Lead Head Start Home Visitor

About the role

Volunteers of America Colorado is a nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in-need transform their lives. The Lead Head Start Home Visitor works closely with the Director of Children’s Programs, the Center Manager, and the Education and Disabilities Manager to ensure program compliance with Head Start Performance Standards. This role provides direct supervision and oversight of the recruitment and enrollment process, program implementation for Home Based Programming, and all community collaboration efforts in collaboration with the Lead Family Community Advocate.

The Lead Head Start Home Visitor provides continuous, comprehensive child development and family support services to children ages 0-5, their families, and expectant mothers. This position conducts community outreach to recruit and enroll eligible children and families, assesses families’ strengths and barriers, and links families to services within VOAC and the community. The role empowers parents to recognize they are their child’s first and best teacher and encourages them to participate in leadership roles within the VOAC Early Childhood Education Center and the Denver Great Kids Head Start network.

This position is located at 321 S. Yates St. Denver, CO 80219 with ability to travel for home visits in the Denver area and opportunity for some remote work after the first 90 days.

Responsibilities

• Ensures that the participant’s voice is heard and incorporated in programming.
• Facilitates Home Based Program in alignment with Head Start Rules and regulations.
• Responsible for outreach and recruitment, with the Family Community Advocate Team, to ensure both home-based and center enrollments of eligible children, assist parents in meeting enrollment criteria, and maintain a prioritized waitlist for interested families.
• Collaborates with the education coordinator, teaching team, Family Community Advocate Team, and community partners to design and implement activities to increase parent involvement in program activities, community activities, and family literacy activities.
• Develops rapport with families through ongoing communications, home visits, phone calls, and referrals.
• Utilizes Child Plus database for tracking enrollment, attendance, recruitment, referrals, in-kind services, and actions the family services team takes to support families.
• Develops individualized, flexible, accessible, and responsive choices for each family’s unique strengths and needs and assists families to define and set attainable goals.
• Attends orientations, trainings, education programs, staff meetings, community meetings, conferences, and workshops to meet the needs of the position.
• Acts as an advocate for families when needed to assist in navigating social services systems to meet their needs.
• Organizes client files and ensures required documentation is up-to-date and in compliance with Head Start and Licensing requirements.
• Performs all duties in a professional manner, adhering to the NASW Social Work Code of Ethics, NAEYC code of ethics, and maintaining confidentiality of all information.
• Leads the Home Based team.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or closely related field.
• Two years of teaching in a classroom environment with verified hours of eligibility letter (1302.91 Staff qualifications and competency requirements, per HeadStart.gov).
• Models core culture attributes of VOAC that include “AIRS” (Accountability, Integrity, Respect, and Service).
• Models VOAC’s three critical virtues of HHS (Hungry, Humble, People Smart).
• Ensures equitable and inclusive services and that participant(s) has an active voice in programming.
• Knowledge of Colorado Department of Early Childhood licensing requirements and Head Start Performance Standards.
• Familiarity with Motivational Interviewing and Trauma-Informed Care.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with individuals and families from diverse backgrounds.
• Infant Mental Health endorsement.

Skills

• Experience and knowledge of the NASW Social Work Code of Ethics and NAEYC code of ethics; ability to obtain a PDIS level and implement them in practice.
• Familiarity with motivational interviewing techniques and skills.
• Familiarity with Trauma-Informed practice.
• Experience or knowledge of SMART goals and how to facilitate creating SMART goals with a client.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Working conditions are generally inside the building with frequent sitting, standing, walking, and bending.
• Occasional lifting or pushing, up to 50 lbs.
• Occasional work outside, on a playground, or at community events.
• Office noise level is low; classroom and gym noise levels can be loud.

Schedule

Full-time, 40 hours a week; occasional weekends (Saturday) for recruitment fairs and parent engagement activities.

Pay

$57,784.00 annual exempt salary.

Benefits

• Vacation Time
• Separate Sick Time
• Paid Holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Personal Days
• Volunteer/Wellness Day
• Tuition Assistance
• Pension Plan
• 403b Retirement Plan with Agency Match
• Health, Dental, Vision, and Pet Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Employee Assistance/Work-Life Balance Program
• Employee Discount Program
• LifeLock with Norton
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness