Time Commitment:
Child Watch Volunteers sign up for two weekly shifts with a maximum of 3 hours for each shift. Minimum 6-month commitment.
Location:
Shift support from the IRC office or at offsite Adult Education services’ location.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Volunteers in this position should be prepared for the following assignments:
- Oversee child-watch activities
- Care for and actively engage with toddlers and children whose parents are participating in IRC Education services within the same building.
- Support age-appropriate activities.
- Maintain a safe and sanitary environment for children, including set-up and clean-up activities
- Ensure child welfare and safety
- Maintain a positive environment. Facilitate activities that encourage collaboration and positive peer support.
- Maintain open and effective communication with IRC adult education team members and volunteer coordinators. Report regularly on child status and any problems or concerns.
Skills & Qualifications:
The Child Support Volunteer must have:
Education/Work Experience:
- Experience caring for children is required.
- Relevant professional experience in education and/or human services strongly preferred.
- Experience working with immigrants or refugees preferred.
- Completion of a certificate as a Child Development Associate or in early childhood education or a related certificate is desired.
- Certified in CPR / First Aid is desired.
Demonstrated Skills & Competencies:
- Strong desire to support vulnerable individuals and families and enthusiasm for working in a multi-cultural setting.
- Enthusiasm for early childhood education and language learning, with children and their families.
- An ability to adapt to meet the needs of immigrant and refugee families.
- Strong communication abilities, including the ability to oversee a group of children with mixed ages.
- Comfortable working in a cross-cultural environment and with child language learners, sometimes with little or no English proficiency.
- Ability to take initiative, work independently, and follow through on critical tasks.
- Fluent in spoken and written English. Bi-lingual abilities in a language spoken by an IRC client group is desired.
Please note that volunteers must undergo a background check for which we ask a donation of $49
To Apply:
Please submit an online application here: https://irc-global.my.salesforce-sites.com/volunteer Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.