Job Description

Community Food Centre Community Advocacy Coordinator

Permanent| Full-Time What we do and why we do it: Do you want to help build community, and bring people together? Do you love helping those who are working through their food insecurities? The Alex Community Food Centre (CFC) is a welcoming place where people come together to grow, cook, share, and advocate for good food for all. CFCs provide food assistance and ensure that people have access to high quality food in a dignified setting that doesn\xe2\x80\x99t compromise their self-worth. People learn cooking and gardening skills and build relationships that help them make healthier food choices. Community members find their voices on the issues that matter to them, and people find friends and support. CFCs offer multi-faceted, integrated, and responsive programming in a shared space where food builds health, hope, skills, and community. Good food is just the beginning\xe2\x80\xa6
The Community Advocacy Coordinator plays a pivotal role in building community, as well as addressing poverty and food insecurity by serving as a critical link between community members, Alex resources and resources in the community. The Community Advocacy Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the Community Advocacy Program, including Community Action Training, the Peer Advocacy Office and supporting community members to become civically engaged in issues that matter to them. The Community Advocacy Coordinator empowers people to find their voice and mobilize for effective social change. This role supports youth engagement at the centre. It may also represent the CFC on community initiatives and public policy campaigns aimed reducing poverty and food insecurity. The ideal candidate values the power of good food and enjoys creating healthy meals; is a passionate advocate for social justice and food security, with an unwavering belief that change is possible. They believe that those who experience poverty and food insecurity are experts in their own lives and that collectively, we can tackle social justice issues and build an empowered community. This is a full-time, permanent position.

What you will do: Community Action Program

• Deliver Community Action Training (CAT), using a collaborative approach where community members have opportunities to be co-designers in the process. CAT is a 10-to-12-week program for community members, which builds on participants\xe2\x80\x99 existing knowledge of poverty, food insecurity, and food equity.

• Empower CAT participants to identify the impact of systemic inequities on lives of those experiencing food insecurity and poverty; equip them with community organizing skills to stand up for their rights and mobilize with others on issues that are important to them.

• Work with The Alex and Community Food Centres Canada on campaigns and initiatives aimed at addressing social injustices experienced by community members; ensure community members are meaningfully engaged in these change efforts.
• Collaborate with other organizations and grassroots groups with aligned values and advocacy priorities to advance systems level change.
• Provide leadership to the Peer Advocacy Office by recruiting, orientating, training, and providing ongoing support to Peer Advocates. Support the Peer Advocates\xe2\x80\x99 learning goals and provide capacity-building opportunities.
• Collaborate with staff and Peer Advocates to remain up to date about external community resources and services offered at the Alex.
• Engage Alex or other community crisis response teams to support community members in distress.

• • Provide support and supervision to students and volunteers working with the program.

Youth Programming

• Provide leadership to youth engagement activities including, but not limited to youth food skills programs and leadership development opportunities.
• Facilitate ongoing youth engagement initiatives where youth can gather to create good food and art, develop friendships, dig deeper into food the system, and take action.
• Collaborate with youth-servicing organizations to identify and cultivate youth-orientated programming and opportunities at the CFC, which reflect the diverse lived experience of youth in the Greater Forest Lawn Communities.
• Spearhead activities and processes that promote social inclusion,
• Facilitate connections between Youth Health Centre, Youth Health Bus and Community Food Centre.

General

• Support team functions and responsibilities including engaging community members during drop-in programs, assisting other staff with their programs as needed, and responding to critical incidents.
• Network with other agencies and individuals to offer programs and services in conjunction with other CFC programs.

• Participate in broader activities at the CFC: planning, evaluation, fundraising and public relations, communications, special events and team activities.

What you bring:

• Degree or Diploma in Social Work, Human Services, fine arts or related field.

• Effective community organizing experience.

• Excellent relationship-building and group facilitation skills.

• Minimum 2 -3 years\xe2\x80\x99 experience working with program coordination in a social services setting, in particular with youth ages 14-24.

• Firm boundaries yet able to effectively build relationships with hard to engage youth.

• Knowledge of or passion for food system issues, poverty, sustainability and community-building.

• A history of active citizenship and community volunteering is an asset.

• Demonstrated experience working with marginalized people and people of diverse cultures and abilities in a community-based setting.

• Ability to speak a second language relevant to the Greater Forest Lawn neighbourhood is an asset.

• Arts and/or culinary background is an asset.

• Standard First Aid \xe2\x80\x93 Level C CPR & AED within 30 days of hire date, certification must be valid for a minimum of 6 months upon hire.

• Satisfactory vulnerable sector police clearance and child welfare intervention check are required.

• Knowledge of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRC) 94 Calls to Action an asset.

Working Environment:

• Community-based setting working with marginalized populations experiencing barriers to community life.

• Flexible hours which will include weekdays, evenings and weekends.

• Continuous extended periods of sitting, standing, or walking.

• Occasional physical action, and requires the ability to bend/crouch, reach above shoulder height, kneel/crawl, and carry objects (up to 20 lbs.) throughout shift.

How to apply: If you are as passionate as we are about making a difference in people\xe2\x80\x99s lives, visit our Career Centre at Jobs at The Alex | The Alex.
This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Alex is committed to embedding the principles of equity, inclusion, and diversity across the organization. We are committed to removing barriers to employment that are faced by equity-seeking groups and encourage (but not require) members of these groups to self-identify as such in their cover letters. In accordance with our strategic priorities, we particularly encourage applications from individuals who self-identify as racialized* or Indigenous (First Nation, Metis, or Inuit).

• The term \xe2\x80\x9cracialized\xe2\x80\x9d is used here instead of the more outdated and inaccurate terms \xe2\x80\x9cracial minority, \xe2\x80\x9cvisible minority\xe2\x80\x9d, \xe2\x80\x9cperson of colour\xe2\x80\x9d, or \xe2\x80\x9cnon-White\xe2\x80\x9d.

For further information about The Alex and its programs, we encourage you to visit our website at www.thealex.ca