Registered Early Childhood Educator

PROGRAM AREA: Community Development - Family Support

Employment status: Ongoing

Hours/week: Relief (hours as needed)

Current vacancy

What We Live By:

- Our Vision: A community without barriers to health and wellbeing.

- Our Mission: We work with our community to promote and sustain health and wellbeing for all.

- Our Values: Compassion, Social Justice, Courage, Integrity, Adaptability.

Guelph Community Health Centre prioritizes people who face barriers to health and accessing services, and people who identify as:

- Homeless or at risk of homelessness

- Living on low income

- Newcomers to Canada with language barriers

- Having moderate to severe mental health and/or addiction issues

- Having moderate to severe disabilities

- Indigenous First Nations, Inuit and Métis

- Black, mixed race and racialized populations

- Experiencing intersectional oppression

- 2SLGBTQIA+

- Vulnerable children and their families experiencing conflict, isolation or attachment struggles

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

EarlyON Child and Family Centres provide children and parents/caregivers opportunities to participate in high quality play and inquiry-based programs, led and facilitated by Registered Early Childhood Educators.   Our  EarlyON  Centre offers a safe and welcoming environment.

Report to  EarlyON  Supervisor. Registered Early Childhood Educator  works as a member of the  EarlyON  Child & Family Centre team to plan, implement and provide appropriate information, services and programmes for parents, caregivers and children 0-6 years attending  EarlyON  Child & Family Centres.

PRINCIPAL JOB DUTIES

- Maintain a safe, positive enriching environment for children that reflects the pedagogy of How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years .

- Develop, plan, and provide appropriate information, services and programs that support families in meaningful ways .

- Respect and support the important role of parents and caring adults as the child’s first teacher and play partner .

- Welcome, support and interact with all program participants integrating bias-free strategies in recognition of the rich diversity of families .

- Communicate effectively with families of all backgrounds and abilities using inclusive language and interactions .

- Create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere that reflects trust and understanding in relationships amongst staff and program participants .

- Ability to apply knowledge of child development in  program   planning and   sharing information  with parents and caregivers .

- Provide quality, developmentally  appropriate , play-based emergent learning opportunities that are shaped by the participating family’s knowledge,  interests,  and experiences .

- Organize and assess play areas, equipment and materials to create an engaging, welcoming, inclusive environment that encourages parents and caregivers to connect with each other and their children .

- Document children and  family  experiences to serve as a basis for meaning making, relationship building and  program  planning .

- Assist with  program  set-up, and clean-up following agency sanitary practices .

- Model positive relationships with children and adults .

- Provide a  solution-focused  approach when working through challenges .

- Guide children’s learning and development through positive adult-child interactions .

- Communicate with parents as needed about issues relevant to their child ( ie . child development, sleeping/eating, information about resources, etc.)

- Provide individual  support  to parents/caregivers in  the form  of referrals, linkages with other professionals, etc.

- Facilitate  one-on-one  consultation with families that need further  support  and services .

- Assist  in the creation and distribution of communication materials for the  programme s as well as promoting awareness of children’s services .

- Understand  community resources  in order to  facilitate access to services for program participants .

- Work collaboratively with community partners to provide family support services and promote community programs .

- Maintain a positive rapport with parents, co-workers, students,  volunteers,  and other professionals .

- Contribute to outreach initiatives to attract new families to the Centre .

- Facilitate workshops for  program  participants as required .

- Engage in reflective practice with team members .

- Attend professional learning opportunities that reflect current early learning and care research and trends .

- Participate in on-going reflective evaluation of  program  and service delivery .

- Mentor, supervise and evaluate student teachers and volunteers .

- Collect accurate information from participants including attendance, registration forms, incident reports, etc.

- Gather information,  stories,  and other data including participant feedback, surveys, etc.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

- High school graduation, plus an additional Diploma or degree in Early Childhood Education.

- Must be a Registered Early Childhood Educator with the College of Early Childhood Educators in good standing.

- Preference given to applicants who have a minimum of 2  years'  related experience working with children and families .

- Strong knowledge and application of the College of Early Childhood Educator’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice .

- Have a working understanding of the Child Care and Early Years Act .

- Working knowledge of the province’s current pedagogical statements .

- Have a thorough knowledge of child development for children  up  to 6 years.

- Experience facilitating parent/child and caregiver workshops .

- Knowledge and experience working with community  support  for families and children.

- Excellent customer service skills and the ability to work with diverse families in a professional manner.

- Documentation to support ongoing professional development in the field of early learning and care.

- Well -developed  written and verbal communication skills .

- Ability to maintain confidentiality .

- Excellent knowledge of computers, software,  programs,  and databases .

- Valid Standard First Aid Certification including Infant and Child Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) – Level C .

- Up-to-date Immunization Record .

- Valid Driver’s  License  with access to a reliable vehicle if required .

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

- Evening and weekend work may be require

- 7 0% client/ 1:1 interactio

- 30% desk, meetings, frequent change of positio

- Work may be performed at any GCHC locatio

- Possible exposure to clients in escalated or crisis situations

We know that experience comes in many forms. If you have some of these qualities and are excited about this opportunity, then we want to hear from you. Please visit our website  www.gchc.ca  and apply using the online application tool. In your application, please include a resume and cover letter outlining how your skills, qualifications, and experience meet the position requirements.

Guelph Community Health Centre is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including individuals from priority populations who may identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, persons with disabilities, Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit and Metis individuals, and members of Black and other racialized communities.

We thank, in advance, those who apply, but will contact only those who qualify for interviews.

If at any stage in the selection process you require accommodation, please let us know the nature of the required accommodation.

We require that all finalist applicants undergo a Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Screen through their local Police Services Branch prior to start date.