Organization name: Watari Counselling & Support Services

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

Job opening: Community Programming Coordinator

Working hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week

Pay: $28.00 per hour + extended health benefits after successfully completing a 3-month probation period

Watari was developed in 1986 as a response to the lack of services and programs for high-risk street-involved youth in Vancouver. Since then, Watari has helped thousands of people in the Downtown Eastside and the surrounding communities, through several youth and community programs as well as through our counselling team. Over the years, Watari has developed important programs not only for youth but for everyone needing support here in the community, including Indigenous people and migrant workers. Our Latin American Group and Vietnamese Community Kitchen have become important staples in the community as well. Although much has changed over the years, Watari continues to be a safe and supportive place for the people in the community. Today, Watari has 13 essential programs made possible by the dedicated staff, and amazing volunteers and community partners!

 

Our mission is to facilitate meaningful change and provide a bridge to healthier possibilities through innovative, community driven and supportive programming.

 

Watari is opening a wellness space for residents in the Downtown Eastside and surrounding communities to access healthcare, cultural and wellness programming, and Indigenous Food Sovereignty at 320 Alexander Street.

 

We are looking for a Community Programming Coordinator to play a key role in establishing and coordinating on-going programming, site safety, and general support at 320 Alexander Street. This is a full-time (35 hours per week) position which works in collaboration with all staff at 320 Alexander Street. The Community Programming Coordinator will help organize and hold space for the cultural programming at 320 Alexander, including weekly talking circles, language classes, beading classes, and more. The Community Programming Coordinator will also organize onboarding and orientation, training sessions, and continued support for peer community workers so they can be successful in their roles at 320 Alexander Street. The successful applicant will also support data collection, budget management, report creation, and other information requirements.

 

The ideal candidate should have experience working with residents in the Downtown Eastside and surrounding communities, and they should also have extensive knowledge about the issues and realities of the people living in this community. The successful candidate should also have extensive experience working with Indigenous peoples, migrant communities and they should be knowledgeable about the cultures and histories of these peoples and the issues they face. Additionally, this role also involves working with Trans-gender, Two-spirit, and other LGBTQIA+ individuals, so we are also looking for someone with experience working with these groups and extensive knowledge about their experiences, needs, and the issues they face. The ideal candidate should also have strong organizational skills, an ability to work independently and manage deadlines, an acute knowledge of community services, and the ability to work on weekends and evenings, as needed. To be successful in this role, the successful candidate should be compassionate, a strong leader, and great at building relationships with staff, peer workers, volunteers, and community partners. The Community Programming Coordinator should also be able to work collaboratively with a wide range of people and organizations who work at 320 Alexander Street.

 

The successful applicant shall be familiar with the Constitution, Code of Ethics, and Oath of Confidentiality of Watari Counselling and Support Services, and thereby subscribe to its philosophies, standards, and objectives. They shall also maintain a working knowledge of the Watari Policy and Procedures Manual.

 

Watari embraces diversity as an integral part of being a caring community. We are committed to building and maintaining a diverse, accessible, civil, and supportive environment by including diversity of religion, gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, disability, age, and socioeconomic class.

 

To this end, we will make positive efforts to reach out to groups that have traditionally been under-represented and who can enrich and be enriched by their experience at Watari. At Watari, we encourage behaviors that enhance the freedom and respect that every individual deserves.