Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) mission is to ensure that States provide everyone a free, quality public education (Global Campaign for Education, 2014). International and regional bodies as well as national coalitions make up the Global Campaign for Education. Quality resources, shared learning and programs such as the Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF) national campaigners hold governments to account to ensure Education for All is implemented in countries with the greatest need.

GCE works to bring together concerned parties, such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs),teachers, unions, parents, groups, and community organizations to provide firsthand knowledge and evidence to inform education sector planning and monitoring(Global Campaign for Education, 2014). The broad-based membership of grassroots, regional and national organizations are known as National Education Coalitions.  These well-equipped National Education Coalitions ensure that education budgets are spent well and that the money reaches intended targets. Representing interest groups of marginalized people (Global Campaign for Education, 2014).

Reference:

Global Campaign for Education, 2014 Retrieved from http://www.campaignforeducation.org/

            Save the Children works to create positive change for children in the United States and the world, serving children from more than 120 nations (Save the Children, 2011). Save the Children offers rapid humanitarian relief and long term recovery for children at risk or affected by natural disasters, conflicts, and ethnic violence.

            In 2006, Save the Children introduced the Early Steps to School Success program. In partnerships with local private and public schools and states Early Steps provides high-quality early child development services to children birth through age eight (Save the Children, 2011).The goals of this program are to ensure children enter school with the skills needed for success, helping parents gain the skills and knowledge to support their children’s education, develop strong home to school connections, and increase early childhood knowledge and skills in the community and at the national level.

Early Childhood Coordinator

The Early Steps Coordinator is responsible for providing social/emotional development, language development and pre-literacy education activities for children and parents through regularly scheduled home visits, parent/child support and education groups in schools and community settings, screening and referral for children at risk for developmental delay or health care issues, “transition to school” activities that connect parents and children to the preschool or kindergarten they will attend, and a book exchange literacy program for enrolled children and parents (Save the Children, 2011).

Responsibilities For the position include:

·         Recruit families with children ages birth to five into the program.

·         Develop and schedule the program activities, including home visiting, parent/child groups, transition to school activities and other programmatic activities.

·         Provide regular home visits to families (twice monthly) using STC approved home visiting curriculum.

·         Organize parent child groups.

·         Conduct child screenings and make referrals.

·         Participate in training and technical assistance activities.

·         Participate in the evolution of Early Steps, including data collection, interviewing and videotaping activities.

Skills and Experience

·         A degree in Early Childhood or related field is preferred but not required.

·         Experience and training working in a home visiting, infant/toddler, early childhood/parenting education program.

·         Experience working with pregnant women, children ages birth to five, and families in rural areas.

·         Experience leading parent or community groups.

·         Experience with timely reporting and maintaining accurate records on program activities.

·         Experience in collaborating with early childhood programs in the community.

Reference:

Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/

            Since 1997, The Global Fund for Children has invested in children’s well-being (Global fund for Children, 2014). The GFC’s mission is to transform the lives of children on the edges of society—trafficked children, refugees, child laborers—and help them regain their rights and pursue their dreams. GFC seeks and funds grassroots organizations that enable vulnerable children to succeed.

            The GFC goal is to invest in partners early to increase capacity and leave them bigger than they found them. GFC offers grants to organizations and programs that focus on learning, enterprise, safety, and healthy minds and bodies (NAEYC, 2010).

Reference:

Global fund for Children, (2014) retrieved from://www.globalfundforchildren.org/what-we-do/

NAEYC. (2010). Resources for lessons learned from early childhood educators around the globe. Young Children YC 65 (6), 68-69.