2019-2020 Program Year

Team UP AmeriCorps Member Position Description:

Prevention Education Champion

The Program: TeamUP is a Collective Impact initiative serving Dolores and Montezuma Counties in southwest Colorado. Since 2015, TeamUP has operated under its backbone organization, United Way of Southwest Colorado (UWSWC). TeamUP’s mission is to provide a comprehensive system of support to every child in our counties, from cradle to career. TeamUP collaborates across sectors and promotes clear communication towards common progress in order to make a big difference.

One of TeamUP’s Action Teams is the Child Maltreatment Prevention Action Team (CMPAT). CMPAT is comprised of several local organizations to help support the goal that “every child is in a safe and supportive environment.” CMPAT does this through implementing new programs, services, and educational methods to educate the community about child abuse prevention. One of the organizations involved is the Four Corners Child Advocacy Center (FCCAC). FCCAC’s mission is to strengthen the community’s response to child abuse through prevention, intervention, education, and advocacy.

AmeriCorps is part of the Corporation for National & Community Service, and has been called “the domestic Peace Corps.” AmeriCorps provides opportunities that engage thousands of Americans in intensive service to meet critical community needs.

Service Position Summary:

The Prevention Education Champion will be an essential member of the CMPAT by coordinating and implementing new projects developed by CMPAT partner organizations. Based at the Four Corners Child Advocacy Center, the Prevention Education Champion will develop and implement a formal prevention program throughout the community. While the member will be based out of the FCCAC, collaboration with the CMPAT will involve frequent travel to partner sites. Implementing the community-wide prevention program will involve relaying specific messages for a wide variety of mandatory reports and facilitating workshops/trainings about how to recognize and respond to child abuse within individual organizations. The Prevention Education Champion will also implement body safety education for teachers and parents targeted at reaching caregivers/providers who care for children 3 to 8 years old.

Essential Functions (Primary Responsibilities): TeamUP AmeriCorps members work with their Host Site organizations to develop, implement, and enhance programs, projects, and activities that work towards TeamUP’s and CMPAT’s goals. These duties include:

• Expand child maltreatment prevention initiatives in Montezuma County
• Outreach, schedule, and facilitate prevention trainings in schools, businesses, medical offices, community organizations, providing service to mandatory reporters, caregivers of children, and high school aged youth
• Become trained in and expand facilitation in the following topics: Recognizing & Responding, Healthy Touch, Body Safe Education, Bi-Stander Education, Safe Sitter Regulations
• Coordinate, implement, and expand projects developed by CMPAT including, but not limited to: Circle of Parent Events, Peer-to-Peer Videos
• Provide direct service to community members including, but not limited to: mandatory reporters, caregivers of children, high-school aged youth
• Track progress and collect data for Performance Measures and other evaluation tools
• Communicate with the regional TeamUP AmeriCorps team and represent TeamUp and Serve Colorado in the community and on social media
• Attend trainings and participate in Days of Service

Marginal Functions (Secondary Responsibilities): Additional tasks include:

• Plan and facilitate additional small group events to promote safety in the community (e.g. Girls Circle)
• Be an active member of the Human Trafficking Recognition and Response Task Force
• Research and identify new ways to expand prevention services in partnership with CMPAT
• Supporting United Way of SW Colorado, CMPAT, FCCAC, and TeamUP AmeriCorps team as appropriate and necessary

Physical, Emotional, and intellectual Demands:

• As the member will be focusing on emotionally challenging topics, the member must have self-awareness on a multitude of levels. The member should have awareness around how the subject of child abuse might affect them.
• The members should have awareness around how the subject may be triggering to others whom they are training, and will therefor need to practice empathy and de-escalation skills, when needed.
• Because this position is about community education, there will be a learning curve to understand and make these concepts resonate to various audiences; this can be intellectually demanding.

Qualifications:

• Ethic of national and community service, strong desire to work towards positive change
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; computer literate
• Skills or experience preferred: community and volunteer organizing
• High School Graduate required (GED accepted,) college graduate preferred
• Ability to pass criminal history check
• Reliable transportation, proof of auto insurance if you will be transporting others in your vehicle
• U.S. Citizenship or lawful permanent resident status required

Term of Service – Time Commitment: This is a half-time national and community service position requiring, at a minimum, a total of 900 hours during the term (approximately 40 hours/week for 6 months.) We are looking to enroll for a start date of March 2nd. Term of Service will go through August, 31st 2020 with the potential to renew for a 12 month term starting in September.Flexible hours are required, including occasional evening and weekend commitments. Service on the following dates is required:

• March 31: Cesar Chavez Day of Service
• 4 additional TeamUP AmeriCorps Trainings, dates and locations to be determined
• Fall 2020 TeamUP AmeriCorps events – dates TBD
• Add any other required days the Host Site may have

Trainings and Support Provided: TeamUP AmeriCorps members receive significant training and experience in community-based work, project implementation, leadership, diverse populations, and more. Up to 20% of total hours served may be spent in applicable, approved trainings. Member will be supervised and supported by Rose Jergens, FCCAC Executive Director (rose@nestcac.org) and Al Huckins, TeamUP AmeriCorps Program Director (alh@united-way.org).  As the member is collaborating on CMPAT projects with partner organizations, they will have additional support and potential training opportunities provided by the partner organization representatives.   Lastly, the 12 TeamUP AmeriCorps members serving throughout the region will act as resources and support for each other.

Location and Service Conditions: This position is based at Four Corners Child Advocacy Center at 118 N. Chestnut Street in Cortez, CO, and may/will involve service at other locations in Montezuma and/or Dolores Counties. Position is office-based but may involve frequent service done off-site in other community buildings.

Benefits: TeamUP AmeriCorps members receive:

• A living allowance of $9,000/year for half-time members. Taxes are deducted and the living allowance is distributed twice per month, by direct deposit to the member’s bank account.
• Health insurance;
• An education award of $3,047.50 upon successful completion of term of service. It is possible to defer student loans while serving as an AmeriCorps member.
• Non-tangible benefits including extensive training, valuable work experience, networking, and the opportunity to serve the local community in a crucial area of need.

Diversity and Equal Opportunity: United Way values the diversity of our community.  In principle and in practice the diverse nature of our board, staff, and volunteers is recognized as one of our best assets.  We respect each individual’s unique gifts and prohibit unfair or discriminatory practices against anyone because of age, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and any other protected category.

To Apply: To apply to be an AmeriCorps member, you need to create an account with the AmeriCorps Recruitment System. After creating a profile on my.americorps.gov:

• Go to the website: my.americorps.gov
• Click on “Search Listings” Type “Prevention Education Champion” into the Program Name field.
• Additionally, please e-mail your resume to Al Huckins, TeamUP AmeriCorps Program Director, @ alh@unitedway-swco.org