Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

This week, I explored the web and found different local organizations that work on behalf of the early childhood field. I chose them because they align with my passion for offering children and families the best possible educational opportunities in a safe environment and providing them with chances to develop to their full potential. The first one is the YMCA in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a non-profit organization whose objective is to offer various social, cultural, recreational, educational, and sports activities to contribute to the health and well-being of the community. Their mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that strengthen a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all (YMCA, n.d.). Their focus areas include education of boys, girls, and young people, healthy life, and social responsibility.

The second is the PRAEYC- Puerto Rico Association for the Education of Young Children. The PRAEYC is a Puerto Rican non-profit entity affiliated with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), dedicated to the well-being of early childhood. Their primary interest is to improve the quality of educational services for children from birth to eight (8) years of age. For the past twenty-eight (28) years, it has promoted the well-being and comprehensive development of children through the strengthening of educational programs of excellence and public awareness of the need for a service of the highest quality for the population of early age in Puerto Rico (PRAEYC, n.d.).



The third one is the Boys and Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico. They have been providing after-school services to children and youth living in poverty in Puerto Rico for more than 50 years. They are committed to eradicating generational poverty. Its mission is to offer children and youth hope for a better future and opportunities to develop to their full potential (Boys and Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico, n.d.). They have Head Start and Early Head Start programs designed to assist children up to 5 years of age and their families. They promote school readiness by improving children's cognitive, social, and emotional development from 3 months to 5 years of age. They also provide programs and services to boys, girls, and young people between the ages of 6 and 18, after school hours and offer them a safe and creative place where they develop as leaders who achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals. In addition, they offer opportunities for professional development, labor social skills, and soft skills between 18 and 60 years of age.



The Boys and Girls Clubs website has a section of several job opportunities that I found interesting. I would be interested in accepting the educational program coordinator position or administrative assistant position in order to put into practice everything I have learned through the master’s degree and implement administrative, management, and leadership skills to better serve children and their families. I would also be interested in working as a member of their communities of practice or as a volunteer in one of the organizations mentioned above. This would give me the opportunity to provide quality services that meet the needs of all children, including the disadvantaged communities these organizations serve.

To perform well in these positions, I need a variety of skills and experience working directly with children and their families, providing quality education in safe and nurturing environments. Some skills that will help me do quality work are responsibility, empathy, leadership, honesty, punctuality, kindness, respect, companionship, integrity, patience, creativity, enthusiasm, and excellent communication and collaboration skills.

References

Boys and Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico. (n.d.). About us. https://bgcpr.org/en/about-us/

PRAEYC. (n.d.). Welcome to PRAEYC. http://praeyc.org/

YMCA. (n.d.). About us. https://www.ymcasanjuan.org/aboutus

Comments

  1. earlychildhoodeo.blogspot.comMay 21, 2022 at 3:49 AM

    Hello Antoinette.
    It is indeed fascinating to discover the incredible communities of practice that exist in your hometown. I'll definitely look into the Boys and Girls Club of Puerto Rico for some inspiration for my school's Boys and Girls Club. I admire how you have tied these CoPs to a desire to provide children and families with the best educational opportunities in a safe environment, as well as opportunity to reach their full potential. I enjoy reading your post. Keep up the amazing job!
    Sherida

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amy AndressMay 21, 2022 at 5:59 PM

    Antoinette, you chose 3 wonderful organizations. It is interesting to read about what these organizations have to offer in each area and state. I look forward to reading your blogs each week.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Teach the ChildrenMay 22, 2022 at 9:56 AM

    I used to work at the Y until it was closed down. It was in a round neighborhood, so it was closed down. I think it is a great idea to have an all-in-one location for teachers and families to access information and have fun.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jen AminMay 22, 2022 at 5:42 PM

    Antoinette, I was interested in hearing about organizations in Puerto Rico that support young children. I visited Puerto Rico with my husband a few years ago and absolutely loved it! I looked into MIAEYC, Michigan's Association for the Education of Young Children for my post. I think working for an advocacy group like PRAEYC would be very engaging and important work. Also, your interest in a leadership position in an organization like the Boys and Girls Club of Puerto Rico would allow you support and touch the lives of many children and families.

    ReplyDelete

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