About ACFS:

As a charity, Amici Curiae Friendship Society 法庭之友 (AC) volunteers help British Columbians understand legal procedures and complete their paperwork, regardless of their means. For free. Members of AC recognize that their work is in service of the community; they are not experts in the lives of others, and must adopt cultural humility and trauma-informed practice when engaging with communities.

As an organization that serves clients throughout British Columbia, AC acknowledges the traditional territories of the many diverse Indigenous Peoples in the geographic areas we serve.

About the Project:

The free workshops in Kamloops are open to every British Columbian, regardless of their means. Appointments are confidential and are at least one hour long. Appointments for family law matters are two hours long, to accommodate additional screening for family violence.  Individuals can return as needed. There is no income test. 

Workshops are available both in-person and virtually via Zoom. 

AC offers trauma-informed services, in multiple languages (English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog, French). Our clients include Indigenous people filing Indian Day School claims, and survivors of intimate partner violence in close partnership with organizations like Rise Women’s Legal Centre and CHIMO Community Services.

AC is also proud to provide legal education and training to our volunteers.

Position Description

This position is part of our legal forms workshop services, which focuses in assisting communities in the Interior understand legal procedures and helping them with their paperwork . The Kamloops Community Engagement Coordinator is expected to perform front-line contact with local legal service providers and stakeholders in Kamloops. The Assistant will report to the Deputy Executive Director and Executive Director.

Overview of Duties: 

The successful applicants will have the opportunity to

1) Conduct research to identify and collate a list of small community group organizations that serve racialized populations principally in the Lower Mainland.

2) Engage in outreach with identified community organizations in the Interior to build meaningful relationships. Community engagement may involve attending in-person networking events, supporting partner events, site visits, etc. 

3) Collaborate with these identified organizations in the Interior to design and execute a needs assessment through varied types of community engagement opportunities. 

4) Assist in volunteer recruitment activities in the Interior.

5) Attend and support AC events, programming, and strategic meetings. 

6) Other relevant duties. 

Education & Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in helping self-litigants.
• Currently completing a course of study in law or humanities.  Preference will be given to those who have some legal training. Minimum of two years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.

• Demonstrates a commitment to cultural humility and enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, anti-racism, and reconciliation.

• Candidates who identify as IBPOC or have lived experience of barriers to equity are encouraged to apply and will be prioritized.  
• Preference given to those who speak a second language; and
• Strong command of general software applications (MS Word, Outlook), and computer apps (Zoom, Teams, Sync, Slack).

Knowledge & Abilities:

• Familiarity with Indigenous history, contemporary issues, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, policies (UNDRIP, DRIPA) or a willingness to learn
• Familiarity with Indigenous protocols of engagement, ways of knowing and knowledge sharing practices 
• Proven experience in managing initiatives with diverse stakeholder groups in complex, sometimes ambiguous and decentralized organizations. 
• Proven experience in the development and delivery of equity, diversity and inclusion programming. 
• Demonstrated approach to community engagement with racialized communities using a trauma-informed lens.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team, collaborating effectively with a variety of partners and across various project deliverables.
• Strong project management, prioritization and planning skills in the design and delivery of equity, diversity and inclusion programs. 
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with a demonstrated ability of disseminating complex information to audiences with mixed levels of understanding. 
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to, and collaborate with, a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven experience in fostering relationships with stakeholders, community groups, and team members.
• Ability to connect and engage with marginalized communities based on credibility or gained from lived experiences
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate workshops, meetings, and events with multidisciplinary staff to achieve effective outcomes. 
• Flexibility to attend programs, events, and conferences scheduled outside of standard university hours of operations, including evenings and weekends.
• Some travel within the Lower Mainland may be required.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: legalformsbc.ca

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Reconciliation: 

Equity, diversity, and using a trauma-sensitive approach are central to this project and Amici Curiae Friendship Society’s work. Indigenous, Black and People of Colour are encouraged to apply and will be given priority. If you require accommodation during, don't hesitate to let us know so we can make arrangements.

We would like to thank all external applicants for their interest but regret that only those shortlisted will be contacted.