Community Engagement Trainee

Black Creek Community Farm is an 8-acre farm in the heart of Jane and Finch neighborhood in Toronto. We are a not-for-profit organization and a leader in Toronto’s dynamic urban agriculture and community food sector. We serve and enrich our community through a thriving farm, healthy food, as well as hands-on training and learning experiences. Our focus is to inspire the next generation by providing leadership in food justice and supporting diverse and social ecosystems.

Interested applicants must be registered and eligible with Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Training and Employment Services - If you are not eligible, your application will not be considered - > https://form.jotform.com/MiziweBiik/join You will need to register with Miziwe Biik along with apply to this job posting

Main Tasks:

The BCCF Community Programs Trainee will work with our Farm Education team to deliver programming for children, adults, youth and seniors. They will also work with Farm Park staff to care for the themed gardens (i.e., medicine wheel garden, children’s and seniors’ gardens, etc.), food forest and trail system on-site at BCCF. This includes caring for annual crops, as well as perennial fruit-producing shrubs, herbaceous plants and trees. 

The Community Programs Trainee will develop community engagement and group facilitation skills, working with visiting schools, community members, and volunteer groups, and engaging them in programming. The Community Programs Trainee will also support outreach, community events, and the farm’s community food access and distribution initiatives. 

The Community Programs Trainee will receive on-the-job training related to facilitation and workshop development. They will have the opportunity to shadow staff to start and build their skills and confidence in co-facilitation and solo facilitation. 

Duties include (but are not limited to): 

Programming

• Support the Farm Education and Farm Park teams inthe facilitation of a land-based education curriculum for all ages that is rooted in food justice, urban agriculture, environmental stewardship, STEM topics, food preservation, and cooking programming 
• Work collaboratively with other BCCF staff to facilitate field trips, workshops, and events in person, on and off-site, and/or virtually, as needed
• Collect and harvest produce surplus from local growers to be redistributed to the community and local food banks

Community Interaction 

• Welcome and interact with program participants, placement students/interns, and volunteers in all relevant aspects of educational and community programming
• Assist with selling produce through the CSA pick-up, on-site farm store, markets, and deliveries

Maintenance

• Follow seasonal, weekly, and daily “to-do” task lists 
• Prepare for workdays by managing and maintaining tools and infrastructure
• Assist Farm Park and Market Garden teams with seeding, planting, weeding, harvesting, post-harvest washing and processing, and storage of vegetable crops.
• Support the Farm Park team with the establishment and maintenance of the food forest, trails, wiigwum, and gardens (including 3 sisters, medicine wheel, children’s, youth, seniors’, and pollinator gardens), caring for chickens on-site, the outdoor oven, and community plots including planning, planting, watering, weeding, mulching, and pruning
• Engage program participants and volunteers in the maintenance of the teaching gardens and outdoor classroom spaces

Evaluation and Reporting

• Assist with record keeping and program evaluation (e.g., conducting surveys)
• Contribute to the preparation of monthly program updates, the annual report, and other funding-related progress reports, as needed

Outreach

• Conduct outreach activities to register participants, including distributing promotional material, canvassing, flyering, visiting local schools and community organizations, making phone calls, and tabling at community events to engage community residents

• Create content and media for communication to be shared on upcoming events and programs, weekly social media posts (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and monthly e-newsletters, update website, as needed 

General

• Adhere to Foodshare and BCCF’s policies and health and safety procedures
• Attend and participate in BCCF staff meetings and staff trainings, scheduled team meetings and check-ins 
• Support general administrative tasks
• Share indoor and outdoor housekeeping duties with other BCCF staff
• Participate in farm-wide initiatives and events 
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications, Knowledge, and Experience

• Demonstrated commitment to the principles of food justice and anti-oppression
• Positive attitude and willingness to learn
• Reliability, with good organization and time management skills.
• Willingness to learn and follow instructions, taking initiative when appropriate
• Strong interest in organic vegetable gardening practices (pest, fertility and weed management, and seed starting)
• Previous gardening/farming experience is considered an asset
• Interest in developing and adapting workshop content (workshop outlines, food recipes, etc) that are culturally relevant

• Interest in facilitating programs for diverse groups (e.g., workshops, tours, or group

activities)

• Strong attention to detail, ability to follow instructions, ability to multitask.
• Demonstrated ability to work respectfully with people of different ages, genders, abilities, cultural backgrounds, and individuals who experience marginalization
• 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
• Familiarity and proficiency with G-Suite (Google Drive, Sheets, Docs, Calendar,

Gmail), and social media

• Experience working or volunteering with Black Creek Community Farm, an asset

Job Requirements

• Interested candidates must be registered with Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Training and Employment Services - If you are not eligible, your application will not be considered - > https://form.jotform.com/MiziweBiik/join
• This position's main work location is Black Creek Community Farm, 4929 Jane St. The Community Engagement Trainee will work from BCCF a few days per week, as well as other sites occasionally which will be discussed with the supervisor. 
• Be prepared to work outside in ALL weather conditions including rain, sun, heat and cold.
• Repetitive tasks such as bending, crouching, reaching, and lifting up to 50lbs
• Full shifts standing and working on your feet   
• Use of hand tools and mechanized equipment 

• Working some evenings and weekends as well as occasional holidays
• Must be legally authorized to work in Canada

The successful applicant will be required to obtain a Vulnerable Sector Check. FoodShare will cover the cost of this requirement.

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. 

Salary: $22.08/hour (35 hrs/week)*

Benefits: Prorated based on start date: Four weeks of paid vacation, 1-2 week paid winter shutdown, 20 paid wellness/sick days, 1 paid birthday leave day, all per calendar year; extended health benefit up to $1000 reimbursement prorated per calendar year*

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract (11-month duration, approx. April 2025 - March 2026)

Reports to: Farm Education and Farm Park Coordinators

Location: This position's main work location is Black Creek Community Farm, 4929 Jane St, with the ability to work from home with the Program Manager’s prior approval.

Available positions: 1

Anticipated start date: April 2025

* 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 application, which requires a resume and cover letter, by 9:00 am on Monday, March 24, 2025, by clicking the 'Apply Now' below

Please note that we may only be able to contact candidates selected to move forward in the hiring process.

Selection Process:

1. The selection process begins with an initial screening of application materials conducted by FoodShare’s HR team. This process takes at least 2 weeks from the application deadline.
2. The hiring committee will review the applications that pass the initial screening and decide which to invite to interview. This process usually takes about 1 week.
3. 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 for the hiring committee in advance of the interview. These 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.

1. An additional task (such as preparing a sample workshop outline) and/or interview may be included if deemed necessary by the hiring committee.
2. HR will conduct reference checks for the candidate they intend to extend an offer to. This process usually takes about 1 week.
3. HR will send the selected candidate an Employment Agreement, which the candidate will have time to review and return.

* Note that as part of FoodShare’s commitment to equity, all staff get equal pay for equal work. As a result salaries and benefits are non-negotiable.

Please note that we may only be able to contact candidates selected to move forward in the hiring process.

Please note: 

Black Creek Community Farm (BCCF) is a member of FoodShare Toronto’s Supportive Partnerships Platform – staff hired for these positions will be legally employed and administratively supported by FoodShare Toronto, but their work  will be for BCCF. BCCF is a self-determined organization, governed by a Steering Committee of local residents. BCCF’s budget, policies and procedures, including paygrid, are independent of FoodShare Toronto. Black Creek Community Farm is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, age, disability, protected veterans status or any other legally-protected factors.

You may require accommodation. If you feel you need 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. You will also be briefed on FoodShare’s policies regarding accommodation and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.