Job Posting: (internal-external)
Earlscourt Community Garden Assistant (Seasonal)
Full-Time, Contract (30hrs./week) – May to October 2024
This is a Bargaining Unit position
ABOUT THE STOP:
The Stop Community Food Centre's mission is to increase access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds community and challenges inequality. The Stop began over 40 years ago as one of North America's first food banks, and has since grown into a vibrant community centre that uses food as a gateway to addressing many issues, including poverty, the environment, social isolation, and health in one of Toronto's lowest-income neighbourhoods.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, The Stop has continued to orient our program delivery and advocacy efforts around the significance of food in building healthier and more equitable communities.
THE OPPORTUNITY:
Reporting to the Urban Agriculture Manager, and supervised on a day-to-day basis by the Earlscourt Garden Coordinator, the Earlscourt Garden Assistant supports our Urban Agriculture team in engaging and assisting members of the community to build gardening skills (i.e., volunteers, program participants, vulnerable adults, seniors, and youths); delivering remote and in-person programming; and, maintaining Earlscourt Community Garden.
KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program Support
- Assist in co-facilitating and lead volunteers in gardening tasks during volunteer shifts, and work bees
- Assist in planning and facilitating an annual open house event
- Conduct garden & greenhouse tours for visitors (individuals and groups)
- Assist in program evaluations and record maintenance
- Assist in food preparation and clean-up after volunteer sessions and events
- Support outreach and promotion of garden programs and in-person and remote workshops
Garden Maintenance
- Assist in spring seedling production at our greenhouse
- Assist in garden spring prep, including garden clean, weeding and pruning, creating path, mulching, fertilizing, planting, etc.
- Perform daily garden maintenance at Earlscourt Garden and occasional support at the greenhouse and Green Barn gardens (e.g., watering, pest control, maintaining sanitary conditions, seedling care, seeding, harvesting etc.)
- Assist in maintaining a outdoor compost bin system
- Ensure program spaces are kept clean and organized after use
- Other duties as assigned
General
- Ensure programing reflects The Stop's policies and procedures, including Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Policy
- Represent The Stop constructively when engaging with the public
- Meet with supervisor on a regular basis
- Attend staff meetings regularly
- Participate in broader planning and team building activities at the agency
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:
- Experience working in gardens and using organic garden methods (through paid employment or volunteer work)
- Commitment to social justice and knowledge of food system issues
- Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
- Experience working in community programming and with conflict resolution
- Facilitation experience is an asset
- Ability to work as a team and independently
- Demonstrated ability living and/or working in communities that experience poverty and discrimination
- Demonstrated ability to work within a diverse community (people of different ages, abilities and cultural backgrounds)
- Ability to speak a language relevant to the neighbourhood is an asset (e.g. Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin or other)
- Holding a valid Ontario driver's license is an asset
- Some evenings and weekends may be required
Salary/Wage Rate:
Term: Full Time/Contract
Hours: 30 hours per week (5 days a week)
Start date: Monday May 20th, 2024
End Date: Friday, November 1st, 2024
Please include a cover letter and resume to the attention of Hiring Committee – Earlscourt Community Garden Assistant. Please submit applications via Bamboo HR.
The Stop is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and encourages applicants from equity seeking groups.
If you identify as a person with a disability and require any specific accommodations during the hiring process, please let us know in advance along with your application.
The Stop is committed to providing ongoing training and supports to ensure success in this role. Thank you for your interest in The Stop.