Children's Mental Health AmeriCorps Member

Our House, Inc•Big Rock Township, AR

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Our House empowers homeless and near-homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workforce, in school, and in life through hard work, wise decision-making, and active participation in the community. The Our House team has defined a set of seven Guiding Principles that characterize our culture and that we intentionally seek to uphold: Hard Work, Wise Decision-Making, Community, Initiative, Integrity, Safety, and Heart. The Children's Mental Health AmeriCorps Member will serve in Our House’s Children's Programs, called Bright Beginnings and Our Club. Bright Beginnings serves over 100 children ages 0-5, and Our Club serves up to 200 youth in grades Kindergarten-12th grade. Bright Beginnings operates year-round, and Our Club operates during school-out times – every weekday after school, all day during school breaks (winter, spring, and summer breaks), and during teacher in-service days. The Children's Mental Health AmeriCorps Member will provide behavioral support through problem-solving, self-regulation, impulse control, and empathy for children of all ages. Members serve directly with the children to provide daily support to help each child reach their developmental and social-emotional goals. By providing a safe and nurturing environment and fostering resilience, the Children's Mental Health AmeriCorps Member will help meet established outcomes goals for Our House’s AmeriCorps project. This includes serving at least 120 children in both programs to ensure that at least 80% of children in Bright Beginnings maintain or increase their ASQ score in social-emotional skills, and that at least 80% of school-age youth show an increase in their score in social-emotional learning.

Requirements

AmeriCorps eligibility requires that participants must be at least 17 years of age at the commencement of service.
Must be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States.
Must be high school graduates, GED recipients, or working toward attaining a high school diploma or GED during their term of service.
Must satisfy the National Service Criminal History Check criteria.
Thoroughly committed to Our House’s mission.
Must enjoy working with school-age youth.
Must have a positive attitude.
Must serve as role models for the children in the program.
High school diploma or GED required.
Must have experience working with children or youth, or have experience in a Children's Mental Health setting.

Responsibilities

Build age-appropriate relationships with children to create a trusting and supportive environment for children or youth within one of seven age groups.
Actively engage with children, aid in transitions, and provide support to children experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges.
Teach and model coping skills and self-regulation techniques to help children understand and manage their emotions effectively.
Collaborate with the Mental Health team to implement social-emotional learning (SEL) activities and curriculum.
Participate in team meetings and training sessions to enhance skills and knowledge related to child development and trauma-informed care.
Communicate effectively with children, teachers, and families to support a collaborative and inclusive classroom environment.
Serve collaboratively with other AmeriCorps members, volunteers, and staff members to ensure a cohesive approach to supporting children's needs, implement programs, achieve and track outcomes, and perform other activities that benefit the clients and programs of Our House.
Participate in AmeriCorps Days of Service and additional service projects as approved and directed by the program director, including MLK Day, AmeriCorps Week, Volunteer Week, Civic Season, September 11th, Opening Ceremony, and Hill Day.
Attend service member meetings led by the National Service team and any Our House team meetings as directed by the supervisor, such as the Our House Team Retreat.
Undergo all required criminal history checks: NSOPW, FBI, and Arkansas State Police, as well as other states, as necessary.
In the event of a local, state, or federal disaster declaration, AmeriCorps members may be asked on a volunteer basis or be required by EngageAR to activate to assist in disaster response and recovery activities within their communities. This may involve virtual service opportunities or in-person service opportunities. This may include service opportunities outside the members’ standard service hours or in place of their standard service duties.
In the event of a large-scale, high-needs local, state, or federal disaster, AmeriCorps members may voluntarily or be required by EngageAR to deploy to an area outside of their service area to assist in disaster response and recovery activities.
Assist with member recruitment.
Assist with public relations to introduce the AmeriCorps program to the community and develop community partnerships.
Assist with efforts to build a culture of service in Arkansas.