Child Development AmeriCorps Member

Position Description | Half-time, 900 Hours

Department: Little Learners

Reports to: Little Learners Behavioral Support Specialist, Shereen Dajani

Position Type: In-Person, Half-Time term (900 Hours), 40 hours per week

Service Location: Our House 302 E. Roosevelt Road Little Rock, AR 72206

About Our House

Our House empowers homeless and near-homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workforce, in school, and in life through hard work, wise decision-making, and active participation in the community. The Our House team has defined a set of seven Guiding Principles that characterize our culture and that we intentionally seek to uphold: Hard Work, Wise Decision-Making, Community, Initiative, Integrity, Safety, and Heart.

Service Position Summary

The Child Development AmeriCorps Member will serve at Our House’s child development center, called Little Learners, which serves 65 children ages 6 weeks-5 years old. The Child Development AmeriCorps Member will serve in one of four classrooms (Toddler 1 and Toddler 2 or PreK3 and PreK 4-5), each led by a Lead Teacher. The Child Development AmeriCorps Member will serve with the teacher to help plan and implement activities for the children, ensure the safety of all children in the program, and create an enriching, fun, and safe environment for the children helping them to meet their developmental goals and milestones. 

The Child Development AmeriCorps Member will serve to meet established outcomes goals for Our House’s AmeriCorps project, including serving at least 75 children in Little Learners; help at least 50 children ages 1-5 meet the developmental milestones on the developmental assessments.

Essential Functions of Position

• Provide hands-on support to children in the Little Learners program to help them meet developmental goals and milestones.
• Assist in implementing curriculum-driven activities that reflect Arkansas’ Child Development and Early Learning Standards. 
• Adopt and Implement Conscious Discipline in the classroom to enhance the social-emotional growth of all children
• Contribute to the education of children through unique lesson and activity planning
• Participate in and seek out professional development that will further advance pedagogy skills
• Organize service projects to benefit the children and parents of Our House, including developing partnerships with outside organizations, recruiting volunteers, recruiting participants, and other activities necessary for successful service events.
• Design and implement health and wellness, arts, and STEM enrichment activities for Little Learners.
• Assist in collecting performance measurement data to track and analyze progress toward the above outcomes.
• Facilitate parent engagement programming for parents of Little Learners children quarterly, i.e., Family Fun Night. 
• Serve collaboratively with other AmeriCorps members, VISTA volunteers, and staff members to implement programs, achieve and track outcomes, and other activities to benefit the clients and programs of Our House.
• Participate in AmeriCorps Days of Service and additional service projects as approved by the program director. 
• Attend Our House National Service meetings led by the Human Resources/National Service team
• Attend program, all-team, and committee meetings as assigned by the supervisor
• All members will undergo all required criminal history checks: NSOPW, FBI, and Arkansas State Police, as well as other states, as necessary. 

The above functions may be completed with or without reasonable accommodations.

Marginal Functions of Position

• When called upon, members may be asked to support disaster response and/or recovery efforts as needed by the State of Arkansas.
• Community Outreach Activities: Members may engage in activities that directly support the AmeriCorps Program. For example, assist with member recruitment; assist with public relations to introduce the AmeriCorps program to the community and develop community partnerships; and assist with efforts to build a culture of service in Arkansas.

This position does not duplicate the work of previous or existing employees or volunteers, supplant the hiring of workers, or include service or duties that have been performed or were performed by a current employee, an employee who recently resigned or was discharged, an employee subject to a reduction in force, or an employee who is on leave. 

AmeriCorps Eligibility: AmeriCorps eligibility requires that participants must be at least 17 years of age at the commencement of service; be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States; be high school graduates, GED recipients, or working toward attaining a high school diploma or GED during their term of service; and satisfy the National Service Criminal History Check criteria.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required: The Child Development AmeriCorps Member will be thoroughly committed to Our House’s mission. All candidates must enjoy working with children, have a positive attitude, and serve as role models for the children in the program. 

Other Requirements: AmeriCorps members serving at Our House must be vaccinated against COVID-19, willing to get vaccinated upon acceptance of the position, or meet the legal requirements for an exemption. 

Academic and Experience Qualifications: High school diploma or GED required; a child development background and/or relevant college courses preferred.

Service Conditions:  This service is performed indoors and outdoors. This is a physically active role where you will engage with children ages 1-5.

Commitment Required: 40 hours a week for a six (6) month term beginning February 26, 2024, to August 23, 2024, for a minimum of 900 hours.

Orientation and Training

• On-site Our House orientation 
• First Aid/CPR
• Naptime Academy
• Conscious Discipline
• Any other training deemed necessary by the supervisor and/or Program Director

AmeriCorps Program Benefits

• Living Allowance of $8,776 over the term of service 
• $3,697.50 Segal Education Award at the end of a successful service term 
• Healthcare coverage 
• Student Loan forbearance

Evaluation and Reporting

AmeriCorps Members will participate in mid-term and end-of-term evaluations and reviews. AmeriCorps Members will submit their hours on a bi-weekly basis, write quarterly reflections, and attend monthly meetings. 

For more information:

• Paige Krueger, National Service Program Manager 501-374-7383 ext. 168
• For more information about AmeriCorps State and National, go to www.americorps.gov

This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service.

Updated January 2024