Job Description

Youth Connector


Assistant, Programs and Services





Are you a high school student passionate about contributing to the community? Are you interested in working for an organization that is committed to learning and growing, puts people at the centre of our work, believes in a culture of belonging and building on the strength of our community? Read on!





Camino Wellbeing + Mental Health supports individuals, families and communities as they work to strengthen their wellbeing and mental health. Our vision is to have a connected community where all people thrive.




WHAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY



The Youth Connector position will be working with the team at the Children and Youth Planning Table (CYPT). The CYPT is a community collaborative consisting of over 65 organizations that support children, youth, and families in Waterloo Region. CYPT work to unite young people, organizations, and decision-makers to take actions that prioritize the well-being of all children and youth in Waterloo Region. We are looking to hire three (3) Youth Connectors until December 2025.




What will you primarily do as the Youth Connector?



Your role is really focused on connecting - both connecting with youth in our community to ensure CYPT is working from a place informed by youth voices and connecting with different organizations and decision-makers to bridge the gap between youth and adults. You will work to understand and amplify youth voices and supporting work that leads young people to feel valued, heard and included. Youth Connectors will support different CYPT projects and youth engagement efforts, and act as ambassadors of the work in the community.




WHY WORK FOR US?



We are an organization that serves individuals, families and communities within the Waterloo Region! We are excited about our work, the impact we have in the community and our people (our people are our superpower!). We are committed to doing what is best for our community and to developing our people.




Join us to:


• Do work that matters
• Be part of a caring, passionate, and collaborative workplace that lives its values
• Learn a ton and support us in creating a more seamless experience for individuals, families and our community
• Be a part of our diversity, equity, and inclusion journey
• Put the people we serve at the centre of everything we do
• Have a positive impact in our community
• Work with an organization that supports your growth and provides opportunities for you to use your transferrable skills among other teams and programs.


WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING:


• Provide insights, expertise, and feedback into the experiences of youth in Waterloo Region to the CYPT and local partners
• Connect with youth groups, youth serving organizations, youth councils, CYPT member organizations, etc. to promote and engage diverse youth in CYPT work
• Provide insights into how to engage youth in CYPT projects and to community partners
• Co-design and facilitate presentations, information sessions, sense making, and community events related to CYPT projects, with occasional media interviews a possibility
• Host CYPT social media platforms (e.g. Instagram), creating content about CYPT projects, other content related to child and youth well-being, and sharing partner opportunities
• Provide on-going feedback about various projects, and support in creating youth friendly reports and resources
• Support other CYPT team members in ongoing work as needed (e.g. communications, data, equity, etc.)
• Other duties as assigned


WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:


• You are currently a high school student.
• You can work independently and as part of a larger team. You have teamwork and cooperation skills.
• You can juggle multiple priorities and manage your time wisely.
• You are organized.
• You have good communication skills - you connect well with others.
• You have basic technology skills. You are knowledgeable about social media, Microsoft Programs (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, etc.) and Google platforms.
• You have knowledge of the Youth Impact Survey. Not sure what this survey is about? Learn more here - Youth Impact Survey!


ARE THERE BONUS POINTS?



Yes! We'll give your application extra credit if you have one or more of these:


• Experience at multiple high schools
• Ability to speak languages other than English
• Experience living in rural settings, or in high density housing
• Lived experience, or experience working with many different cultures
• Lived experience as part of a group that has experienced marginalization
• Experience with formal systems an asset (e.g. mental health, developmental, etc.)


ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW?:


• Must be legally eligible to work in Canada
• A police check for the vulnerable sector is required for applicants 18 and older
• The role will be approximately 10 hours per week during the school year and will increase to a maximum of 20 hours per week in the summer months.
• The role is hybrid (virtual and in-person). Work will take place at the CYPT office (Communitech), locations around the region, and online.
• Must be able to provide either proof of vaccination or documentation providing a satisfactory reason under the Ontario Human Rights Code for not being vaccinated. If looking to obtain vaccination, it must be completed before the start date.
• Wage: The hourly rate for this position is $20.90


HOW TO APPLY?:



If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your resume and cover letter by 5:30 pm on Thursday February 27, 2025.





OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY


Camino is an equal opportunity employer and supports workforce diversity. At Camino we believe that diversity enriches our performance, clients, services offered, the communities where we live and work, and the lives of our employees. Should you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources (hr@caminowellbeing.ca). While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.





As we continue to be responsive to the changing needs of our communities, we acknowledge the historical and present-day violence and systemic barriers that continue to harm members of our Region and that we must ask ourselves not if we are complicit, but how.





Camino is committed to developing anti-oppressive practices and equitable outcomes for the families we serve while ensuring that our programs reflect and meet their needs. We recognize that we must work in collaboration with others to dismantle systems of oppression, discrimination, and violence that people face as a result of their diversity, beliefs and identities.





Building equity takes time, resources, intentional commitment and behavioural change. It is an ongoing process, and we start by recognizing the racism and discrimination faced by Indigenous people, Black people, Asian communities, racialized people, ethnic or linguistic groups, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, unhoused people, people with mental illness and people with physical and intellectual disabilities.





To help us create change and ensure that we can continue helping families thrive, Camino has invested in antiracism and anti-oppression training for all our employees. In addition, we have engaged in an organizational assessment to identify and address gaps. We have also created an Equity Leader position to help ensure our policies, processes, and practices eliminate any existence or influence of systemic racism across our organization.





We have a lot of work to do and we are committed to keep moving forward on this learning journey. We will continue to listen, learn, and take action to ensure that everyone at Camino experiences true equity, empowerment, and inclusion.