Helpful Local Organizations for Early Childhood and others as well as Interesting Jobs with Requirements

I hope the following information about organizations and jobs local to the town in Illinois where I live will help you complete your university projects or find the job of your dreams!

                I chose the following organizations:

1.       Illinois Gateways

Their website is https://registry.ilgateways.com/component/wsuser/login.

2.       Skip-a-Long Child Care Connection (SALCCC)

Their website is http://www.salccc.org/SALCCC/excelerateorientation.htm.

3.       Heart of Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children (HIAEYC)

Their website is http://heartofillinoisaeyc.org/.

4.       Illinois Department on Aging

Their website is https://www.illinois.gov/aging/PartnersProviders/volunteer/Pages/intergen-main.aspx.

I chose the websites of the three early childhood organizations because I am already familiar with these organizations and have benefitted from their services. I have also met people who have worked for the HIAEYC and the SALCCC. I chose the Department of Aging because of my special interest in intergenerational care and connections. There was a section on the Department of Aging website on intergenerational activities. Here is the web address for that: https://www.illinois.gov/aging/PartnersProviders/volunteer/Pages/intergen-main.aspx.

Job 1. I would love to be an Infant/Toddler Care Specialist with SALCCC. To be an infant/toddler specialist, a candidate should have a knowledge of “principles and practices of quality infant care, DCFS licensing standards for infant care, agencies/services available to parents and providers, data reports and information, and credential requirements.” The candidate should also have a “minimum of Bachelor’s Degree in child development, early childhood education or related field; four years of experience working with young children with a minimum of one year in an infant/toddler child care setting; specialists shall complete the following Gateways to Opportunity credentials within 18 months of employment: ECE Credential Level 5 and Infant Toddler Credential Level 5.” The Credential Level 5 is a requirement acquired by submitting information and transcripts about my education to the Illinois Gateways website that I previously mentioned. I have the education and experience, and I am working with Illinois Gateways on a transcript review to get a level 5 or level 6 (after I get my master’s degree) credential.

Job 2. I would also like to work with Gateways as a credential specialist. A credential specialist looks over a candidate’s education, training, and experience and suggests further opportunities to help each candidate receive the credential they desire. Right now, I am working with a specialist to receive my levels 5 and 6 credentials.

Job 3. I would love to work for the Children’s Home in my home town in Illinois! The Children’s Home needs a resource specialist. The resource specialist is required to recruit, license, maintain, and retain homes for foster children. This job requires that the candidate have a bachelor’s degree in psychology or sociology and have experience with child welfare. I have a degree in psychology, but I am not sure whether my experience as a Head Start teacher or teaching free swim lessons at the Y to children from schools in high poverty areas would qualify as welfare. Here is the website for that job: http://careers.chail.org/careers/Careers.aspx?adata=EKZvgTQsA%2fUX%2f437tYfMmVcSmZNxNz2kKApCwgEnVOsDvqChFABLjzkBizxgh%2bTGUclh5mv%2befFOVnQRogkcwAZfLk29%2ffoIzFT4calGGWNT4ySkqN3My4j7XxYe8oSXZLbceLxu2rtzoDLwVJP3HCAE%2fdpGvh94idXS6GmmireOKCrnCoB48tTQOq580UAy9ebiJKfwriF0QyXwEdTPUB4b3ojDUYvuNnGh%2fxkXbgaH

Job 4. I would also like to be a child and family intervention specialist with the Children’s Home. This is how the responsibilities for this job are described on the website: “Provides clinical services to children and their families in the home, school and community.” For this job the candidate is required to have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, counseling or social work. The candidate for this job is required to have experience or training to enable the candidate to work with children who have problems. The candidate should also have “strong interpersonal skills; strong written and oral communication skills; ability to effectively relate to youth, families, community agencies and referral sources.” I might need more training for this job, but I do have relevant education and experience. Here is the web address for this job: http://careers.chail.org/careers/Careers.aspx?adata=ENm8mIlx4d20sbclBzL1meZ%2bjf4XJDb9YD27Gl90dv0GtMpGVXW6Mz%2bvi4ubBHhRYatwB4KCjxLa6sdIbd06aw%2bm52l9xRMGaVY1T8oFxfbiwc3EpnnaiBBe9iXGd3Q5TbjBMfiYKeXNGjDZxY3S4Iw3aurol4GsuTPpjQfoaiO00eIHhECXmmeuUbI1nZu8HObNAXq7AjoNf6gtqIxht2Tvo1hPiidEFqp7sRITzvX1