PPAL values those who have direct lived experience raising a child with significant mental and behavioral health challenges and gives hiring preference to individuals who have this direct lived experience.
Parent/Professional Advocacy League is a small but impactful nonprofit organization working to make things better for children with emotional, behavioral and mental health needs and their families. Based in Waltham and Worcester, PPAL works with families across the state who need help navigating services in behavioral health, juvenile justice and education. We work in close partnership with other community and state agencies with the goals of supporting families, nurturing parent leaders and improving systems.
Multicultural Outreach Coordinator
The Multicultural Outreach Specialist is a part time position and is responsible for building relationships with community groups, families and others to educate them about PPAL and other resources. If you have great communication skills, excellent follow through and are connected to a diverse community, we’d like to hear from you.
Strong preference is given to candidates who have experience gained by raising a child or youth with emotional, behavioral or mental health needs. This position is located in our Waltham office.
While this position may begin with much of the work done remotely, this will change as COVID restrictions lessen. Access to transportation and valid driver’s license is required.
Responsibilities
- Recruit families from diverse cultural backgrounds for focus groups, workshops or other family leadership opportunities
- Organize and teach workshops to families in their communities on a range of topics
- Provide information about services, including Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative.
- Identify opportunities for outreach and engagement
- Collect and report information on contacts, events and activities
- Inform and connect families to PPAL events such as trainings, conferences and surveys
- Provide support to families navigating special education, health services or seeking resources
Qualifications
- 1-3 years’ experience working with coalitions, either organizing or coordinating
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent follow through and ability to document information for supervisor and peers effectively
- Cultural awareness: ensure issues of diversity, inclusion, disproportionality, and cultural responsiveness are identified and brought to senior management for brainstorming
- Strong ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with a variety of people
- Experience with Microsoft Office and online tools such as zoom, Google meet and program management software
This is part-time position of 30 hours per week. Salary range is $17-19/hour
Strong preference is given to someone who has or has had the experience of raising a child or teen with emotional, behavioral or mental health needs. Preference will also be given to individuals who are bilingual and/or are part of African American, Haitian Creole or Cape Verdean populations.
Must have a strong desire to support PPAL’s mission of improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and families.
Family Support Specialist: Juvenile Justice, Hampden/Worcester County
The Family Support Specialist is responsible for providing support to families that increases their ability to find and obtain services for their children and family and fosters their ability to participate as equal partners on treatment teams and community groups. The Family Support Specialist will lead family support efforts with PPAL staff, in partnership with individual families as well as community stakeholders.
Preference will be given to family members of children, adolescents and adults with mental health needs. Must have transportation. Bilingual preferred.
Duties:
- Provide information and referral to families and professionals around resources and services.
- Empower families to advocate for their own child and family by providing and/or creating skill building opportunities.
- Assist in creating a voice for families in Massachusetts in the implementation of system change.
- Prepare parents to represent the voice of families who have children with behavioral health needs on various committees.
- Assist Project Coordinator: Juvenile Justice in Family Support Leadership activities.
- Attend monthly meeting on steering committee’s with JDAI
- Attend and be involved in training families in telling their own story
- Attend detention facilities in the region to engage parents
- Collect data as required
- Assists with special projects, as needed.
Qualifications:
- Ability to relate to diverse groups of parents, professionals and policymakers
- Excellent organizational and communication skills.
- Ability to work in a demanding environment and the flexibility to adapt to frequent changes in priorities and daily activities
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Ability to work collaboratively with a wide variety of people in complex situations.
- Some college preferred
This is a 20 hour per week contractor position.
Family Support Specialist Juvenile Justice, Essex/Middlesex County
The Family Support Specialist is responsible for providing support to families that increases their ability to find and obtain services for their children and family and fosters their ability to participate as equal partners on treatment teams and community groups. The Family Support Specialist will lead family support efforts with PPAL staff, in partnership with individual families as well as community stakeholders.
Preference will be given to family members of children, adolescents and adults with mental health needs. Must have transportation. Bilingual preferred.
Duties:
- Provide information and referral to families and professionals around resources and services.
- Empower families to advocate for their own child and family by providing and/or creating skill building opportunities.
- Assist in creating a voice for families in Massachusetts in the implementation of system change.
- Prepare parents to represent the voice of families who have children with behavioral health needs on various committees.
- Assist Project Coordinator: Juvenile Justice in Family Support Leadership activities.
- Attend monthly meeting on steering committee’s with JDAI
- Attend and be involved in training families in telling their own story
- Attend detention facilities in the region to engage parents
- Collect data as required
- Assists with special projects, as needed.
Qualifications:
- Ability to relate to diverse groups of parents, professionals and policymakers
- Excellent organizational and communication skills.
- Ability to work in a demanding environment and the flexibility to adapt to frequent changes in priorities and daily activities
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Ability to work collaboratively with a wide variety of people in complex situations.
- Some college preferred
This is a 20 hour per week contractor position.
Send cover letter and resume to info@ppal.net to apply
PPAL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Personnel are chosen on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.