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Groundbreakers Collective, and various partner farms in Smithers, British Columbia are seeking a Youth Coordinator and Farm Workers for Youth on Farms!
ABOUT Groundbreakers Collective, and various partner farms
Groundbreakers is a group of food consumers, producers and social service agencies who promote food awareness and encourage local food production and consumption in the Bulkley Valley. It does so with several key activities such as demonstrations and school gardens, educational workshops, public events, and its Youth on Farms program. Groundbreakers Youth on Farms program coordinates wage subsidies for employers in the agriculture sector and helps facilitate opportunities for young people in the Bulkley Valley. We currently have 8 partner farms that we support, producing everything from veggies, poultry, pork, honey, flowers, haskap berries, and more.
Groundbreakers vision is a self-reliant, resilient, healthy community in the Bulkley Valley with a strong local food system. Its mission is to promote the production and consumption of local food at fair value by linking food consumers, producers, and social service agencies together to participate in agriculture activities and education in the Bulkley Valley. Its core values are recognizing the true and fair value of fresh local food, strong networks of food producers and consumers, environmental responsibility, social inclusion, and education on the importance of local food.
DESIRED QUALITIES
The Youth Coordinator is a leadership learning/development job and therefore some leadership experience required . If you are not that type of person but are still interested in food production, please ask about Youth on Farms ‘General farm worker/community builder’ positions.
- Passion and interest for local agriculture and/or willingness to learn.
- Positive attitude, good communication skills, ability to take initiative and work independently or as part of a team.
- Basic first aid training and safety oriented.
- Farm work is physically demanding. Applicants must be in reasonable health, not afraid of hard work at a fast pace, willing to work in all weather conditions.
- Access to a computer and some administrative /computer skills is an asset but not required.
POSITION TASKS
Position 1: Youth Coordinator
This is a hybrid position, with approximately half the hours going to each of the following:
Organization support.
- Youth on Farms program coordination and supervision. This is the primary roll of the coordinator. With help from the Youth on Farms program manager, you will finalize youth work placements, supervise and mentor younger participants, perform basic administrative duties, and coordinate with agriculture producers across the region in order to ensuring a safe and quality experience for both participant and producer.
- School garden program. With Groundbreakers school garden manager you will help lead workshops for students and teachers in the garden, as well hands on work planting, harvesting, cooking and food processing.
- Community projects. Under the supervision of Groundbreakers program managers you will help with projects such as farm safety days, irrigation workshop/installation, harvest festival, Wellness Basket, and/or other Youth on Farm gatherings.
- Community outreach, including enhance or develop new community partners based on Groundbreakers Partnership strategy (to help increase the number and type of youth involved in agriculture in the region, with Groundbreakers programs, and identify new skill development and training opportunities).
Producer support. Working with local producers you will:
- Network with producers to support their current and future human resource needs.
- Act as a ‘floater’ to help smaller producers with general field and farm work. Work varies depending on season but could include help on dairy, vegetable, flower, or any other type of farm in the Bulkley Valley. This work is hands on and physical.
Position 2: Farm Workers (and community builder)
Duties (three key areas of work):
- Hands on field and farm work on various small farms within the Bulkley Valley. Work may include a wide scope of jobs associated with the raising, growing, or producing vegetables, berries, meat, dairy, honey, or other agriculture products. Work is physical in nature and could be planting, harvesting, packing, maintaining farm infrastructure, caring for livestock, feeding, or other. Workers will be matched with a Groundbreakers partner farm based on their interest and experiences.
- Work with Groundbreakers community outreach programs. Work may include maintenance of community garden plots and school gardens or helping with community Wellness baskets.
- Participants will also participate in several community integration and capacity building sessions organized by Groundbreakers. These session are for all youth farm workers (Youth on Farm or other youth farm workers in the region) and will including the farm safety training day, a drip irrigation workshop / installation, farmers market fall event, and producer networking sessions.
POSITION DETAILS
Term:
Job one (youth coordinator)
– 12 weeks at 35 hours per week at $25 per hour between May and September. Option for part time work in the fall/winter. Actual hours are tentative and negotiable depending on funding and the interest of the successful candidate.
Job two (farm workers (and community builder)
– 10 weeks at 35 hours per week at $18/hour between May and September. Actual hours are tentative and negotiable depending on funding and the interest of the successful candidate. Note: Some partner farms offer more hours, and other wage incentives.
Hours per week: 35
Wage:
Job one – Youth coordinator $25/hr
Job two – Farm worker (and community builder) $18/hr
TO APPLY
Please send resume and cover letter youthonfarms@gmail.com
Deadline to apply: Job one (youth coordinator) April 15. Job two (farm worker) May 1
When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org
Please note that Young Agrarians does not have the capacity to pre-screen job opportunities. Please screen your potential employer to ensure that you are entering into a fair exchange that meets your needs and expectations. Try asking the farm for references of past workers, or ask people in the community if you are unsure.
LEARN MORE ABOUT Groundbreakers Collective, and various partner farms
Facebook: Groundbreakers Agriculture Association https://www.facebook.com/BVGroundbreakers