There are many state and local organizations and agencies that
affect young children and families. Some
of these organizations were easy for me to list quickly while others took a bit
of time to discover. I appreciated the
opportunity to explore these resources further.
One organization that comes to mind immediately is the
YMCA. I have worked with children in
many different capacities at the YMCA from swim instructor to birthday party
coordinator and everything in between.
Through my work with the YMCA, I have gotten a chance to see the amazing
things they do for young children and their families. Their mission is to, “put Christian
principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and
body for all” (Benton Harbor-St.Joseph YMCA).
While all YMCA branches operate similarly, I feel that my
local YMCA is especially child and family focused. They host many family events such as movie
nights, game nights, and pool parties that are available at a very low cost to
local residents. Child care is provided
on-site as well as for before and after school programs housed in many local
schools. All of the opportunities
provided for families are at a reasonable cost but scholarships and financial
assistance is also an option.
Currently my local YMCA has job openings for personal
trainers, janitorial staff, and lifeguards. As none of these openings speak to me I decided
to think of positions there that I would be interested in should a vacancy
present itself. I would be very
interested in planning summer programming for young children. Summer camps through the YMCA are incredibly
well run and I believe my Kindergarten teaching experience has given me a solid
foundation in planning learning opportunities.
Coordinating the different before and after school programs would also
be an interesting position.
The second organization that I explored was the Michigan
Head Start Association. “MHSA is the
unified voice providing advocacy and leadership linking the Head Start
community of parents, programs, and partners” (Michigan Head Start
Association). This organization focuses
on education, advocacy, communication, and collaboration in the realm of Head
Start.
This organization was interesting to me because it works to
unite the focus and mission of all Head Start programs in Southwest
Michigan. I love the idea of bringing
programs together and working to support them in order to more effectively
serve young children and their families.
Currently there are several job postings in this
organization. One that I found interesting
was the position of Children’s Program Manager at a Head Start facility. The job description noted that the person
hired would be in charge of the day-to-day oversight of the early childhood
programs. I felt that I had many of the
necessary job requirements including an ability to, “prioritize and complete
tasks within a timely manner” (Michigan Head Start Association).
The final organization that I chose was one I had not
previously heard about but found in my searching. “Child Care Resource works with parents,
child care providers, businesses and the community to improve access to quality
child care and early education so that every child enjoys safe, nurturing and
inspiring care” (Child Care Resources).
I love that their mission is all about making child care accessible for
all children. We know that early
education and care is so important yet many families are unable to afford child
care.
From the Child Care Resource website links to many interesting
resources about helping families find child care as well as advocating for
healthy lifestyles for young children. I
was especially interested in the Training section because it linked to places
where educators could find professional development opportunities on the
subject.
Benton Harbor-St.
Joseph YMCA. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2015, from http://www.bhsjymca.org/
Child Care
Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2015, from
http://www.ccr4kids.org/en-us/aboutus.aspx
Michigan Head
Start Association. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2015, from
http://michheadstart.org/
I too felt interested in working in a directorial or managerial position in HeadStart. The program is amazing, it works with families not just children and takes into consideration the needs of the whole child rather than prioritizing one aspect of development (example cognitive) at the expense of the rest of the child. Of the entire department of education in the United States this is the ONLY part of it I think the U.S. got right and I think my skills, knowledge and experiences would make me a prime candidate for such a position.
ReplyDeleteAllison,
ReplyDeleteGreat posting. I found myself drawn to similar organizations in South Jersey. I had looked into the YMCA, as well, as it was one of the first places I had thought of but discovered new organizations I decided to look into. The YMCA remains on my personal list, though. :) The MHSA organization and job opening you shared caught my interest, as well. I also found an organization in South Jersey that works with children, families, and ECE programs in which there was a Family Coordinator type position open. It is something I am strongly considering in the future as it is part time and I could maintain it with a full time teaching position, possibly. I loved the assignment this week because it allowed us to explore possibilities outside our comfort zones of a classroom. Thank you for sharing! :)
Ashley Richards
The YMCA is a good choice as it provides so much to the community my local one has grant options along with a payments scale based on income. The Child Care Resource is similar if not the same at the great start connect that is here in Michigan http://greatstarttoquality.org/ as they provide a lot of the same things. Nice post
ReplyDeleteMary Harr
Allison, I remeber going to my local YMCA as a child. I have many good memories there. This organization is a wonderful place for children and families. It's nice that your local Child Care Resources has opportunities in the health field. I like that our field can cross over into others. It is versatile at so many of our local organizations. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDelete~Jalice
Hello Allison,
ReplyDeleteI like your resources; there are many ways our community can promote parental communication dealing with different organization.
Sponsor workshops for caregivers on playing with infants and young children
Provide quiet, private places for mothers to breastfeed and for all caregivers to tend to their babies’ needs. Recognize local businesses with family-friendly policies, such as flexible work schedules, paid maternity/paternity leave, and paid family sick leave, that give parents time to bond with or care for their children. The Y is a family hands on agency that help knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development.
Allison
ReplyDeleteI love the YMCA!! It is a great place for children. I think that the resources you gave are a great way to promote parental involvement. I have found that often parents just do not know. As educators we must educate parents so that our students can have better lives. Thanks for the post!
Hi Allison,
ReplyDeleteI just want to piggy back on what many of our colleagues mentioned. The YMCA is a great organization and one that has been so fundamental in uniting my family with our community. Through the years my children have built many relationships with peers as well as some elders that attend several programs at the Y. It is a great organization that I am happy to be a part of. Thank you for sharing your insights!
Emily~