to August 31, 2020 for a total of 900 hours.

Orientation and Training:

• On-site Our House orientation
• First Aid/CPR
• Naptime Academy
• Conscious Discipline
• AmeriCorps Arkansas Training
• Any other trainings deemed necessary by the supervisor and/or Program Director

AmeriCorps Program Benefits:

• Living Allowance of $7,070 over the course of the term of service
• $3,047.50 Segal Education Award at the end of a successful service term
• Healthcare coverage
• Student Loan forbearance

Evaluation and Reporting: Member will participate in mid-term and end-of-term evaluation and review. Member will submit their hours on a monthly basis and write quarterly reflections. For more information: Priscilla Barnes, Human Resources Manager 501-374-7383 ext 137