A Child's Advocate: Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

Three roles in which I would like/love to become a part of the national/federal organization mentioned:

One of the very first organizations that I would love to work for or join would be CASA http://www.casaforchildren.org/site/c.mtJSJ7MPIsE/b.5301295/k.BE9A/Home.htm. This stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. These advocates go into the legal system and become allies to children who have been through a negative situation and are waiting to find out what will become of their family situation. This organization appeals to me because as a child I went through a rough divorce and no one ever came to comfort me or ask how I was doing. I would love to be a trainer for this national organization and also be an advocate myself working with the children. I believe to fulfill these roles I would need to be a good public speaker, hold my current degree and be a good collaborator. I also feel that understanding the emotional and social needs of children helps in this position to understand and empathize with what the children are going through internally.

Another national organization I would like to work for or join would be the National Military Family Association http://www.militaryfamily.org/get-info/support-children/. This association helps military families through different advocacy routes and for every need. One in particular is for the children, which is what I would want to be a part of. Through the children division, children and families are provided resources to comfort them through a parent’s deployment, finding education and care at several military installations, and helping with changing cultures and demographics for the child. Being former military I understand what parents go through when leaving a child, and I understand how moving and new schools affects children both positively and negatively. I believe to gain this position one would need education in mental health and early childhood knowledge. I also believe research skills and travel would be involved.

One last organization that I would love to work for or join would be the Child Life Council as a Child Life Specialist http://www.childlife.org/. These individuals work in hospitals and clinics and use play therapy to help children and their families deal with the stresses of seeing the doctor, surgeries, casts, and everything else associated with a visit or stay with the doctor. This position has always appealed to me due to the advocacy for play and helping children with their emotional stressors. There is lots of training and internships that go along with gaining a position like this as well as education. One must also be patient, kind, and respect the privacy of the patients.

3 comments:

Amy SmithSeptember 27, 2012 at 9:34 AM
Tina,
I was interested in the Child Life Council as a Child Life Specialist http://www.childlife.org/ One of my international organizations included unicef. I have a personal connection to helping young children deal with stress, disasters and emergencies. It would be wonderful to join this organization and receive training or an internship, these resources can be so beneficial in the everyday world of early childhood education.

Thank you for your interesting post!
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TeriSeptember 29, 2012 at 6:05 AM
Tina,

I am particularly interested in the position you described with the National Military Family Association. I grew up as a military child and have a interest in supporting those who serve around the world. The military has a vested interest in ensuring its members and their families have a strong support system at all times. Serving military families in this capacity would be both interesting and fulfilling!

Thank you for sharing this resource with us!

Teri
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AnonymousSeptember 29, 2012 at 6:41 PM
Tina,

I am also interested in the Child Life Council. This will be a great organization for me to look up information on children who are dealing with, witness or may have experienced domestic violence inside their families.
Thanks for sharing such great information.

Tracey

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Personal Childhood Web

Terry- A neighbour of mine when I was a teenager. She was like a big sister in a way and treated me like my age instead of like a small child. I could confide in her and she helped me through a sticky situation when I was in high school. She taught me that although things seemed bad at the time and like there was no possible way out, that all things end eventually. That thought has helped me through some tough times in my life.
Chris- My brother. Chris joined the service when I was young, but when I'd visit him he never ceased to congratulate a grade or a new step in my life. He is someone who gives appreciation and shows admiration to everyone. He is intense to learn more about you and to help you feel better about yourself along the way. He carries my favorite trait which is sometimes hard to find- common sense. I hope I have gathered at least a handful of his knowledge and kindness along the way. His open heart and courage to do good is a constant reminder to me that there is more to people than meets the eye.
Kathy- A friend of my mother's, she was and still is someone who tells it like it is. She would never hide anything about the truth to me and she was comical in telling it. If I had a question, Kathy had a straightforward answer. Still to this day Kathy will not hesitate to give meaningful opinions and life lessons to me. I don't call her enough, but I do think of her constantly especially when life throws me a curve ball and I make some kind of joke out of it!
Louise- A friend of my mother's, she was someone I could tell things to that I was afraid to tell my mom. She would comfort me and let me know I was normal and tried to figure out ways to help me in any situation. She stayed calm and optimistic and I always admired those traits about her that I wish I could have found at home. Louise has definitely taught me to stay true to myself and not try to change to meet another's needs. She's also taught me positivity lasts longer and doesn't create as many wrinkles.
Melanie- She was a childhood friend who had a stable family life and was very intelligent. She helped me study and she helped me see past what other's thought to find out what I thought. Melanie is someone who I assume went on to become some kind of life changing scientist. She showed me dedication, and for a young child to see a peer unafraid of committment to something left a lasting impression.