FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION CAREER OPPORTUNITIES - EMPLOYMENT SETTINGS

4-H DevelopmentAdoption and Foster CareAdult Education CentersChild Protective ServicesCivic GroupsColleges and UniversitiesCommunity Action ProgramsCommunity Education/ExtensionCommunity Health CentersConsumer Credit and ProtectionCorrectional FacilitiesCriminal JusticeCrises CentersCrisis or Hotline ServicesDay Care CentersDisability ServicesDivorce MediationDomestic Violence PreventionDrug/Alcohol Rehab Centers

Early Childhood Family EducationEmployee Assistance ProgramsFaith CommunitiesFamily & Individual TherapyFathering ProgramsFuneral and Mortuary ServicesGirl Scouts/Boy/Scouts/Campfire USA Halfway HousesHealth CareHealth Promotion OrganizationsHospicesHospitalsInternational AgenciesLatch Key ProgramsMental InstitutionsMilitary Family SupportNeighborhood Youth

Nursing HomesParenting Centers

Peace CorpsPlanned ParenthoodPreschool/Day CareProject Head StartRecreation ProgramsReligious OrganizationsResearchSchool DormitoriesSchools - Public & PrivateSchools for Deaf/BlindSenior Citizen ProgramsSocial SecuritySocial Welfare OfficesSororities/FraternitiesStudent ServicesVocational GuidanceWomen's CentersYMCA/YWCAYouth Organizations

The multidisciplinary nature of family life education and the variety of settings in which it takes place can be seen as both a plus and a minus. The positive side is that there are numerous opportunities for those with the broad training normally included in a family degree. The negative side is that this variety of settings can make it difficult to target efforts when job seeking. Do you apply with hospitals or through community education programs? What job titles do you look for in the classifieds or when searching the Internet? The Department of Labor's 2002-03 Occupational Outlook Handbook www.bls.gov does not include family life education as an occupation. In fact, the only occupations listed with family in the title include Family and General Practitioners, Family Services Social Workers, and Family Therapists. The occupation of Family Services Social Worker only includes information on social work with no reference to any other family-related positions. As those involved in family life education know, the social work field has done an excellent job of branding itself and incorporating social work training (and in many cases social work licensure) into many state and federal jobs dealing with families. While this works well for jobs focusing on intervention and case management, it excludes a great many well-qualified family professionals who possess the skills and knowledge needed to help families through a preventative approach. A new licensure requirement for non-social work family professionals is not likely. Generally, most legislators are not interested in creating new licensure requirements in any fields that do not involve significant health or welfare risks to the public.

There are a number of strategies that can be implemented to increase the visibility and value of educational and preventative efforts focused on the family, including the promotion and support of standards of practice, education of employers and the general public, incorporation of family life education into intervention settings, inclusion of family life educators as recognized service providers in legislation dealing with families, increased funding for programs focused on prevention and with that increased attention to the importance of evaluation, and the development of a niche or specialty area for CFLEs. *

The National Council on Family Relations http://www.ncfr.org / is working to increase the value and visibility of family life education as a profession.

From: Cassidy, D. (2003). The growing of a profession: Challenges in family life education. In D. J. Bredehoft & M. J. Walcheski (Eds.), Family life education: Integrating theory and practice. Minneapolis, MN: National Council on Family Relations.

FAMILY STUDIES – CAREERS

Organizations: community and social service agencies; hospitals; support group and volunteer organizations; CLSCs; geriatric centers and residences; drug and alcohol treatment centers; schools and after-school programs; mental health institutions; women’s and family centers; community recreation centers; and religious organizations.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATES WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREEBusiness, Consumer & Family Resource Services

Employee Assistance Specialist Consumer Protection Agencies Food Assistance Programs Family Business Consultant Family Financial Counseling & Planning

Community-Based Social Services Youth Development Programs Adoption Agencies Foster Care Programs Family Preservation Worker Teen Pregnancy Counselor

Early Childhood Education Day Care Centers Head Start Programs Montessori Schools Child Development Consultant

Education Public School Teaching in Family &

Consumer Sciences (Certification) Family Life Educator Sexuality Educator Parent Educators Children's Museum Education

Family Intervention Case Manager Victim & Witness Support Services Crisis & Hotline Services Divorce Mediation Drug & Alcohol Prevention Counselors

Government & Public Policy

Family Policy Analyst Cooperative Extension Specialist Military Family Support Services Advocate/Lobbyist on Behalf of Children,

Women, & Family Well-Being Department of Child and Family Services

Health Care & Family Wellness Public Health Programs & Services Hospital Family Support Professionals Prenatal and Maternity Services Hospice Programs

International Education & Development International Family Policy Analyst Peace Corps and NGO Leadership International Human Rights Advocacy Immigration & Migrant Families Services

Research Grant Proposal Writing Academic and Government-Related

Research in Family Science Content Areas

Population Studies & Demographic Research

Community-Based Research for Non-Profit Family Agencies

Writing & Communication Curriculum & Resource Development in

Family Life Education Public Service Radio and TV

Programming Newspaper & Magazine Journalism on

Social Issues Affecting Children and Families

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATES WITH A GRADUATE DEGREEFederal, State, and local government agencies

Departments of Health, Education, Welfare, Nutrition, and Cooperative Extension.

Social service agencies Mental Health Agencies Child Protection Agencies Women's Clinics Health Promotion Agencies Domestic Violence Centers

Family policy Think Tanks Lobbyist for National Organizations Advocacy Work

Business Human Resources Training Counseling Family and Employee Mediation.

Entrepreneur Family Life Educator Consultant to Established Businesses as a

Trainer Counselor Writer/Problem Solver

Education Teaching & Research at 2 & 4 Year

Colleges Family Life Educators

CAREER OPTIONS FOR YOUTH, ADULT, AND FAMILY SERVICES GRADUATES:

You could work with children, adolescents, families, single mothers, victims of abuse, adults, the elderly, or multigenerational families. You could be a direct provider of those services or you could develop educational materials for others to use. Some alternatives are outlined below:

1. Serving people directly: as a case manager, agency worker, parent educator, recreation leader, or group home staff.

2. Organizing services: as a parent-aid coordinator, family services program coordinator, service coordinator, or in-take coordinator.

3. Providing information to other professionals: in a community resource center

Possible careers upon completion of a degree in Youth, Adult and Family Services include: Family case manager Juvenile probation office Intake Coordinator Child life specialist Child abuse specialist Independent living coordinator Social services director Foster care specialist Family support worker Drug prevention specialist

Some graduates also pursue graduate degrees in areas such as social work, marriage and family therapy, family studies, child development and educational counseling.

FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION CERTIFICATIONFamily Life Education is a complex and multi-faceted field which addresses all aspects of family life. Family life education can take place in schools at all levels, in churches, in community agencies, through mass media, in home visitor programs, or in homes with families educating themselves. It can be directed toward children, young people, couples, mothers, fathers, grandparents, or families as a whole. In 1968, the National Council on Family Relations defined family life education as follows: "Family life education has as its primary purpose to help individuals and families learn about human growth, development, and behavior in the family setting and throughout the life cycle. Learning experiences are aimed at developing the potential of individuals in their present and future roles as family members. The core concept is relationships, through which personality develops, about which individuals make decisions to which they are committed, and in which they develop self esteem."

The organization which developed that statement, the National Council on Family Relations, has established a certification for family life educators who have met defined qualifications. It is not a certification to teach, but it is a credential indicating expertise in the field of family life education. For those responsible for hiring and evaluating personnel, it is assurance that the family science knowledge and skills of family life education are possessed by teachers in school settings, community services and educational agencies, health care settings, criminal justice system settings, employee assistance settings, and religious settings.

Students who complete a bachelor's degree in the Department of Child Development and Family Studies with an emphasis in Youth, Adult and Family Services automatically will have completed most of the requirements for provisional certification in family life education. They need to make sure that they take electives as indicated in the YAFS curriculum After two years of work experience in a family life education setting they would be eligible to be fully certified.

CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES PRE-SCHOOL/DAY CARE

TeachingAdministration

EMPLOYERSReligious organizationsMontessori schoolsPrivate, public, franchise, and corporate day care

centersPrivate homesFamily day careExtended school programsPreschoolsHead Start programsSTRATEGIESDevelop physical stamina for working with children. Acquire appropriate certification or licensure for day care and public school teaching. Obtain experience working with children through volunteering or part-time jobs.Demonstrate patience with children and the ability to work well with people of various backgrounds. Develop strong communications skills to deal effectively with parents.

COMMUNITY SERVICESAdministrationDevelopmentProgrammingResearchEvaluation

EMPLOYERSCommunity centersYMCA or YWCAConsumer protection agenciesSummer camp programsAdult day care providersHospitalsRehabilitation organizationsReligious organizationsAdoption agenciesSTRATEGIESSeek related work experience; particularly summer camps or special needs areas. Learn to work well with all types of people through volunteer or paid positions. Obtain Child Life Certification for some areas. Develop strong presentation and public speaking skills. Be willing to wear multiple hats within an organization. Learn how to write grants. Develop research and writing skills.

SOCIAL SERVICESCase ManagementCounselingAdministration

EMPLOYERSProfit and nonprofit organizations focused on children, youth, families, or senior citizens Adult and child day care providersGroup homesHalf-way housesYouth services agenciesSenior citizens' programsFoundations and funding organizationsSTRATEGIESSupplement curriculum with courses in social work, sociology, or psychology.Obtain a master's degree and appropriate

licensure in mental health counseling, social work, or rehabilitation counseling to provide therapy. Earn a graduate degree to obtain most administrative positions. Gain experience through volunteer positions or internships.

EDUCATIONTeachingEarly Childhood EducationEarly Childhood Special EducationHome Economics Family and Consumer SciencesCurriculum DevelopmentResearchCounselingAdministrationCollege Student AffairsParent-Child Education

EMPLOYERSPublic and private schools (K-12) Public preschool programs (e.g., Head Start)Private preschool programsMontessori schoolsAdult education programsColleges and universitiesPrograms servicing children and adults with special needsSTRATEGIESAcquire appropriate certification for public school teaching. Obtain Ph.D. for college and university teaching and research opportunities. Acquire certification for day care and parent-child education. Obtain graduate degree for counseling, student affairs, and administrative positions. Find part-time or summer jobs working with children. Serve as a tutor, peer mentor, resident assistant or student advisor.

MEDICALChild Care ProgramsEducation

EMPLOYERSHospitalsHealthcare facilitiesHealth and wellness agenciesHospicesSTRATEGIESEarn a master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, or related areas for the most opportunities. Obtain experience in advocacy. Acquire licensing or certification for some areas. Volunteer in a healthcare setting.

BUSINESSManagementSalesCustomer Service

EMPLOYERSManufacturing companies of children's clothes, toys, furniture, and food Department and retail stores Service organizations

STRATEGIESMinor in business; develop skills in areas such as management, marketing or sales. Secure leadership positions on campus. Get related experience through internships or part-time jobs. Build computer skills in word processing, database management, and spreadsheet programs.

COMMUNICATIONSJournalismPublic RelationsWritingEditingResearch

EMPLOYERSOrganizations geared toward children and family including: Book publishers,Professional associations, Radio and TV stations, Nonprofit organizations, Manufacturers, Newspapers, and MagazinesSTRATEGIESMinor or double major in a communications field. Develop excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Submit articles or books for publication. Work for campus publications or radio stations. Complete internships with related organizations.

GOVERNMENTSocial ServicesRehabilitationProgram CoordinationResearchProgram EvaluationLegislationAdvocacy

EMPLOYERSFederal, state and local government agencies (i.e., Departments of Health, Education and Welfare, Criminal Justice Departments, Sanitation, Fire/Safety, Nutrition, and Cooperative Extension)Vocational rehabilitationMental health agenciesMilitary child care programsOverseas child care and education programsHealth and wellness agenciesWomen's protective agenciesSTRATEGIESTake additional courses in area of interest. Develop strong presentation and public speaking skills. Obtain specialized training for opportunities in protective services or law enforcement. Complete an internship with a government organization. Learn federal, state, and local job application procedures.

Bachelor's degree is sufficient for entry-level positions. Advanced degrees are essential for clinical and therapeutic counseling positions. Master's degree or Ph.D. is often needed for administrative and supervisory positions. Ph.D. is required for college teaching and advanced research positions. Additional or specialized training qualifies one for higher paying and positions of greater

responsibility. Obtain part-time, summer, internship, or volunteer experience in child care, schools, hospitals,

camps, or overseas programs or in advocacy or service-oriented programs dealing with alcoholism, drug abuse, family violence, aging, poor, or disabled populations.

Obtain certification in CPR, safety, and first aid for adults, children, and infants. Develop interest and gain experience in computers, arts, crafts, music, or physical activity. Obtain certification for specialized areas including Child Life Specialist or Child Advocacy.Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. (2005) UTK is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA /ADEA/Employer