The first organization that I chose was the Children's Defense Fund. The reason this organization appealed to me was because the mission of the organization is to provide a voice for children who cannot speak for themselves (Children's Defense Fund, 2012). Due to the fact that my topic is on children who are abused and mistreated and the foster families that take them in, I felt that this organization would be one that would give me many resources to use for my project. I learned that there is actually a whole program run by this organization on foster care. This program works to make sure that children enter foster care only at times when they can't be cared for safely, are kept safe, get appropriate help, and find permanent and nurturing families (Children's Defense Fund, 2012). They also work with the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act which promotes permanent families through guardianship by relatives and or adoption (Children's Defense Fund, 2012).
The organization had a listing of seven different jobs but after reading the job descriptions, I only found one that I would be interested in and that was the Director of Outreach and Community Engagement. I thought this job sounded interesting because the responsibilities included overseeing outreach efforts of community engagement. This person would have to develop community mobilization efforts and get community volunteers involved. This person would also have to build relationships with advocacy groups and major community stakeholders and act as the spokesperson for the Children's Defense Fund in NY. This job interests me because it is all about being an advocate for children and how to get other people involved which is what we are working on in our capstone projects.
The qualifications needed to fulfill this job were a Bachelor's Degree or higher with 3 years of experience, leadership and advocacy skills, communication and public speaking skills, experience in leadership development, ability to work with multi-cultural, racial, and linguistic settings, and an understanding of the state's community leaders, organizations, and government officials(Children's Defense Fund, 2012). I have the bachelor's degree, but if I wanted this job, I would have to gain some experience in communication and advocacy efforts.
National Foster Parent Association
The second organization that I chose was the National Foster Parent Association. I found this organization when I was doing research for my project and it is very interesting for me because foster families are a very big part of my project. This organization was created to meet the needs of foster families in the United States and to help them in creating safe places for children while they are in their care. This organization is very dedicated to children who have to be placed in foster care and to the foster care families themselves who are adding these children to their lives.
I could not locate any job postings available for this organization but I did find that you can become a member of the organization. This organization is run by a board of directors and there are regional heads for each of the states. When becoming a member of the NFPA you gain the right to vote on all matters that are brought before the association and you will also be provided with information about national activities that the association is participating in (National Foster Parent Association, 2012).
Child Welfare League
The third organization that I found that really interested me was another resource that I have used in my work and that is the Child Welfare League of America. This organization is committed to making sure that each child can grow up in a safe, loving, and stable family (Child Welfare League, n.d.). I picked this organization because the history of foster care and the creation of this organization are directly linked and so this organization has been involved in foster care for a very long time.
This organization had many listings for job openings but I found two that interested me. The first was a Skills Trainer. This was a trainer for therapeutic foster care programs. This person would be responsible for providing trainings and care to children and families that are involved in foster care or community-based settings (Child Welfare League, n.d.). For this job the qualifications were a bachelor's degree in human services, social work, or a related field, the ability to work with clients and families and relate with them, respond to crisis situations, and undergo a drug screening and criminal background check. I do not possess a bachelor's degree in human services but I think that education might be a related field and this would interest me because it is directly linked to foster care.
The other job that I thought would be interesting was Foster Care Manager. This person has the responsibility for overseeing and supervising foster care programs. They also have to develop and implement trainings for the case workers that they would supervise. Another thing they would have to do is to provide guidance and support for team members and to the children and foster families that they would be working with (Child Welfare League, n.d.). The qualifications for this job would be a master's degree in social work, marriage and family therapy, clinical psychology or a closely related field. This person would also need 3 years of related experience in community based programs for children and families and supervisory experience (Child Welfare League, n.d.). I possess none of the qualifications for this job but if I did have the qualifications, it would be a job that I would be interested in.
Each one of these organizations is very important to the lives of children and advocacy programs related to the maltreatment of children and to the foster families that take them in. I have learned a great deal from each one and have found more resources that I will be able to add to my paper. I look forward to learning more from these websites as I continue on this journey!
References:
Child Welfare League of America. (n.d.). Who we are and what we do. Retrieved from http://www.cwla.org/
Children's Defense Fund. (2012). Foster care. Retrieved from http://www.childrensdefense.org/policy-priorities/child-welfare/foster-care/
National Foster Parent Association. (2012). About nfpa. Retrieved from http://nfpaonline.org/
Hi Val,
ReplyDeleteAs a Foster Parent, I find the National Foster Parent Association very useful. The Child Welfare League seems like a great organization for those who are passionate about the welfare of children, particularly foster children. I do not know how many times, I wish things can change for these children. I have seen children come and go and not get the help they need. Parents too, often do not know where to turn for answers from my experience. Luckily, most of the families stay connected and I can share resources they might not know about. I not only want to help the children but the families, equally.