WSCAP: Advocacy Education Coordinator

WSCAP is seeking an experienced leader focused on increasing the level of civic engagement and effective public policy advocacy of 30 Washington State Community Action Agency´s boards, staff and community members. This position has been designed to enhance and strengthen the capacity of member organizations to effectively advocate for the mission of Community Action of reducing poverty in Washington State. The successful candidate will carry forward and build on the 18-year legacy of WSCAP history in serving low-income families and individuals and helping move them out of poverty and toward self-sufficiency.

 

Community Action changes people´s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. Community Action cares about the entire community and is dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.

 

The goals of community action programs include:

· Assuring that people have the opportunity to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency;

· Develop strategies that prevent poverty in the community and provide a catalyst for change;

· Marshal the resources of the communities we serve to support our mission;

· Assure services and resources are available to those in poverty to meet basic needs as well as to help them build skills and acquire tools that will help them move toward permanent self-sufficiency;

· Assure individual CAP agencies have the capacity to carry forward the above activities

 

ABOUT WSCAP

 

Established in 1993 WSCAP is the membership organization for the 30 Washington State Community Action Agencies (CAAs), which serve all 39 Washington counties. For more than 33 years, these agencies have been providing vital human services to low-income individuals, families and those in need. Hundreds of thousands of people have benefited from these services and have become more self-sufficient. Twenty-seven of the agencies are private not-for-profit organizations and four are public, primarily county, organizations.

 

These 30 Washington CAAs are major employers in their communities. All CAAs provide multiple services and receive federal, state, and local funding. One source of funding is the federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). These are flexible dollars that can be used locally for the most critical needs in each community. The purpose of CSBG funding is to provide assistance to states and local communities, working through a network of CAAs, for the reduction of poverty, the revitalization of low- income communities, and the empowerment of low-income families and individuals in rural and urban areas and migrant or seasonal farm workers to gain their highest level of self-sufficiency.

 

CAAs exist is to educate the community about the issues of poverty and to effectively and efficient

address the issues of poverty. CAAs provide a wide array of critical services designed to provide necessary life-sustaining services that support low-income individuals and families as well as provide them the opportunity to acquire the tools and skills that enable them to become more self-sufficient. For more information, see: www.wapartnership.org

 

See following Position Description 

 

REPORTS TO:  Executive Director

 

STATUS: Exempt

 

SALARY: $45,000 to $55,000 + Benefits

 

OPEN: Applications accepted until 5p.m July 8, 2011, review begins July 1, 2011

 

SUBMIT: Resume and Cover Letter to HR@wapartnership.org

 

SUMMARY:

 

Responsible for coordinating the education of Community Action Staff, Boards of Directors and community members in effective advocacy for policies that reduce poverty in Washington State.

 

The goal is to increase the level of civic engagement and effective public policy advocacy by Community Action boards, staff, and community members, and to leverage the support of aligned coalitions, in order to promote policies that reduce poverty in Washington State.

 

This position has secure funding for one year with high probably of continuation.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

· Develop productive relationships with the 30 Washington State Community Action Executive Directors.

· Provide advocacy training for boards of directors, staff and community members at thirty member agencies.

· Become a vehicle for implementing a long-term campaign to eliminate poverty in Washington State, to include a step-by-step plan with marketing ties to an advocacy campaign in conjunction with a newly formed antipoverty coalition.

· Increase knowledge about responsibilities and benefits of civic engagement and public policy advocacy by Community Action boards, staff, clients and communities at large.

· Strengthen partnerships with other complementary antipoverty organizations and groups in Washington State and beyond.

· Create and implement a peer learning and support system.

· Identify and/or create advocacy best practices that facilitate the goals of Community Action.

· Develop and maintain web-based resources supporting antipoverty effort and public advocacy.

· Create a 1-year and 3-year plan for building stronger capacity for antipoverty advocacy.

· Identify additional funding sources to advance efforts to reduce or eliminate poverty in Washington State through advocacy.

· Perform other duties as assigned.

 

OUTCOMES:

· Increase advocacy activities by Community Action boards, staff and clients.

· Increase understanding by legislators, community leaders and community members throughout Washington State about the value of Community Action´s poverty reduction efforts in their local communities.

· Increase awareness and commitment by Community Action board members, as a primary responsibility of their board service, to advocate on behalf of those being served.

· Promote policy changes that result in poverty reduction.

· Increase communication and relationship building with elected officials.

. Develop and/or promote additional avenues for client self-advocacy training

· Create more vibrant involvement in various coalitions with aligned goals.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

· Motivated self-starter who is keen on building local and regional collaborations and who is excited by the opportunity to promote the message and importance of Community Action throughout WA State.

· Experienced in communications with diverse audiences.

· Knowledge and experience in providing programs using public funds.

· Ability to build relationships and bridges across political, social, economic and age ranges.

· Extensive knowledge of legislative processes and political advocacy techniques appropriate to private NPO´s.

· Extensive knowledge working with community groups and NPO´s.

· Knowledge of poverty networks at local, state and federal levels.

· Knowledge of computer software systems for offices and the operation thereof.

· Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

· Ability to work effectively with elected officials of all parties.

· Ability to prepare reports, correspondence and documentation.

· Ability to drive and travel extensively in Washington State using personal vehicle.

 

REQUIRED EDUCATION OR EXPERIENCE:

 

Four year college degree in political science, sociology or public administration; graduate degree preferred or six years progressively responsible experience in antipoverty programs or legislative policy systems.

 

or

 

Any combination of education and experience which would provide the applicant with the desired skills, knowledge and ability required to perform the job.