Description
CHCN Garden Coordinator
The Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN) is a community-centred primary health care facility. With a vision rooted in providing comprehensive primary care services, delivered by an interdisciplinary team of professionals to promote healthy communities, we offer a range of community-based services including but not limited to diabetes education, mental health and addictions counseling, dental care and geriatric services. Our work is grounded in the guiding principles of the Model of Health and Wellbeing, inclusive of community vitality and belonging, health equity and social justice. Included within the health promotion and community development activities at CHCN, the Community Health team runs weekly programming to mitigate the impacts of food insecurity in our community. This is accomplished through our low barrier Food Cupboard, the subsidized Community Food Market, and the community garden located on site.
The CHCN has an opening for a CHCN Garden Coordinator Job Description.
The Garden Coordinator will be responsible for expanding our vision of increased local food access to equity deserving communities via supportive community-based growing and by providing low barrier food preservation workshops. The Garden Coordinator will coordinate and facilitate access to the CHCN community garden, in addition to offering preservation workshops focused on pickling, drying, and long-term storage of produce. The garden expansion and associated activities will be focused on meeting the needs of CHCN’s priority populations, namely the elderly with complex chronic conditions, those experiencing food insecurity and/or social isolation, and youth at risk.
Work Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Build local food access by creating and coordinating a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive atmosphere for all community members and volunteers to participate in garden planting, weeding, harvesting and seed collection occurring for the garden expansion.
- Supervise and guide community members and train volunteer gardeners on produce harvesting techniques, storage and processing of the ongoing harvest from late spring to fall.
- To support and work alongside the Food Market Coordinator and Community Dietician in the co-occurring programs happening onsite with a shared volunteer base.
- To support education and knowledge translation of agricultural practices to clients of the food market.
- To support food pick-up, packing and sales alongside the Food Market Coordinator.
- Lead a 10 week long food preservation workshop series (Aug-Oct), aimed to expand community participation in this workshop series, directed to enhance food preservation skill sets for CHCN’s defined priority populations in pickling, drying and preservation of seasonal produce grown from the garden.
- To perform administrative functions related to the program, including data collection and end of season program evaluations, in addition to track program participation and garden yield as per funder requirements.
- To perform other related duties as requested by your supervisor, the Community Dietitian and Food Market Coordinator.
- Possess knowledge regarding the impacts of food insecurity on equity deserving populations.
Experience
QUALIFICATIONS
- Applied experience in working in community gardens, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), farming, and/or community food co-operatives.
- Post-secondary education in a demonstrated field relevant to anti-poverty work and/or minimum of 1-3 years of experience in grassroots community development or food security programming is an asset.
- Exceptional communication skills
- Food preparation skills and experience are an asset.
- Demonstrated experience working with equity deserving populations including youth and seniors.
- Experience in facilitating community-based programs an asset.
- Communicated ability to carry out physically demanding work.
- Strong commitment to conflict resolution within an Anti-Oppression/Anti-Racism
- Valid driver’s license and reliable access to a vehicle is an asset. Ability to drive the CHCN van for food deliveries as needed.
- Safe food handling certificate or willingness to obtain.
- First Aid training is an asset.
- Clear CPIC for the vulnerable sector required.
In order to facilitate these job duties, one must also participate and assist in the following:
- Assist the Food Market Coordinator and Community Dietician with the overseeing of summer volunteers.
- Assist in the development of promotional material and promote programs in local neighborhoods and community agencies.
- Assist in the preparation of program space for food preservation, and maintenance of equipment/supplies
Job Title: CHCN Garden Coordinator
Location: 99 Toronto Road, Suite 101, Port Hope Ontario
Position Type: Contract (5 months), Part-Time
Hours: Up to 21 hours per week
Anticipated Start date: June 2024
Anticipated End Date: October 31, 2024
Salary: $21 per hour
Years of Experience: minimum of 1-3 years of experience
Apply
Interested candidates should send their resumes to [email protected] citing “Garden Coordinator”. No phone calls please. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Closing date is Monday June 10, 2024 at 4:00 pm.
As part of our ongoing commitment to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Community Health Centres of Northumberland will provide assistance to applicants who request accommodation throughout the recruitment process.
At the CHCN, we value diversity – in backgrounds and in experiences. Healthcare is a universal concern, and we invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, as well as people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural origins, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions to help build the future of healthcare and our communities.
Note that the CHCN is a scent-free work environment, and we ask that you refrain from wearing fragrances and other scented personal care products (i.e. perfumes, deodorants, lotions, hairspray, etc.) while at the Centre.
