Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

My first choice is the National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections; http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/info_services/lgbtq-issues-and-child-welfare.html. This organization is focused on all issues dealing with children and their welfare, not just one single group. Their issues are wide and range from bullying, Indian Child welfare issues, mental health issues, gay and lesbian issues, cultural competence and so much more. I believe the scope of knowledge and reach of this organization would make an excellent asset to any community of practice focusing on child welfare. I could not locate employment opportunities within this organization.

My second choice for a national organization is the U.S Department of Health and Human Services: Administration for Children & Families; http://www.acf.hhs.gov/index.html is another great resource to add to a community of practice. This organization also has a broad scope and great out-reach. The focal issues range from childcare, disabilities, parenting, family and way to acquire temporary assistance, just to name a few. There are many employment opportunities within this organization. Most of the open jobs were on the medical side of the house but the following is available:
Job Title: Contact Representative
SALARY RANGE: $38,790.00 to $50,431.00 / Per Year

• Identifies patients who are eligible for alternate resources and assist families and individuals in applying for alternate resources.
• Provides coordination of benefits to patients, Contract Health Service and Business Office for accurate Third Party Billing.
• Works with local County Department of Welfare and Human Resources, Tribal Offices, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), Supplemental Social Security, Social Security Agency and other related agencies in verifying patient eligibility.
• Advise and assists patients with options and choices available, explain requirements place on customer, and resolve problems and issues.

My third choice for a National organization is the National Association for the Education of Young Children is organization that we are all familiar with. http://www.naeyc.org/. NAEYC is the world’s largest organization is assisting children and is instrumental in building and setting policy. They hold annual conferences that educate teaches and other professionals as well as allow for networking. This organization meets with Senators and other leaders in society to build public policy and focus on the interest of children and families all over the world. This organization and its contacts will make a great addition to a community of practice that assists children. One job opportunity that was listed is:
Major responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief:
Salary: Competitive and commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits.§ Shape the program’s focus, taking into consideration the diverse learning needs of the larger early childhood community§ Expand the quantity and range of products published,§ Acquire publishable material of high quality,§ Lead the developmental editing work,§ Collaborate with the other departments on collateral materials (e.g., webcasts, online chats, journal articles, brochures), and§ Identify high quality books by other publishers to resell.

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

One local organization where my sister lives is called Equality Texas and can be located at: http://www.equalitytexas.org/. This organization has established routines to Educate, Advocate, Volunteer and Donate towards the cause of equality in Texas. They work in such avenue as safe schools for all youth, relationship recognition, gender identity/expression and non-discrimination. This organization appeals to me because it fits all the criteria of diversity and equality. There are opportunities to serve as interns and volunteer. Employment is offered as well in research and grant development. The website states that “No Texan should fear that bias or prejudice will result in unfair treatment in classrooms, communities, or workplaces. These spaces should be safe for every person, regardless of that individual's sexual orientation or whether or not the person fits expectations for masculinity or femininity”.

A second local organization is the San Antonio Human Rights Campaign (HRC). This organization states that is has “1 million members and supporters nationwide. As the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, HRC envisions an America where LGBT people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community” and can be located at: http://www.hrc.org/the-hrc-story. I chose this organization because the Gay and Lesbian fight for basic rights is such a hot topic that seems to be so far behind the times. This issue is specific to my challenge this week and important to me because the children in these families deserve all the rights and opportunities that everyone other child does. Job opportunities include public education and outreach, operations and development.

A third organization is the Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG) in San Antonio. This is another organization that supports my particular challenge for this course and can be located at: http://pflag-sanantonio.org/. This organization “promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons, their families, and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and secure equal civil rights”. I could not locate any job opportunities with this organization but it is still a good resource for the local community.

The skills and experience needed for any of these organizations is a passion and dedication to the cause at hand. Also good communication skills are necessary to educate, advocate and draw attention to the cause to better the lives of the children, families and individuals that the organization was designed to assist.