Like in
week 2, I chose two National Level Organizations that help the well-being of
children and families, and the early childhood field, both the National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the National
School Lunch Program (NSLP). In addition to these two organizations, another
National organization I want to share is the Administration for Children and
Families (ACF).
Each of
these organizations appeals to be because I think they can make a significant
difference in society. For instance, the NAEYC is a source dedicated to
providing high quality education to children. According to the NAEYC, “together, we work to achieve a collective
vision: that all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to
ensuring they reach their full potential” (About NAEYC).
In addition, the NAEYC website is a great resource with up
to date articles and facts that we as educators can apply in our classrooms,
which can make us better teachers.
In addition
to the NAEYC, the NSLP also appeals to me because this organization is
dedicated to providing low-cost and free lunch meals to children who do not
have the means to a nutritious meal. According to the website, “any child at a
participating school may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch
Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the
poverty level are eligible for free meals”(National School Lunch Program,
2013). We live in a society where we are so consumed by materialistic things,
that we sometimes forget that there are families and children that are hungry
in our country. I am thankful that there are programs like this that are able
to provide nutrient dense meals to those that are hungry or without the means
to provide food for themselves.
The last
organization I found is the Administration for Children and Families. According
the ACF website, their mission is to “foster
health and well-being by providing federal leadership, partnership and
resources for the compassionate and effective delivery of human services” (ACF Vision, Mission, &
Values). The ACF appeals to me because their goal is to empower families and
promote economic and social well-being amongst families, children, and
individuals in the community.
The job
opportunities that appeal to me at the NAEYC is the director, quality
improvement & program support position. The job description is that this
person is able to manage the team, make improvements to existing programs, and
provide high-quality customer support, training, and assistance, in addition to
working together with other affiliates. In order to apply for this job I would
need to be “well versed
in management, quality improvement, technical assistance, and early childhood
education” (Our Mission and Strategic Direction | National Association for the
Education of Young Children).
Like I
mentioned in last week’s blog post about job opportunities at the NSLP,
unfortunately they are not hiring. However, there are volunteer opportunities
at the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS). The qualifications to obtain a
position as a volunteer is that you need to be of an accredited institution and
be a U.S. citizen.
After
searching the Administration for Children and Families, it turns out that since
it is a national organization the only way to find jobs is through the
USAjobs.gov website. However, upon doing so it seems like there are currently no
jobs available for this organization. With that being said, there are no job
descriptions either.
References:
ACF Vision, Mission, & Values.
(n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2015, from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/about/acf-vision-mission-values
About NAEYC | National Association
for the Education of Young Children | NAEYC. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26,
2015, from http://www.naeyc.org/content/about-naeyc
National
School Lunch Program. (2013, September 1). Retrieved September 11, 2015, from
http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NSLPFactSheet.pdf
Our Mission
and Strategic Direction | National Association for the Education of Young
Children | NAEYC. (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2015, from
http://www.naeyc.org/about/mission
