Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Three local or state organizations that appealed to me:

Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services is one that appealed to me because it provides programs for family support, which helps family with nutrition assistance programs, work programs, transitional programs and family alternative programs. This helps the families receive the care and assistance they need to function on a daily basis. The child care program supports quality child care through programs and plans that promote the improvement and expansion of statewide child care services and resources. This program is beneficial because it helps single parents or working parents receive the help they need to go out and to work to provide with their family without worrying about the financial burden of child care.

Administration for Children and Families: Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center appealed to me because it provides great insight into the importance of head start and school readiness. It helps you find head starts available and assistance if needed. They also provide Training and Technical Assistance in Cultural & Linguistic Responsiveness, Dual Learners and Families, Parent, Family and Community Engagement, and Health Care. All these programs are of such vital importance to the early childhood field. It is never to early to begin the best future for your child and that is why one needs to find a head start or organization that can help with this.

United Way of Kentucky:  Has great programs that focus on the importance of early learning and the benefits children receive from early learning. They have a program called Success by 6, which is a network or early childhood coalitions focused on improving school readiness through community change and a program called Born Learning, which is a national public engagement campaign, focused on creating early learning opportunities for young children. This organization appealed to me because it has such focus on the betterment of the children and giving them early opportunities to learn, grow and flourish as individuals. Beginning early will help the children succeed inside and outside of the classroom

Three job opportunities that I found and was interested in were:

Early Childhood Education Teacher

Children's Resource Center, Executive Director

Program Specialist, Save The Children

Each one of these jobs focused on different aspects of  the early childhood field and each was equally important. However, if I had to chose from the three it would be the Early Childhood Teacher because I want to interact with the children one-on-one. That has always been my passion, to be in the classroom trying to make a difference in each child's life in some way.
For each of these jobs one would have to be very dedicated, organized, great communication skills, leadership skills, great listener, concerned about the needs of others, and knowledge of the early childhood field and programs available. Knowing available resources and organizations is always a plus when you are trying to meet the needs of others and also the desire to keep learning and growing as an educator. New programs and research is happening everyday and it is very beneficial to stay on  top of this because we always want the best for the children and families involved.