School-Grown Youth Engagement Facilitator

FoodShare is a food justice organization advocating for the right to food and working to challenge the systemic barriers that keep people from accessing food. We support community-led food initiatives and work alongside those most impacted by poverty and food insecurity, including Black and Indigenous people, people of colour, people with disabilities and those living on a low income.

Overview

The School Grown Youth Engagement Facilitator (YEF) is a key member of the core team supporting the School Grown Program within FoodShare’s Community Food Growing department. Reporting directly to  the Farm Coordinator, they assist with farm management and cultivation, maintain an experiential education space, and facilitate learning on the farm. Unique to their role, the YEF is tasked with outreach to youth participants on the farm, which includes, but is not limited to, co-op students, Canada Summer Jobs hires, and interns. Additionally, the YEF is responsible for onboarding and guiding youth hires through their work at School Grown. 

In addition to supporting the farm's daily operations, the YEF is responsible for developing and facilitating educational components on the farm. These components connect participants' work with learning opportunities in food justice, including workshops, field trips, check-ins, and community support.

Employment in this role is conditional upon obtaining a clear Vulnerable Sector Check, which is required prior to the start date. Additionally, the successful applicant must obtain Food Handler Safety certification and Standard First Aid + CPR certification. FoodShare will cover the costs of these certifications.

Duties include (but are not limited to):

Community engagement at School Growing:

• Coordinate outreach initiatives to engage local youth, schools, and community organizations in farm activities and educational programs.
• Coordinate and assist youth with daily tasks and activities at the School Grown site, which include garden education, part-time paid positions, and full-time employment during the growing season.
• Supervise youth involvement in general on-site market garden tasks by collaborating with the Farm Coordinator. This includes preparing garden beds for planting, weeding, seeding, transplanting seedlings, watering and establishing irrigation, harvesting and processing produce, and assisting in maintaining our compost system.
• Support the planning and execution of youth-led initiatives, including farmers’ markets, compost exchange programs, and seasonal events.
• Facilitate onboarding for Canada Summer Jobs, Focus on Youth Toronto, Co-op students and interns by providing orientation and assessments.
• Facilitate the Youth Grown initiative to work together with the youth advisor and current youth farmers. 

Facilitation:

• Develop and facilitate educational programming for youth staff using the existing program curriculum. Coordinate workshops led by visiting chefs and other FoodShare staff, including scheduling, booking spaces, and securing necessary materials and ingredients.

• Supervise and oversee shifts at the on-site farmers’ market as required. This includes mentoring youth, assisting them with cash management, merchandising produce, and providing friendly customer service. 

• Communicate with teachers at our School Grown location to connect their curriculum-linked class time with on-site market gardens. 

• Support teachers in incorporating food literacy and food justice into their teaching (e.g., sharing existing resources, brainstorming lesson plan ideas, and brainstorming an engagement strategy).

• Facilitate connections to the community, such as local organizations and organizations doing work in food justice 

Administrative Tasks:

• Assist with record-keeping (planting logs, crop yields, volunteer hours, etc.) and ensure the youth engagement is participating.

• Track youth participation, gather feedback, and assist in program evaluation to assess impact and areas for growth.

• Contribute to the preparation of monthly program updates, the annual report, and other funding-related progress reports

• Safely operate and maintain machinery, including BCS tractor and string trimmer

• ​​Maintaining programming in line with FoodShares's Food Justice principles and Body Liberation principles 

• Ensure all relevant documentation/records are maintained and kept in a secure location

• Support site visits from funders, students, teachers, peer programs, and others;

• Facilitate evaluation processes and support reporting to funders. 

• Adhere to FoodShare’s policies and health and safety procedures

• Participate in farm-wide initiatives and events 

• Participate in FoodShare staff and team meetings, all staff training, and reporting requirements (such as timesheets) and handle other duties as assigned 

• Other duties as assigned

 Required Qualifications, Knowledge, and Experience:

• 2+ years facilitation community engagement with a focus on youth participation and collaboration.

• 2+ years experience facilitating workshops, hands-on learning, or mentorship programs for youth.

• 1+ years work experience with a market garden, diversified vegetable farm, food justice, environmental education, or a related field.

• Demonstrated experience working with youth and showing respect for youth culture, knowledge, and lived experiences.

• Demonstrated knowledge of community food systems, food sovereignty, and sustainable agriculture.

• Demonstrated understanding and application of anti-oppression, anti-racism, and equity frameworks, with a commitment to upholding these principles within the organization.

• Demonstrated ability to work respectfully with people of different ages, genders, abilities, cultural backgrounds, and individuals who experience marginalization.

• Demonstrate strong leadership and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage and inspire youth.

• Ability to strong networking, community engagement, and partnership development skills.

• Exceptional ability to manage time, prioritize tasks, and work independently.

• Strategic thinker with excellent problem-solving, conflict resolution, and change management skills.

• Collaborative leader who fosters consensus and builds positive team dynamics.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to convey FoodShare’s vision to diverse audiences.

• Familiar and proficient with G-Suite (Google Drive, Sheets, Docs, Calendar, Gmail), Microsoft Office, Adobe, and computer applications

Requirements:

• • Class “G” Ontario Driver's License
  • A valid Ontario G License with a minimum of 3 years of insured experience, with no major driving infractions in the last 7 years. A Drivers Abstract will be required before an offer is extended
  • Access to a vehicle is an asset for this role, if you do not have your own vehicle you may use a FoodShare vehicle if you meet the following criteria
  • This position is required to work from the Farm at Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute based at 500 the East Mall, with some in-person meetings at the main FoodShare office at 120 Industry St. or other partner locations across Toronto as needed.
  • Repetitive tasks such as bending, crouching, lifting, reaching, and regularly lifting over 40 lbs.
  • Full shifts standing and working on your feet.
  • Use of hand tools and mechanized equipment.
  • Working outdoors in all kinds of weather (heat, sun, rain, cold).
  • Must be legally authorized to work in Canada

 Salary and Benefits

Total Compensation:

• Salary: $52,981/ Annually (37.5 hours per week)*

• Contract Type: Fixed term - Full-time, from April 2025 to December 18, 2025, with the opportunity for extension

• Vacation: 4 weeks paid vacation per year, prorated based on start date

• FoodShare Health Benefit Reimbursement of up to $1,500 per calendar year, prorated based on

• Start Date: April 2025 - December 2025

 Additional Leave:

• Personal Leave Days: 10 paid personal leave days per year, prorated based on start date

• Wellness Days: 20 paid wellness days/sick leave per year, prorated based on start date

 *Note: As part of FoodShare’s commitment to equity, salaries and benefits are non-negotiable

TO APPLY: Please submit your resume and cover letter by 9:00 am on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, by clicking the this link here -> https://secure.collage.co/jobs/foodshare/51851

Selection Process:

FoodShare’s recruitment process involves the anonymization of all resumes prior to their being screened by the hiring committee. This step removes applicant personal details (names, email, addresses), educational & employment institutions, years of work experience, and personal interests to reduce potential for bias. Please make sure to detail your experience in your resume/cover letter to ensure the committee has the information they need to assess your qualifications for the role. This process takes at least 3 weeks from the application deadline.

• The hiring committee will review anonymized versions of the applications that pass the initial screening and decide which to invite to interview. This process usually takes about 1 week.

• The hiring committee will conduct first round interviews with selected candidates. Candidates will be sent the interview questions 48 hours in advance of their scheduled interview. Candidates are welcome, but not expected or required, to send any questions they have for the hiring committee in advance of the interview. These usually occur about 4 weeks after the application deadline.

• In recognition of the time and labour of preparing for and attending an interview, FoodShare financially compensates interviewees at a fixed rate of $75 per interview.

• HR will conduct reference checks for the candidate they intend to extend an offer to. This process usually takes about 1 week.

• HR will send the selected candidate an Employment Agreement, which the candidate will have at least 3 business days to review and return.

Thank you for your interest in joining our team! FoodShare is a food justice organization. This means that we are committed to working to identify and dismantle systemic forms of oppression that cause and perpetuate food security inequities.

Racialized people and others from equity-seeking groups are over-represented in food insecurity and poverty statistics, but are significantly under-represented in community based food organizations. We believe that those most affected by an issue must have access to paid positions in organizations tasked with challenging poverty and food insecurity. FoodShare strives to create a workspace that reflects the diversity of identities and lived experiences that exist within the communities we work alongside. If you see yourself reflected in 80% of the requirements for this role, please consider applying.

If you require accommodation when navigating the application process, please contact: