Social Impact Educator
Black Creek Community FarmFull TimeNorth York, ON
Social Impact Educator
Black Creek Community Farm (BCCF) is an 8-acre farm in the heart of the Jane and Finch neighbourhood in Toronto. We are a not-for-profit organization and leader in Toronto’s dynamic urban agriculture and community food sector. At BCCF, our growing spaces are models of sustainable agriculture and our mission is to serve and enrich our community through a thriving farm, healthy food, and hands-on training and learning experiences. Our focus is to inspire the next generation by providing leadership in food justice and supporting diverse natural and social ecosystems.
Main Tasks
The Social Impact Educator will play a key role in the successful implementation and delivery of Black Creek Community Farm’s programs, workshops, and events. Collaborating with the Development team, the educator will be responsible for hosting and leading farm tours, revenue-generating events, and team-building activities. The Social Impact Educator will support outreach efforts, procuring sponsorships, and day-of logistics for events and activities. This role involves creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for diverse participants and ensuring that BCCF’s mission and values are reflected in all programming.
This position is ideal for a dynamic and personable professional with a flair for creating and facilitating meaningful experiences and building strong community connections with a collaborative spirit, excel in hosting engaging events, leading impactful workshops, and inspiring participation while maintaining a keen eye for logistics and outreach.
Interested applicants from equity-seeking groups are encouraged to apply.
Responsibilities
Fundraising and Programming
- Plan and execute fundraising and recognition activities, such as but not limited to plant-a-seed, silent auction, dinner at the farm, Giving Tuesday, Thank-a-thon, Spring Tour, Farm-to-Table Luncheons, and end-of-year giving.
- Host and/or facilitate the engagement of hands-on workshops, fundraising events, team-building sessions, farm tours, and the engagement of various audiences, including corporate groups, volunteers, stakeholders, and community organizations.
- Collaborate across teams to plan and deliver engaging activities tailored to the client's goals and objectives
- Implement revenue-generating programming to animate the various growing and teaching spaces at Black Creek Community Farm
- Maintain program and events planning templates, including but not limited to work plans, checklists, agendas, and itineraries to keep organized and ensure knowledge transfer between teams and groups involved
- Maintain an inventory of BCCF’s event supplies
- Support the set-up, delivery, and tear-down of events and activities
- Collaborate with BCCF Development Manager to prepare monthly updates, annual reports, and other revenue-related progress reports
- Assist and identify potential sponsors or partners by researching local business, community organizations, and donors
- Assist with preparing basic educational materials/ handouts
Administrative
- Manage event and booking requests received via email, booking forms, and phone calls, and follow up with the main contact including sending confirmation emails, invoicing, and sending and collecting feedback forms program improvement
- Support with the scheduling, booking, and communication to groups visiting BCCF using tools including Smartsheet and G-Suite
- Track and maintain a comprehensive record of events and corporate team-building and events metrics and deliverables in the program log and other tracking documents
- Assist with record keeping in donor software, eTapestry
- Work with the BCCF Development Manager to strategies, track, and adjust project budgets, income, and expenses
- Provide support for submitting Income and Deposit forms.
- Purchase program materials and supplies, track expenses and receipts, and adhere to program budgets to provide regular financial reports to management.
Outreach and Engagement
- Work closely with the Development team to develop an annual fundraising work plan that includes workshops, events, community outreach and communications strategies, and staffing
- Assist with promoting events and programs, including documentation, communications, outreach, handling inquiries, data entry, and partnership agreements.
- Create content for regular communications via social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), the website, monthly e-newsletters, and other farm updates.
- Represent the farm at community meetings and events to increase visibility and awareness of the farm
General
- Adhere to Foodshare and BCCF’s policies and health and safety procedures.
- Attend all staff meetings and trainings, schedule team meetings, and check-ins.
- Participate in farm-wide initiatives and events.
- Act as a welcoming and engaging point of contact for visitors and community members.
- Support onboarding, training, and supervision of staff, placement students, interns, and volunteers.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and positive work culture.
- Assist with fundraising event logistics - setting up equipment, organize materials, coordinate schedules
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Minimum 2+ years experience in assisting planning of events and workshops
- Minimum 2+ year experience conducting outreach (registering participants, creating promotional materials, canvassing, flyering, tabling at community events)
- Minimum 1+ years experience in planning/supporting fundraising initiatives
- Minimum 1+ years experience performing administrative activities (e.g., making phone calls, responding to inquiries, entering data, scheduling, drafting reports)
- Minimum 1+ year facilitation skills for diverse groups with the ability to think quickly and creatively problem-solve during workshops, tours, or group activities
- Minimum 1+ year experience in community-led food projects, neighbourhood-based community organizing, and/or working with grassroots organizations.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Excellent communication and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
- Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities, follow through, and meet deadlines.
- Digital literacy and familiarity with tools such as G-Suite (Google Drive, Sheets, Docs, Slides, Calendar, Gmail), SmartSheet, Quickbooks, WordPress, Excel, social media (Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin), Canva, and Buffer.
- Demonstrated commitment to principles of food justice and confronting anti-Black racism.
- Lived experience of challenges faced by under-resourced communities such as discrimination based upon Black and Indigenous identity, income disparity, food insecurity, or other experiences is an asset.
- Existing connections in the Jane-Finch or Black Creek community are an asset.
- A valid Ontario Drivers License is an asset.
Note: If you do not meet all of the above criteria, but you think this job is perfect for you, we would still love to see your application.
Job Requirements
- This position's main work location is Black Creek Community Farm, 4929 Jane St, with the ability to work from home occasionally with the Executive Director’s prior approval.
- Repetitive tasks such as bending, crouching, reaching, and lifting up to 50 lbs.
- Working outdoors in all kinds of weather (heat, sun, rain, cold).
- Working some evenings and weekends as well as occasional holidays.
- Must be legally authorized to work in Canada.
- If selected for this position, the candidate must obtain a Vulnerable Sector Check (paid for by Black Creek Community Farm).
Compensation & Benefits:
Salary: $26.00/hour (37.5hrs/week)*
Benefits: Prorated based on length of employment: Up to 4 weeks paid vacation, prorated 20 paid sick/wellness days per year, 1 paid birthday leave day, health benefits with up to $1000 reimbursement, no waiting period. **All benefit days prorated per calendar year**
Anticipated Start: March 2025
End Date: December 2025
Duration: 41 weeks
Contract Type: Full-Time, Fixed Term
Reports to: Development Manager
Location: This position's main work location is Black Creek Community Farm, 4929 Jane St, with the ability to work from home with the Executive Director’s prior approval.
*Note that as part of Black Creek Community Farm’s commitment to equity, all staff get equal pay for equal work. As a result salaries and benefits are non-negotiable.
TO APPLY: Please submit your resume and cover letter by 12:00pm on Monday, January 6, 2025 by clicking the 'Apply Now' below.
Selection Process:
- The first step in the hiring process is for FoodShare’s HR team to screen applications to determine which demonstrate meeting the posting’s base qualifications. 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 2 weeks from the application deadline.
- The hiring committee will review the applications that pass the initial screening and decide which candidates 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 to the hiring committee in advance of the interview. These interviews usually occur about 4 weeks after the application deadline. In recognition of the time and labour of preparing for and attending an interview, BCCF financially compensates interviewees at a fixed rate of $75 per interview.
- The hiring committee may conduct a second round of interviews, which may include a pre-interview assignment, which would be compensated.
- HR will conduct reference checks for the candidate if they intend to extend an offer. This process usually takes about 1 week.
- HR will send the selected candidate an Employment Agreement, which the candidate will have at least 1 week to review and return.
Please note:
BCCF is a member of FoodShare Toronto’s Supportive Partnerships Platform - staff hired for this position will be employed by FoodShare Toronto, and their work location will be Black Creek Community Farm.
FoodShare is an equal-opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We celebrate diversity and are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We welcome all applicants who share our values of respect, inclusivity, and equality.
You may require accommodation during the application process. If that’s the case please do not hesitate to contact Human Resources at hr@foodshare.net at your earliest convenience to let them know what type of accommodation you need.