CAO's newest program (Colorado Providers for Integration Network) website launches today!

You can go directly to cpin.caoden.org to find information and links to immigrant integration stories and a immigrant and refugee service provider directory. Or, from CAO's website, click on programs, click on integration, and learn more!

Please visit http://www.theworld.org/2012/10/african-refugees-in-swing-state-like-healthcare-reform/ to see CAO's director and CAO clients discuss the 2012 Presidential Election and Healthcare Reform. 

CAO Board Member Opportunity

The Colorado African Organization (CAO) is a community-based nonprofit located in Denver, Colorado that supports African immigrants and refugees. With the mission to foster unity, advocate for all Africans in Colorado and provide services, CAO currently has programs in social services (case management), health education (community health workers), advocacy/outreach, and community education (English as a Second Language, citizenship, computer literacy and social integration). CAO also works closely with the refugee communities from Burma and Bhutan, as well as refugee resettlement partners throughout the State.  Please find more information at www.caoden.org.

This is an exciting opportunity for individuals to make a significant difference in a leadership position for a community and nonprofit in Denver, Colorado. Board members are instrumental in setting the vision and mission of the organization, as well as directing the organization’s goals and future.

CAO is currently recruiting for new board members. Candidates will be considered as to their individual skills, experience and strengths that they can bring to the board as a whole. Specific strengths CAO currently recruits for are: experience with social media, fundraising and marketing/advertising. Knowledge of the African immigrant and refugee experience is essential.

Basic Board Member responsibilities are:

1. Regularly attends monthly board meetings and important related meetings.
2. Makes serious commitment to participate actively in committee work.
3. Volunteers for and willingly accepts assignments and completes them thoroughly and on time.
4. Stays informed about committee matters, prepares themselves well for meetings, and reviews and comments on minutes and reports.
5. Gets to know other committee members and builds a collegial working relationship that contributes to consensus. 
6. Is an active participant in the committee's annual evaluation and planning efforts.
7. Participates in fund raising for the organization.

Please note that this is a volunteer opportunity to make a real, impactful difference in the lives of immigrants and refugees in Colorado. If you are interested in applying, please send your resume and cover letter detailing your interest, commitment, skills and passion for the work to kitt@caoden.org. 

Follow this link: http://www.denvergov.org/women/VideoAdvocacyProject/tabid/443116/Default.aspx to see some videos about African women's experiences here in Denver. Some are clients, students, teachers and volunteers at CAO!

CAO, with its fantastic partner Rose Youth Foundation, is highlighted in April's issue of the Chronicle of Philanthropy! You can access the first part of the piece, and see the associated picture, at http://philanthropy.com/section/Face-of-Philanthropy/206/. The full article is available to subscribers only for the next month. We're excited to have such national attention! We are hopeful that foundations all over the states will take notice of organizations such as ours, and populations we serve, as they plan their community support. Check back in May for access to the full article. 

CAO has an opening for a Refugee Parent Engagement Coordinator. Please see below for the full job description and how to apply. 

COLORADO AFRICAN ORGANIZATION (CAO)

Refugee Parent Engagement Project Coordinator & Computer Literacy Program Coordinator

The Colorado African Organization (CAO) is a community-based nonprofit located in Denver, Colorado that supports African immigrants and refugees. With the mission to foster unity, advocate for all Africans in Colorado and provide services, CAO currently has programs in social services (case management), health education (community health workers), advocacy/outreach, and community education (English as a Second Language, citizenship, computer literacy and social integration). The Refugee Parent Engagement project coordinator is the bulk of this position, entailing the coordination and advancement of CAO’s parent engagement activities, including training and supervising 8 refugee community navigators to conduct monthly parent engagement sessions in their home communities and facilitate relations between refugee impacted neighborhood schools and newcomer refugee parents.

The Refugee Parent Engagement Coordinator will work directly with schools, teachers and parents in Aurora, Denver, Colorado Springs, Greeley and Ft Morgan. The Community Education Coordinator will oversee 8 refugee community navigators. This position will report directly to the Executive Director.

Specific duties include:

-Collaboration and strategic planning with refugee impacted districts to enhance refugee parent involvement in neighborhood schools

-Support, train, and supervise 8 refugee community navigators to disseminate information to communities through home-based meetings and ethnic association gatherings

-Monthly planning and reporting of 8 refugee community navigators’ program activities and efforts

-Coordinate 8 refugee community navigators and facilitate their interaction with school staff and teachers, in metro Denver, El Paso and Morgan/Weld counties

-Maintain ongoing communication with key staff and teachers at refugee impacted schools

-Collaboration with RSIG contractors for referrals, planning, delivery of services, and reporting

-Monthly reporting to RSIG grant coordinator re. verification of status of parent participants in programming

-Concerted efforts for DPS refugee parent involvement (at least 8 hours/month/CN)

-Collaboration and monthly meetings with DPS Multi-cultural Outreach office/team

-Collaborate with VOLAGS for referrals and parent orientations to the public education system

-Commute to Greeley, Fort Morgan, and CO Springs when needed for community navigator planning and reporting and ongoing program development

-Identify new opportunities for professional development of community navigators, provide community navigators with resources for referrals re. parent education opportunities, academic and social opportunities for youth, etc.

-Provide monthly programmatic reports as well as quarterly grant reports

-Participate in all project-related partner meetings; and coordinate all CAO-related activities with other project partners

-Advocacy for educational advancement of refugee students and communities

An additional but limited portion of this position includes coordination of CAO’s computer literacy programming. Specific duties include:

-Oversight and support of one contracted computer literacy instructor

-Recruitment and oversight of volunteer computer literacy instructors

-Collecting enrollment, class participation, and student progress data

-Monthly program reports and other reporting upon request

-Outreach efforts to advertise CAO computer classes among network and outreach for new computer students

Other duties include:

• Researching and identifying funding opportunities to expand program, as well as writing grant proposals for augmenting parent engagement programming (i.e. parenting classes, etc.)
• Supervising, managing and supporting graduate interns to assist in programs listed above, as well as other pilot programs initiated by CAO staff.
• Contributing to CAO’s monthly newsletter and blog about programmatic activities

• Attend all trainings, conferences and meetings as requested by supervisor
• Keep informed about refugee and immigrant issues, and available services, using current information to better identify and serve students, parents and community members
• Represent the program at meetings and speaking engagements relevant to the responsibilities of the position
• Perform all duties in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner
• Undertake other duties as assigned
• Work varied hours, including some nights and weekends. Front Range travel required as needed.
• Must have valid driver’s license and suitable vehicle with insurance.
• Clean background check and driving record. .

Qualifications Required

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in relevant area (social work, education, development, English etc) from an accredited American university.

Work Experience: At least 1-2 years of experience in supervision and education positions similar to that described above ideal. Nonprofit and grantwriting experience preferred. Program monitoring and evaluation understanding preferred. Experience working in refugee, immigrant and/or African populations highly preferred, especially those based in Colorado. Volunteer and internship experience may be substituted for work experience. Knowledge of the refugee resettlement process, as well as existing connections in the local refugee provider network, highly desired.

Language Skills: Fluency in speaking and writing English is required. Ability to speak and or write other languages, especially those relevant to the refugee community (Arabic, Swahili, etc) CAO serves will be an advantage, but is not a requirement.  

Personal Attributes: Cultural sensitivity is essential. Self-starter and experience working independently.  Able to work with limited supervision. Patient, tolerant and understanding. Able to work with others, Knowledgeable about African, Southeast Asian and refugee cultures and sensibilities. Excellent presentation and speaking abilities. Existing connections within the African, immigrant, school, nonprofit and/or refugee community in Denver would be an advantage. Excellent writing skills.

Compensation: $35,000- $37,000 per annum starting, dependent on experience and education.

Benefits: CAO offers health, dental and life insurance to its employees. CAO does not have a retirement plan at this time

Vacation Time: 15 days per annum plus 7 sick days. Comp and flex time will be arranged.

Terms and Conditions: The existence of this position is dependent on the availability of grant funds.

To apply, please send resume, cover letter and contact information for 3 references, including relationship to applicant, to jobs@caoden.org

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE!   CALLERS’ APPLICATIONS WILL BE DISCARDED.

Incomplete applications will also not be accepted. Due to high volume of applicants, only those short-listed for interviews will be contacted.

CLOSING DATE: April 18, 2012

Follow this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf3SMUwhp4g&context=C30dc16eADOEgsToPDskI-hHn3edmndMmqqdyVAGh5 to see the Denver Coalition for Integration's short video highlighting CAO!

Listen, or read the transcript here: http://www.cpr.org/article/Colorado_to_Ethiopia_pt_4_Winning_the_Visa_Lottery 

Please see Denver's Westword article on refugees from Burma featuring CAO employees Kit Taintor and Drucie Bathin: http://www.westword.com/2012-01-12/news/burmese-refugees-denver/ 

CAO has been awarded a 2011-2014 Ethnic Community Self-Help grant from the Office of Refugee Resettlement. This grant will expand the role of CAO to that of a technical assistance provider for newly arrived refugee communities-- namely the communities from Bhutan and Burma. Refugees from these countries have outnumbered refugees from Africa in recent years, and they are in need of an organization akin to CAO so that their needs are fully met, and voices fully heard, in Colorado. Under this new grant, CAO will assist two ethnic community based organizations (the Colorado Rangers and the Global Bhutanese Community of Colorado) grow, so that they may advocate for and serve their respective refugee communities. Congratulations to all! For more information on this grant, please visit the ORR website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/.