"I am the most thankful for the ways the HDFS department and Messiah prepared me in my faith. I have confidence that God placed me where I am to help those in need and I find that humbling. He puts each child on this earth for a reason and I love being a part of children reaching their full potential. I love the opportunities I have had to share my faith in specific scenarios as well."
Kari's Career Journey
After graduating from Messiah, Kari had worked for Progressions Behavioral Health as Therapeutic Staff Support for a little over a year. This position provided her with hands-on experience with kids with special needs and helped prepare her for her current job as a Family Development Specialist.
Working as a Family Development Specialist
As a Family Development Specialist for the Pottstown Family Center, Kari works of the Parents as Teachers program. This in-home, free and voluntary child development program for families with children ages 0-5. This program helps to prepare children for school and help parents gain confidence in their parenting along the way. Going to parents' homes twice a month, Kari, as well as the other employees, focuses on family specific needs. She does developmental screenings, milestone checking, light case management and helps to increase knowledge on how one's child develops. Keeping in mind that parents are a child's first and most important teacher, Kari caters to a family's specific needs and provides activities for parents and children to work on together. In particular, she works with the younger parent population (parents that are 25 and under). Kari also runs a Teen Parent Program at a local high school which is one of the group connections the program offers. Another group connection offered is the Parent Cafes which allows parents to meet and discuss parenting issues, resiliency and protective factors.
Kari's Advice
"Take advantage of every hands-on experience you can! Get an internship or experience in the area you think you may live after college. I had an internship with a related company that helped me get the job I have now. Networking and connections are so important!"