Head Start Family Advocate

Description

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families? As a Head Start Family Advocate, you'll have the unique opportunity to support and empower families, ensuring that children have the head start they need for a successful future. Join us in this rewarding role where your guidance can spark lifelong positive change!

Location: Bend, La Pine

Compensation: $27.38/hour (plus .50 for Bilingual Spanish) - Union represented

Hours: Regular full-time 40 hours/week, subject to normal school year furloughs

Benefits: 100% premium paid Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance, Agency paid Retirement plan (up to 6 %!), almost 2 weeks of paid vacation accrued within first year, plus 14 paid Holidays annually and a separate sick leave accrual.

NeighborImpact’s Head Start program Overview

NeighborImpact Head Start is a comprehensive early education program serving children and families in Central Oregon. It integrates high-quality pre-kindergarten education with essential services such as health, nutrition, and family advocacy. Operating across multiple sites, NeighborImpact Head Start supports social competence, school readiness, and overall well-being of children from ages three to five.

Overview of Key Duties and Responsibilities:

As a Head Start Advocate, you’ll directly support families in enrollment, attendance, and engagement, while connecting them to essential health, education, and community resources. You’ll conduct home visits, maintain consistent communication with families, and help develop and monitor family goals. As part of the ERSEA (Enrollment, Recruitment, Selection, Eligibility and Attendance) team, you’ll support recruitment efforts, assist with applications, and ensure timely enrollment and steady attendance.

You’ll be a vital link between families, classroom staff, NeighborImpact programs, and community partners—offering referrals, follow-up, and crisis support when needed. The role encourages parent involvement, promotes family literacy, and supports center teams through mentoring and collaboration. Flexibility, attention to confidentiality, and accurate documentation are key to your success in this dynamic and rewarding position.

Requirements

Required:

• Associate degree in social work, human services, family services, counseling, or a related field required
• One years’ experience in social services setting, with family services preferred including knowledge and experience relating to community resources for referrals to families in need of services, or, at least one year experience working within a Head Start Classroom, or proof of enrollment in a HDFS Human Services Program required
• Computer literacy and familiarity with various applications such as word processing, email and internet required
• Must be available for a flexible schedule to accommodate family needs; may include some evening or weekend hours
• Frequent kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor to attend to children’s needs. This position is rated as active and regularly requires the individual to lift 50 pounds
• Must have an initial health examination, and a periodic re-examination (as recommended by health care provider) so as to assure that employees do not because of communicable diseases, pose a significant risk to the health or safety of others, that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation.
• Required prior to date of hire and throughout employment:

1. Valid driver’s license
2. Proof of current auto insurance
3. Food Handler’s Card
4. Current enrollment in the OR Child Care Division-Criminal Background Registry (CBR)
5. Access to reliable transportation

• Within 60 days of hire, Pediatric CPR/First Aid certification is required
• Above certifications must be kept current to remain employed

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, family services, counseling, or a related field preferred
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred
• Two or more years of experience working in a Head Start program preferred
• Head Start parent or prior parent preferred