Family and Community Engagement Specialist


Title: Family and Community Engagement Specialist

Reports to: Senior Manager of Family Support Services and Manager of Community Hubs for DPS

Location: Wyatt Academy on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; and Focus Points Family Resource Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Status: Full-Time, non-exempt

Starting Salary: $45,515

Benefits: Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance, Short Term and Long-Term Disability coverage, Life Insurance, IRA retirement plan, Vacation, Sick time, and Personal Time

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Mission of Focus Points Family Resource Center:  To build better communities by strengthening families.  

Scope of Organization: Since 1995, Focus Points has worked successfully to transform the lives of low-income and working families in Northeast Denver and beyond. Focus Points serves over 2,000 participants each year, most of whom are Spanish-speaking immigrants. Focus Points is committed to: 

  • School readiness programs to open doors to future success. 
  • Family literacy and adult self-reliance programs to facilitate independence. 
  • Healthy living and health access programs to promote active, vibrant living.  
  • Parent engagement and community leadership to foster empowerment; and 
  • Economic and workforce training and development to support financial independence and community stability. 

Denver Public School and Community Hub Program: Denver Public Schools, in partnership with the City of Denver and community organizations, will open community hubs that will address a holistic approach to student learning through programs and services that support social, emotional, physical, and academic needs of students, families and community members. The work will follow a two-generation approach, offering services for both youth and their families, with a particular focus on fostering economic self-sufficiency and family stability. While services offered will be customized to regional needs, illustrative examples include workforce development; basic needs assistance; social-emotional and mental health services; classes on financial literacy, ESL, GED, Citizenship, and Early Literacy; academic tutoring and more.

This initiative is a key component of the district’s strategic plan. The hubs will be designed to support each and every student in having equitable access to their educational opportunities. Specifically, for the 2022-23 school year, the district plans to have six hubs in operation that target younger learners and their families as well as one center targeting Pathways high school students. Long-term the district will use learnings from year one to support all students and their families in each region. The community hubs will also serve as a regional point of coordination for how to deploy the full resources of the city and our communities to support youth in our school buildings, where appropriate.

Position Summary:

The Family and Community Engagement Specialist (FaCES) will be based out of Focus Points Family Resource Center and is central to supporting and strengthening the link between community-based organizations, businesses, faith communities, and philanthropic groups to schools, communities, and families. The FaCES supports the systems-driven approach to case management for the multi-generation services offered to participants out of both Focus Points and Wyatt Academy. Responsibilities include creating a welcoming and safe environment for all community hub participants by building positive relationships; partnering with participants to identify and work towards their long-term goals for family stability; connecting community members with wraparound services to support them in building skills and accessing resources; and utilizing community hub practices, procedures, and data systems to deliver high-quality customer service and demonstrate program outcomes.

Responsibilities & Activities:

  • Receives training in Family Support Services with Focus Points and Family and Community Engagement with DPS within the first six months, (i.e., Standards of Quality, Motivational Interviewing, family support services programs including and not limited to rental and mortgage assistance, public benefit application support, and other support services as needed, etc.)
  • Completes 30/60/90-day onboarding work plan.
  • Assists individuals/families with family support services.
  • Manages and holds caseload of up to all families seeking support services during the calendar year.
  • Creates service plans for families on their caseload.
  • Coordinates referrals and advocate for participants to outside agencies or other Focus Points or Wyatt Academy programs when necessary.
  • Makes internal referrals directly with Mental Health clinician and other departments, as needed.
    Supports families with public assistance applications (i.e., LEAP, EOC, Medicaid+, SNAP, TRUA, and others).
  • Meets with the Family Support Services team regularly to discuss activities, budget, goals, and objectives, as well as relevant issues pertaining to family development services and programs.
  • Meets with both the Family Support Services Manager and Community Hubs Manager for regularly scheduled supervision and reflective supervision once-a-month.
  • Participates in maintenance/revisions of yearly program calendar.
  • Collaborates in developing professional goals (6 months and yearly) and provide feedback on areas of growth and celebrations.
  • Participates in webinars and other professional development opportunities as required by grants or program area.
  • Required attendance to program meetings, supervisory meetings, organization meetings, and all required DPS meetings.
  • Maintains a professional attitude and adheres to an elevated level of confidentiality toward participants and Focus Points staff.
  • Responsible for data entry for both Focus Points Family Resource Center and Denver Public Schools data entry programs.
  • Using SalesForce platform for FRCA ad DPS
  • Other duties as assigned.

Required Competencies:

  • Bilingual and Biliterate: ability to understand and communicate effectively with English and Spanish speaking participants and staff through oral and written expression.
  • Computers Skills: ability to independently work on computers, use the internet, and Microsoft Office 365 (such as Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, Word, Excel, and Teams); virtual calls, and database entry.
  • Verbal and Written Communication: ability to articulate participants’ needs and status reports to team and/or supervisor, staff in the organization, and/or network providers to gather information and make warm referrals as needed.
  • Cultural Awareness: supports participants in a culturally responsive manner which reflects their values, needs, and personality.

Preferred Competencies:

  • Resource Navigator: assist participants to access necessary services through direct service or referrals to partner organizations.
    Interpersonal Skills: guide conversations to assess participant’s needs and goals.
  • Data Entry: ability to use internal databases to enter and track participants supported by Family Support Services, such as Colorado Department of Human Services’ SalesForce and Family Resource Center Association’s SalesForce.
  • Critical Thinker and Solution-Focused: ability to collaborate with internal team when problems arise to problem-solve and provide creative solutions to challenging, multi-faceted problems.
  • Flexible and Adaptable: ability to adjust to changes in duties or schedule as required by program and service delivery. Weekend and/or evening events may occur.

Other Requirements:

  • Reliable transportation
  • Mobile phone service

Diversity Statement
Personal or professional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as demonstrated by persistent effort, active planning, allocation of resources and/or accountability for diversity and inclusion outcomes. Applicant must share a commitment to anti-racist work.

COVID-19 Precaution(s)

  • Hybrid interview process
  • Virtual meetings
  • Sanitizing, disinfecting, or cleaning procedures in place

To Apply

Mayra Aviña, Senior Manager of Family Support Services at mavina@focuspoints.org.

All interested applicants must submit a letter of interest and resume and at least two professional references. We are hiring on a rolling basis; applicants should apply as soon as possible.
No phone calls.

Focus Points Resource Center is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, military status, genetic information, ancestry, creed, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

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