Saturday, September 29, 2012

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


http://www.aecf.org/MajorInitiatives/KIDSCOUNT.aspx

The first organization I looked up was Kids Count- The Annie E. Casey Foundation. This foundation is a private charitable organization that has a focus on public policies, and providing community supports for children and families who are vulnerable.  States, cities and neighborhoods can get grants from the Foundations to help respond to the needs of the community.

One Job that I found interesting was in Washington DC a Program Associate, Campaign for Grade-Level ReadingThe Program Associate works with the Grade-Level Reading staff and they track the work of the grantees and is a consultant.  They also coordinate communication and outreach activities. The minimum qualifications are to hold a BA in human services, social work or a related field, they also want you to be started in some kind of postgraduate work.  Also, candidates should have 3-5 years of community based experience.


Next, I looked that the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) to see what kinds of jobs you could find through their website.  I found one that looks really interesting, however a lot more schooling would be necessary.  It requires a doctorate degree in one of the following areas: child development, developmental psychology, clinical child psychology, family studies, or a related field. Also, you must have an interest in working in diverse early childhood settings.

The DEC is a division of the CEC-Council for Exceptional Children. The CEC is dedicated to providing the best educational outcomes for people with disabilities.  The division of the DEC focuses on the work with children from birth to age eight.


As I was searching through organizations I kept coming across organizations that really focused on families and children living in poverty.  I came across The National Center for children in Poverty (NCCP) it is a public policy center wanting to provide positive outcomes for the following generations.  They focus on economic security, health and the well being of low-income children and their families.

Currently, they have one job posted.  But I would assume that with time they would have more. As of right now they are looking for Research Scientist. They are looking for someone with a Ph. D or equivalent in the following fields: sociology, economics, public health, public policy or a related discipline.  Also, they would like 5 years of experience. Another important qualification is being proficient statistical software. 

I am surprised when I research organization that are working with the wellbeing of children is how many other fields relate back to early childhood.  For example, a lot of these organizations want research scientist or even business people.  It is a great reminder that you need people with all different skill sets to create the most effective organizations.  

3 comments:

  1. Dear Abby,

    I visited the sites of the organizations that you research, and I would like to thank you. I am currently helping a supervisor at work with our community assessment and the state information provided by The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) was very helpful. They provided a great deal of information related to early childhood. In particular, I found the statistical data very helpful. I think it would be fulfilling to be part of their team that works on the Early Childhood State Policy Profiles. They review research and current state policy in order to make recommendations for improvement in early childhood health and education. I highly doubt that I would be qualified to obtain such a position, but it does give me something to work toward. Thank you for researching this organization. I will add it to my list of resources for the future.
    -Amanda Martin

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Abby,

    I used the Children in Poverty website for research, and added some of their information and ideas on my blog previously. After, reading your blog post it reminds us on how we speak of “it takes a village to raise a child,” the same is for organizations, we need ample of individuals with different skills and abilities to make a full circle of success. Thank you, for sharing insightful information.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Abby
    I am not familiar with the Kids Count organization. I enjoyed researching it a bit more after reading your post. I think that it a wonderful organization helping put communities. The job position you posted would be very interesting. I have a big heart for teaching children how to read and helping children develop a love for reading! Thank you for sharing this organization! I am glad I have been able to explore it more.

    ReplyDelete