Facilitation & Human Services Support Services

Facilitation 

I combine my experience in working in human services, my formal training in reflective facilitation, mindfulness skills, and coaching practice to support other organizations to facilitate meetings, discussions, and one-on-one conversations on short-term projects as well as long-term strategic planning.  Below are some comments from board members from a recent non-profit board retreat I helped to facilitate.

"I resonated with Oscar's ability to listen attentively and his ability be flexible with unplanned events."

"Oscar is very effective in creating a space for people to share their opinions and feelings, and validating experiences. At the same time, he is skilled in discerning and clarifying our individual assumptions to help a team take actionable steps and effectively plan for programmatic changes."  

Human Services Support

I have over 16 years of experience working to empower adult learners, with a majority of that experience focused on supporting parents of young children (both directly and indirectly).  In recent years, my work  has focused on supporting the professionals and administrators working directly with families of young children.   Throughout my career, I have challenged my colleagues and key stakeholders to support families, while simultaneously building and improving systems that better work and support undeserved populations.  It was and continues to be imperative that proposed policy and programmatic solutions are addressing root issues, and developed in ways that address the eco-systemic system they are embedded in.  I have continuously focused and refined my expertise in serving the youngest learners as we continue - via public funding and as a society - under investment in the years that research and neuroscience clearly show are most impacful and cost-effective.

Oscar has worked and is available to support organizations or agencies outside of Monterey County with these and other related inter-disciplinary areas.   

Below is short summary of roles I've taken in the field, and some key highlights of impact.

Computer technician and program coordinator for the Rural Technology and Information Project.

- Supported the transition from multi-year PG&E funding source to a local organization.  The program continued to with support of multiple organizations and the local school district.

- Received Hitachi Award (national award) for the innovative work of teaching families to build their own computers at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new one.  Some parents also learned new, marketable skills.

Over 6 years of experience working in various roles in a public library and local city government.

- Participated in early stages on capital improvement project that paved the way for construction of new children's library.

- Oversaw the development of new and innovative programming to reach families, including a family literacy festival that gained national recognition by author and activist Pat Mora.

- Piloted partnership with local organizations distribute free books to families that signed up library cards.

Administrator for an early childhood education and development project modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone.

- Oversaw development of infant-toddler center for a specialized parenting program.

-  Developed parenting leadership program, and support parents to develop first parent-led community-wide festival to encourage parent involvement.

Programs manager overseeing multi-year, multi-million dollar funding projects, including supporting countywide capacity building and developing/sustaining community partnerships with key stakeholders.

- Key in supporting development of parent-child playgroup model (parent education service)

- Key in supporting development of innovative grant funding initiative that funds a partnership of organizations who are providing wraparound  services for parents of young children.

I am looking forward to leveraging my experience to support your upcoming project.