Job/Roles in the ECE Community

The first organization that I chose for this assignment was Early Learning Leaders. This organization is committed to the enhancement of early child education programs. One position that I found interesting was Early Intervention Service Specialist. This position requires a Bachelor degree and knowledge of supervisory practices. It requires the person to have knowledge of intervention specialties regarding infants and toddlers. The next organization is NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) which happens to be the world's largest organization that focuses on young children. One position that I found interesting in this organization was the Senior Director, Higher Education Accreditation and Support. This position requires a Masters degree and to have a working knowledge of early childhood education as well as the current issues. This would be a field that I could definitely see myself working in. The final organization that I picked was American Academy of Pediatrics. The whole purpose of this organization is to provide education and support as well as a policy on advocacy. If I were to work in this field I would choose to be a Manager of Community-based Intiatives which aids in managing activities, securing funding, and other resources for the community. I picked these three organizations because of the connection that it has with my challenge and the amount of information i could obtain if they were to be a part of my COP.

www.aap.org
www.earlylearningleaders.org
www.naeyc.org

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community

When scanning through Google I came across so many websites for organizations around my state and the country that peeked my interest but I knew I needed to tailor back and just pick a few for this assignment. The agencies I chose to focus on where the United Way of Acadiana, WIC (Women, Infants and Children) office, and  Easter Seals of Louisiana. I live in Lafayette, Louisiana and in this city we are known as the Acadiana Area and then it branches off to the Greater New Orleans area as well as the Greater Baton Rouge area. United Way is an organization that is known across the country as a system of volunteers and workers whose whole mission is to raise awareness on social movement and improvement in education and overall health. There are no requirements to be a volunteer but in order to work at my local branch they do require a degree from a 4 year college as well as outside experience in the field. There is a current position that is open for a Early Head Start teacher and they require at least 2 years experience working in early childhood education. This organization is exactly what my focus is for my capstone which is the education of young children and their health care.

The WIC office is a state as well as federal recognized program for low-income mothers and families that provides monthly vouchers to help purchase food for children from birth to age 5. It helps with the purchase of formula and baby food for children birth to age 1 and then provides monthly vouchers to purchase milk, cheese, cereal, eggs, bread, juice, beans, and fresh fruits and vegetables. It is a way to help supplement the expenses of having to pay for these items out of pocket. This program also aids to assist pregnant women with food as well up until 60 days after the birth of their child and even longer if they choose to breastfeed. This is a state job so a college degree is required but I did not find any real specifications if your degree had to be within the realm of early childhood or just social service itself.

Easter Seals of Louisiana is a program that is designed to work with children who have physical as well as developmental disabilities. It helps parents and families apply for Medicaid. Medicare, and Social Security Disability. They not only assist with applying for services but they also play a vital role in the corrdination of these services.


www.unitedwayofacadiana.org
www.easterseals.com/louisiana
www.dhh.louisiana.gov/WIC