Volunteer AmeriCorps Child Care Assistant

About Sea Mar

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing comprehensive health, human, housing, educational, and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services.

The Child Care Teaching Assistant is a full‑time volunteer position within the Ameri Corps service program, providing a living allowance stipend and educational award upon completion of service. The role supports classroom instruction and child development in a structured educational environment.

• Participate in mandatory trainings, service projects and team building activities throughout the 10‑11 month term of service.
• Cohesively work with the lead teacher’s plans to prepare and deliver instructional activities that facilitate active learning experiences.
• Guide each child through self‑directed activities, allowing them to develop at their own pace.
• Foster a nurturing, safe, and stimulating, non‑competitive environment.
• Demonstrate verbally and by role‑modeling a sound knowledge of good teaching practices.
• Maintain a safe, clean and pleasant classroom environment.
• Tend to the physical care, safety and wellbeing of all children in the group.
• Provide information to parents regarding their children and general child development.
• Set the tone for and manage classroom discipline.
• Actively participate in the Healthy Futures education project for Ameri Corps, providing health education materials to teachers, children and families.
• Participate in an Ameri Corps site health project by integrating health education into the current curriculum.
• Collaborate with the Lead Teacher to develop lesson plans for the health intervention series.

• Understanding of children’s growth and development, with the ability to apply this knowledge in planning activities.
• Ability to instruct other adults and to work appropriately with all children.
• Willingness to accept supervision and maintain positive relationships with children, co‑workers and parents.
• Ability to meet the social, emotional, physical and developmental needs of children in a safe, clean and healthy environment.
• Knowledge of nutrition, health and first aid.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to compile, interpret and utilize information.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, use good judgment, meet deadlines and prioritize workloads.
• Maintaining confidentiality and exhibiting professionalism and appropriate boundaries in all interactions.
• Intermediate computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office; good mathematical skills.
• Problem‑solving and deductive reasoning abilities.
• High School Diploma required; preferred undergraduate degree or equivalent work experience.
• Current TB test (within the past year), satisfactory background check, current Food Handler’s Permit, and CPR certification within 90 days of service start date.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred;
  Spanish required.

The role is performed in a group office setting with significant levels of distractions and background noise. Responsibilities include frequent in‑person and telephone communication, occasional public speaking, and prolonged periods of sitting while using a personal computer.

Full‑time Ameri Corps members receive a living allowance stipend (up to $20,400 prorated over a 1,700‑hour service term ending August
2027) paid every two weeks, and a maximum $7,395 education award upon successful completion of service. Additional benefits available to full‑time employees include medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage, life insurance, long‑term disability, EAP, paid time off, 401(k)/retirement options, and paid holidays.

Sea Mar is an equal opportunity employer. We proudly serve all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, sexual orientation, or ability to pay for services.