Facilitator
Organization: SPEC
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Hours per month: 40 monthly hours on average (up to 60 per month in the spring,
and less than 40 in the summer)
Pay per hour: $18
Contract Duration: March 1 2016 – Feb 28 2017. Renewal dependent on funding
Work Location: Schools in the City of Vancouver
SPEC is looking to hire a person in the role of School Gardens Program
Facilitator. This position provides support to the School Gardens Program
Coordinator and will deliver lessons to students in some of the participating
schools.
Background
Founded in 1969, The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) is a
non-profit charitable organization that addresses environmental issues in
British Columbia, with a particular focus on urban communities. Areas of work
include local food security, zero waste, renewable energy and protection of
local land and water resources. Visit the website at http://www.spec.bc.ca for
more information on SPEC’s programs and initiatives.
SPEC’s Food & Environment Committee
SPEC’s Food & Environment committee carries out several projects ranging
from working in school gardens, teaching adults about urban agriculture, to
campaigning in defense of the Agricultural Land Reserve in British Columbia.
The committee is formed by board members, staff and volunteers that meet
monthly for general committee work and more frequently for project specific
work. The committee’s largest program is currently the School Gardens Program.
School Gardens Program
SPEC’s School Gardens Program improves education experiences for students and
professional growth for teachers by coordinating a hands-on food garden project
on school grounds. Experienced facilitators assist schools in the
implementation and maintenance of an organic vegetable garden while
facilitating lessons both outdoors and in the classroom. These lessons teach
primarily science, health and environment concepts while fostering student
citizenship by connecting students to their community and beyond. Students
partner with outside organizations, businesses, other schools and community
members to build and maintain their food gardens.
Job Description & Responsibilities
• Support the School Gardens Coordinator to run the program, working with
school teachers to meet teacher needs, supporting the planting of and learning
associated with the organic food garden through lessons, meetings and planning
support
• Deliver lessons at participating schools
• Help develop curriculum when required
• Keep a record of lessons delivered and number of participating students
• Supervise volunteers and interns
Qualifications
• Advanced Organic Gardening skills
• Fluent in English
• Experience teaching young children as well as youth
• Passionate and outgoing
• Comfortable working under minimal supervision
• Enjoys working on a wide range of tasks and is able to improve working
procedures
• Self-motivated, highly adaptable and organized
• Public speaking or workshop design and delivery experience
• Strong interest in environmental issues, urban sustainability and food
security
• Excellent people skills; ability to communicate with diplomacy and tact as a
representative of SPEC
• Experience and skills managing volunteers
• Able to accommodate a fairly flexible schedule
• Vehicle to move from school to school sometimes carrying gardening and
lessons materials (car, bike with trailer or access to a car share program)
• Own laptop an asset
Desirable Assets
• Marketing and Communication/Social Media skills
• Project management skills (planning, budgeting, coordinating)
• Fluent in French or Mandarin
Please forward your resume and cover letter quoting “School Gardens
Facilitator” in the subject line by February 14, 2016 to:
admin@spec.bc.ca
We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however only those
shortlisted will be contacted.