Food, Biodiversity & Sustainability

Youth Program Coordinator – with Seeds of Diversity Canada

Seeds of Diversity Canada was founded in 1984 as a member-based organization of farmers and gardeners who preserve the biodiversity and sustainability of the basic building blocks of our food system: seeds, plants, and pollinators. We engage Canadians in hands-on education and conservation programs to build more robust future food systems through local seed production, training, on-farm plant breeding, pollinator protection, and skills development.

In 2017 we launched a youth program, Youth in Food Systems, in hands-on food system sustainability, which includes several projects focused on school-based food production and community-based food systems engagement. Our high-school youth program engages Ontario youth aged 14-19 in agri-food learning, skill building and leadership development, and explorations of career pathways, recognizing that most young people are unaware of the opportunities that exist in agriculture and food.

We are seeking a part-time staff member for a 30-week contract to support, mentor, and facilitate youth volunteering with our Youth-led Food Market, in Kitchener and Cambridge, and support both facilitators and participants in the next phase of our Educators Conference and Garden Workshop Series. This position will also be involved in general youth volunteer support as needed. Our work is centred around youth as decision makers and leaders in our projects, with staff acting as catalysts for them to build meaningful and impactful deliverables.

This position is 20 hours per week for 30 weeks, paid at $30.00/hour. The contract begins February 10th and ends September 5th, 2025.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants must have direct work experience in Food Markets/Market Gardening, community-focused projects, and/or youth-led projects;
• Formal/Informal education in food systems and/or food security will be considered an asset;
• Must reside in and have access to transportation around the Region of Waterloo. Mileage is compensated to travel for work-related duties;
• Upon hire must provide a Vulnerable Sector Check, costs associated will be reimbursed;
• Must be available to work some non-traditional hours (e.g. evenings, Saturdays etc.) to accommodate youth availability and project work. Hours worked outside of these obligations will be flexible and accommodating.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Job responsibilities will vary, and will involve a mix of remote work and in-person work throughout the Region of Waterloo. Our program has experienced significant growth over the last years, opening up a wide range of opportunities for exploring your areas of interest while gaining experience in food & sustainability work. With this role the main responsibilities will revolve around the facilitation of two of our programs, our Youth-led Markets and our Garden Workshop Series. Specific responsibilities include:

• Assisting and coordinating garden planting, maintenance, and harvesting at several school garden sites, including engaging youth aged 14-19 in the spaces and supervising hands-on education workshops with community facilitators;
• Co-leading the design and leading the execution of our 2025 Youth Food Market project, including the facilitation of youth sessions and overseeing weekly/biweekly pop-up market stalls in Kitchener and Cambridge.
• Engage with and support youth virtually (Email, Discord) in the development of program elements and in collaborating with other youth;
• Co-leading the planning and execution of our 2025 Garden Workshop Series, including the facilitation of youth-led decision making, and the support and training of youth and/or adult workshop facilitators;
• Alongside the Program Manager, conducting evaluation activities and support summer staff;
• Communicating effectively with staff and community partners to successfully carry out projects;
• Contributing to communications - social media, monthly e-newsletter, website updates;
• Contributing to other projects as needed.

This role is primarily in-person with some remote opportunities. Regular (weekly/bi-weekly) team collaborative sessions will occur at our office in Uptown Waterloo.

WHO YOU ARE

We are looking for an energetic professional with experience in food, gardening, and/or youth engagement, and those who see the value in working with young people to inspire change in our food systems.

The following attributes / experiences are essential to these positions:

• A strong interest in food systems, community-focused projects, and/or youth-led projects;
• Experience facilitating programs for and mentoring high school aged youth;
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written;
• Comfort leading and facilitating in-person and virtual workshops/meetings;
• Familiarity with a range of computer software and programs. Some of the applications we use include: Google Workspace, Wordpress, Mailchimp, Slack, Discord;
• Familiarity with social media, including storytelling through posts.

The following attributes / experiences are nice-to-have:

• Gardening experience - planting, watering, weeding, harvesting, identifying issues;
• Research skills and applying research-informed best practices to projects;
• Experience coordinating youth-led programs, communicating effectively and efficiently with stakeholders and project partners;
• Navigating complex project partner relationships; problem solving when no solution is perfect.

All candidates must have a computer and internet access in order to be successful in these positions.

All candidates must reside in and have access to transportation in and around Waterloo Region.

Interviews will take place between January 8th and January 17th, with successful candidate selection by Monday, January 27th following reference checks.

We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all of the qualifications for the role.

Seeds of Diversity Canada staff and board are committed to an anti-oppression learning journey, and committed to integrating justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion principles into our work and workplace culture. We humbly acknowledge that we have a long way to go. We encourage BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, individuals from other diverse communities to apply.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please contact Andrew, Program Manager at info@youthinfoodsystems.ca to request accommodations.

We thank all applicants for their interest; we strive to communicate with all applicants within two weeks of application.