Saturday, September 26, 2015

Week 4- Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

            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

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