Caregiver-Child Bonding Circle Facilitator & Coordinator (Arabic-Speaking)
JOB TITLE: Caregiver-Child Bonding Circle Facilitator & Coordinator (Arabic-Speaking)
EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-Time
REPORTS TO: Director of Readiness Initiatives and Community Outreach
LOCATION: City-Wide
ABOUT AAFSC:
The Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC) is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization established in 1994 to provide culturally and linguistically competent, trauma-informed social services. Our mission is to empower immigrants and refugees with the tools they need to successfully acclimate to the world around them and become active participants in their communities. While our doors are open to all, with 36 languages represented across staff, AAFSC has developed cultural and linguistic expertise serving members of NYC’s Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, Muslim, and South Asian (AMENAMSA) immigrant and refugee communities.
AAFSC works across four key priority areas – Promote, Prevent, Get Ready, and Communicate – in order to achieve our ultimate goal of strengthening families. We promote mental and physical well-being and community power. We ensure families are knowledgeable about their rights and equipped to participate in civic society with confidence and security. We strengthen families, prevent child abuse, and work to end domestic and gender-based violence. We provide the tools for learners of every age to succeed. Finally, we uplift the voices and needs of under-represented communities and champion gender, racial, restorative, and immigrant justice.
JOB SUMMARY:
The Caregiver-Child Bonding Circle Facilitator & Coordinator at AAFSC works within our Readiness Initiatives program to provide Caregiver-Child Bonding Circles in Arabic. These circles are an innovative, linguistically accessible intervention program using a 10-week curriculum for caregivers and their children 0-3 years old to bond, play, connect, and learn, resulting in cognitive, social, and emotional wellbeing for both caregiver and child. Additionally, this role follows up 1:1 with participants, helps to coordinate the Arab-American Family Support Center’s Caregiver Ambassador Council, Family Essentials Pantry, and supports 2Gen engagement across all of our programs, including but not limited to our Young Adult Youth Program, Readiness Initiatives, and Preventive Services.
The Caregiver-Child Bonding Circles are defined by psycho-social-emotional education modules and resiliency-building tools to boost caregiver mental and emotional health and reduce stress, which is proven to benefit both caregivers and children. The circles are also structured with play-based learning strategies and principles of early-talk to support children in meeting critical developmental milestones, build foundations for literacy, strengthen bonds, and ultimately promote economic mobility across generations. The circles are currently held virtually due to the pandemic, but we hope to return to in-person programming in 2023.
AAFSC’s Caregiver Ambassador Council is an extension of our work using caregiver feedback to improve existing programming and inform future service provision. The Council should provide feedback and recommendations aimed at enhancing the experience of other caregivers involved in our services and programs at the agency.
This role fosters a supportive environment for both caregiver and child that offers participants the resources, opportunities and support needed to help them bond, play, connect and learn. A successful person in this role is an experienced, creative, hard-working, and dynamic instructor who has experience working with both caregiver & child, ideally in a two-generational context. A commitment to immigrant, refugee and low-income communities is essential for this role.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Caregiver-Child Bonding Circles
Deliver the program in 10-week sessions in Arabic in a safe, friendly group setting complemented by weekly individualized follow-ups.
Use a variety of instructional techniques, including individualized instruction, small group instruction, and whole class instruction. Instruction will take place on virtual platforms for the remainder of 2022 with the goal of returning to in-person sessions in 2023.
As assigned by Director, develop & write new lesson plans, or adapt existing lesson plans, to meet student needs and stated program objectives.
Ensure all lessons and structured activities have clearly defined outcomes with measurable skill gains and/or learning goals for participants.
Ensure that the circles provide a safe space for caregivers to build social support.
Use play-based learning strategies to improve children’s early development, foundations for literacy, and bonding with caregiver.
Maintain active repository of curricula that is made accessible and available on organizational servers.
In collaboration with Program Director, continuously evaluate and refine curricula and activity plans to ensure success for participants.
Maintain active lines of communication with all participants.
Conduct outreach and support community engagement efforts as assigned by Program Director.
Support all impact evaluation efforts, including conducting focus groups, distributing surveys, and conducting pre- and post-assessments as structured by the Resource Development team.
Ensure all paperwork and documentation is completed in a timely manner.
Maintain accurate attendance records.