TIME WELL SPENT!!!

Congratulations to everyone for completing their final course in obtaining their Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Studies at Walden University!!!!! I have truly enjoyed the interactions that I had with each one of you as you provided me with great perspectives to shape my future as an early childhood advocate. As we end our educational journey I encourage everyone to remember that a single act of advocacy has the potential to change the lives of millions.

Thank You Dr. Teri as you encouraged me to self-reflect on my true passion and future goals as an early childhood professional. Your course assignments and precise feedback enabled me to broaden my perspectives with regards to issues and trends in the early childhood field and thoroughly analyzed ways in which I can provide effective advocacy to address these issues and trends. The teachings acquired in this class will remain at the forefront in my future endeavors as an early childhood professional.

 

Three deeply felt learnings that I have acquired throughout this course:

1.      Children are the face of our future therefore we as early childhood professionals must proactively and effectively advocate for their safety, health, education, and overall well-being.

2.      Advocacy work in the early childhood field is multifaceted and continually changing the lives of children and families worldwide.

3.      For one to evolve into an effective advocate within the early childhood field he/she must  possess essential qualities including effective communication, passion, dedication, motivation, and collaboration skills.

As I prepare to complete this course I have established four long term goals:

1.      Become a volunteer for a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the healthy growth and development of children

2.      Become the Program Manager of healthy living programs created by a non-profit organization and established within impoverished communities in the state of Delaware.

3.      Establish a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting healthy nutrition and physical fitness within impoverished communities in the state of Delaware.

4.      Commit to remain abreast of current issues and trends within the early childhood field

 

Favorite Quotes:

“The happiness of any society begins with the well-being of the families that live in it”. - Kofi Annan, Nobel Peace Prize Winner and seventh Secretary-General of the United Nation

“We must remember that one determined person can make a significant difference and that a small group of determined people can change the course of history”. - Sonia Johnson, American Feminist Activist and Writer

“Every child is gifted. They just unwrap their packages at different times”. – Anonymous

“The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children”. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German philosopher and theologian

 

INTERNATIONAL JOBS IN THE ECE COMMUNITY

Rainbows

“Rainbows is an international, not for profit organization that fosters emotional healing among children grieving a loss from a life-altering crisis” (Rainbows, 2013). Emotional healing is fostered through age specific curriculums for children age 4-18 suffering from a personal loss such as death of a family member, divorce, and abandonment/separation (Rainbows, 2013).

I selected this organization as I commend their mission to foster emotional healing for children grieving a loss. Significant loss in a child’s life has potential to create a detrimental impact on children’s mental and physical health. Effective support and advocacy for children experiencing a significant loss is crucial and beneficial to the child’s overall well being.

In considering the safety of the children in Rainbows and the confidentiality of children and families, the website does contain postings of the actual locations of the Rainbow sights nor employment opportunities available at these specific locations.

World Vision

            “World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the cause of poverty and injustice” (World Vision, 2013). Individuals served by World Vision include earthquake and hurricane survivors, abandoned and exploited children, survivors of famine and civil war, refuges, and children and families in communities suffering from AIDS (World Vision, 2013).

            I selected this organization as I support their mission to serve children and families worldwide in addressing poverty and injustice. Poverty and injustice are issues experienced by a significant number of individuals across various ethnicities, cultures, socioeconomic status, genders, and religions. I took particular interest to this organization as I have chosen the topic of Poverty as my focal point for my Major Assessment within this course. In reviewing the website and the organization’s mission I became enlightened to the strategies and practices used by international organization to combat poverty worldwide.

An employment opportunity of most interest to be is that of Project Director- Healthy Timing and Spacing of Pregnancies Multi-country Grant. The Project Director manages a multi-country family planning grant created to increase global political commitment and resource contributions to global, maternal, newborn and child health goals by (1) increasing awareness and participation of political leaders in the US and Canada (2) increasing the use of family planning based on HTSP messaging to improve the sexual health of child bearing age women and survival of children under 2 in 3 project countries (World Vision, 2013).

The ideal candidate for this position will have the skills to:

(1) Manage large integrated programs in developing countries (2) Familiarity with USG programs, their history and evolution (3) Ability to integrate teams of professionals around common goals (4) Accomplishment in working with host-country professionals, ministries and with donor colleagues in country (5) Leadership of large and diverse teams (6) Diplomacy, strong presentation skills, speaking and writing (7) Fluency in English preferred (8) Demonstrated analytical skills and experiences to identify and evaluate best practices and state of the art approaches to be utilized by the Project (9) Master’s degree in public health, public administration/public policy, demography, sociology, statistics, or a related advanced degree or related field (World Vision, 2013).

The Program Director should also have (7) years + field based work experience, managing large, multi-regional public-health programs and working with management to integrate research findings into project direction. Experience with Family Planning, and/or MNCH programs and/or advocacy efforts for multi-country, multi-faceted health programs will be particularly valuable. A minimum of seven years’ experience in the specified sector to include assessment, evaluation, and design of project required.  Experience with USAID/Foundation grants is required.  Experience as a PD, Chief of Party or Senior expert advisor required.  Proven ability to manage technical assistance teams.  Knowledge of and familiarity with major other bilateral funding agencies.  Experience managing sub grants and contracts under grants for complex projects. (World Vision, 2013).

Children International

            “Children International provides critical assistance to children and families struggling in terrible poverty” Children’s International, 2013). The organization provides one-to-one child sponsorship programs which function to reduce the burden of poverty on impoverished children, invest in their potential, and provide them with opportunities to grow up healthy, educated and prepared to succeed and contribute to society. Through the organization’s sponsorship programs, the organization helps approximately 340,000 children via 17 agencies located in 11 countries around the world (Children’s International, 2013).

            I selected this organization as I support the fight against poverty for children worldwide. The experience of poverty during childhood has potential to greatly impact a child’s physical and mental health as well as their overall success in life. Adequate nutrition and consistent food security is essential in fostering healthy growth and development in children. Organizations dedicated to the fight against poverty among impoverished children are equally dedicated to providing a solid foundation for our future generations.

An employment opportunity of most interest to me is that of Dialoguer. A Dialoguer meets new people on the street and informs them about Children’s International and inspires them to become an active supporter through regular donations. A Dialoguer is expected to be themselves, remain polite and friendly (Children’s International, 2013).

References:

Children’s International (2013). Retrieved from http://www.children.org

Rainbows (2013). Retrieved from http://www.rainbows.org

World Vision (2013). Retrieved from http://www.worldvision.org

JOBS/ROLES IN THE ECE COMMUNITY: NATIONAL LEVEL

National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP): “One of the nation’s leading public policy center dedicated to promoting the economic security, health, and well-being of America’s low-income families and children”. NCCP utilizes research as an educational tool to inform policy and practice and ensure positive outcomes for the next generation. The organization encourages family-oriented solutions at the state and national levels while remaining dedicated to their mission of obtaining family economic security, strong nurturing families, and healthy child development.

I found NCCP to be most appealing to my interest in child development, family security, and advocacy to reduce poverty in America. The detrimental effects of poverty on the health and development of children are devastating realities. Children living in poverty are more likely to have poor health, delayed cognitive development, and school failure in comparison to their peers of higher socioeconomic status. The effects of poverty that continue to plague our children every day is an issue worth discussing, addressing, and rectifying. (NCCP currently does not have employment positions available)

Zero To Three: “A national, nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers”. This organization promotes healthy development of infants and toddlers with specific focus on behavior and development, maltreatment, care and education, and public policy. This is of interest to me as I support their motto “Early Experiences Matter”. Birth through age five is the most vital and influential years of a child’s development as children learn about the world around them and their support system within that world. The experiences a child has within these years typically provide the foundation for their physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development. It is extremely important for parents, early childhood professional, and policy makers to be educated regarding the significance of early experiences and its effects on a child’s future. (Zero To Three currently does not have employment opportunities available that are of interest to me)

Feeding America: “The nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity dedicated to feeding America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks while engaging in the fight to end hunger”. This organization prides themselves on their established values of (1) Respect (2) Stewardship & Accountability (3) Collaboration (4) Urgency (5) Service (7) Integrity (8) Diversity. This organization appealed to me as I share in the organization’s mission to reduce hunger in America. Hunger is an epidemic plaguing a significant number of families nationwide and an issue worth tackling. America has a reputation of being a country of wealth and abundance but falls significantly short in reducing hunger. Feeding America and similar organizations are essential in educating the nation about hunger in America, and advocating to ensure everyone has food security.

Feeding America. (2013). Retrieved from http://feedingamerica.org/

National Center for Children in Poverty. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.nccp.org/about.html

Zero To Three. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/

EXPLORING ROLES IN THE ECE COMMUNITY

Three organizations within my residential state of Delaware that I found most appealing were (1) Food Bank of Delaware (2) Read Aloud Delaware (3) Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware. These specific organizations are of most interest to me as they advocate for the issues that are if most interest to me; those being childhood hunger/poverty, quality early childhood education, and protection from child abuse/neglect. Each organization has unique programs, policies, and practices established to effectively address these issues.

Food Bank of Delaware has several programs established to combat childhood hunger/poverty including children’s nutritional programs, mobile pantries, and school pantries. There is currently one job opportunity within the organization that is of interest to me; that being Summer Nutrition Outreach Coordinator. To become a Summer Nutrition Outreach Coordinator one must (1) high school diploma or equivalent (2) one year previous experience in Community Organizing (3) reliable transportation (4) valid driver’s license for the past three years (5) clean driving record (6) strong self initiative (7) ability to work cooperatively in a team environment (8) computer literacy skills (9) ability to work flexible hours (Food Bank of Delaware, 2011)

Read Aloud Delaware is dedicated to early childhood development and education through established partnerships with child care centers, clinics, and shelters. Organization volunteers read aloud to children, specifically those of low income families to promote reading, encourage a love of books, and desire to become a reader. Currently there are no job opportunities available within this organization; however there are several opportunities for interested individuals to volunteer as a reader, coordinator of special events and parent workshops. These specific volunteer opportunities require individuals to be literate, culturally sensitive, and able to collaborate in teams (Read Aloud Delaware, 2006).

Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware is dedicated to protecting children from child abuse/neglect by providing services to expedite the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases while providing support to victims and families. Organizational services provided include (1) forensic interviews of child victims and witness (2) forensic interviews of adults and children with disabilities (3) extended forensic evaluation (4) victim advocacy (5) community outreach (6) expert court testimony. Currently there are no job opportunities available within the organization. The position that I am most interested in obtaining is that of Forensic Interviewer. The qualifications required to obtain this positions is not presented on the organization’s websites as this position is not available for consideration (Children’s Advocacy Center, n.d.)

Reference

Food Bank of Delaware. (2011) Retrieved from http://www.fbd.org/job-opportunities/

Read Aloud Delaware. (2006) Retrieved from

 http://www.readalouddelaware.org/about.cfm

Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.cacofde.org/ServicesWeProvide.htm

WELCOME EVERYONE!!!

Congratulations to everyone for coming one step closer to completing their educational journey and obtaining their Master’s Degree at Walden University!! Entrance into the Capstone course is one that is bitter sweet as I am excited to further my understanding and application of advocacy within the Early Childhood Field but sadden to depart from my colleagues at the completion of this course. Although this course will pass by in a flash I plan to make the most of this course experience over the next 7 weeks. I am eager to communicate with each of my colleagues and increase my knowledge of the Early Childhood Field through the personal experiences shared by each of you.

Good Luck to everyone and I look forward to communicating with each of you!!

PROFILE OF A VOLUNTEER

For the purpose of this blog assignment I chose to highlight Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Delaware. The responsibilities of a CASA include quality and independent representation and advocacy for all abused and neglected children involved in Family Court proceedings. CASA of Delaware (1) provide advocacy and factual information to the court regarding abused, neglected, and dependant children (2) insure legal representation of the child’s best interest in all judicial proceedings (3) monitor cases involving abused, neglected, and dependant children until the terms of a court order have been fulfilled and/or a safe and permanent home has been achieved for the children.

CASA of Delaware positively impacts the lives of children by working to ensure that the best interest of each child served is acknowledged, respected, and maintained within judicial proceedings. Research have shown that once a CASA volunteer is assigned to a abused or neglected child, the likelihood of that child receiving essential services including health care, education, and therapy increases significantly. The volunteer of a CASA extend beyond serving the best interest of abused and neglected children within judicial proceedings to fostering the overall well-being of the child and family.

A vital “take-away” message relative to the work of CASA:

Serving the best interest of children is a service to the best interest of our future generations.

Reference:

http://www.courts.delaware.gov/Family/CASA/faqs.stm

USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET CONNECTED

I have past and present experience with social media, with frequent use of Facebook, YouTube, Instant Gram, and my personal blog. On average I utilize these selected forms of social media three to fours times a week and often more than once in a 24 hour period. I typically utilize Facebook and Instant Gram to provide friends and family with photos and descriptive updates of my life in addition to inspirational quotes. These forms of social media allow remain connected to friends and family. I frequently utilize YouTube when researching “how to” topics such as cooking, party decorating, and arts and crafts. You Tube is excellent in providing visual instruction/information on the topic for which you are researching. My personal blogs is one which I have recently become familiar as a result of my enrollment into the Early Childhood Studies program at Walden University. As a requirement of my first course within the Early Childhood Studies program I was instructed to create a personal blogs and required complete weekly posts discussing information relevant to the topic of the week specific to the course for which I was enrolled.

The social media tools that I feel lead themselves to effective advocacy are Facebook, YouTube, and personal blogs. These tools are most effective as they enable advocates to effectively communicate their advocacy objective through the creation of interest groups, publication of public service announcements, and descriptive timelines of advocacy efforts. These specific social media tools enable advocates to reach a significant numbers of individuals within a relativity short period of time.

I would use Fcaebook, YouTube, and my personal blogs to educate and inspire others in my advocacy work by (1) gathering the support of individuals who share an interest in my advocacy objective (2) educating my supporters regarding my advocacy objective and projected advocacy efforts (3) encouraging my supporters to share the advocacy objective with their family, friends, and colleagues in an effort to increase its support and strength. I would execute these essential steps by creating an interest group on Facebook, publishing a PSA on YouTube, and providing weely posts of the progress of the advocacy objective on my personal blog.

Does anyone have additional suggestions of ways in which I can utilize social media to gather supporters for my advocacy objective?