SOYL Facilitator

Application Deadline: January 26. In-person group interview will be held Saturday, February 7.

The Position 

If you love inspiring teens to become leaders and change-makers, diving deep into food systems learning, getting your hands dirty outside, and sharing delicious meals, this could be the job for you

SOYL Program Facilitators work closely in a small team under the direction of the SOYL Program Manager and with support from the Farm Team to make our 6-week Sustainable Opportunities for Youth Leadership outdoor teen learning program happen. We're looking for people who see the best in teens and can help them develop their skills in everything from planting seeds to cooking meals to working through conflicts.

Key Details

• Location: Coquitlam (Millside Centre), BC and community field trip locations.
  • Some training and planning days may occur in our main office in East Vancouver or on our Vancouver farms (East and South Vancouver).
  • All sites are transit accessible.
• Dates: June 17-August 26. SOYL staff will receive Friday, July 31 as a paid vacation day.
• Hours: Full-Time, average 37.5 hours/week.
• Schedule: Monday-Friday, typically between 8:30-5:00; some Thursdays schedule may shift to 12:00-8:00 to accommodate the market.
• Compensation:  $19.50-$21/hr, DOE, plus 4% additional pay in lieu of vacation, paid sick leave, 30% discount at Fresh Roots markets, access to culled produce, and two delicious meals weekly prepared by SOYL youth.
• NOTE: Position is pending funding. Start and end dates may change. This is a Canada Summer Jobs position. Applicants must be 30 or under, eligible to work in Canada, and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have refugee status.

Responsibilities

• Mentor a diverse group of 20 youth (grades 9-12) and support them in building a healthy community on our schoolyard farm, orchard, and forest
  • Youth come from a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds, and have a wide range of abilities.
• Create a safe, supportive environment for working and learning
• Facilitate leadership workshops and feedback sessions using existing lesson plans, curriculum, and formats
  • Workshop topics include leadership skills, food systems, Indigenous food sovereignty, customer service, and allyship and oppression
• Work with our Farm Team to engage youth daily in farm tasks such as seeding, weeding, transplanting, harvesting and perennial/landscape care.
• Guide youth on weekly field trips in the community
• Share in twice-weekly Community Eats lunches prepared by youth & chef educators
• Support youth at our market stands and in food preservation projects led by Fresh Roots team members
• Record, report, and reflect on the program in weekly team meetings, mid-way through the program, and at the end of the season
• Maintain program supplies and spaces and communicate needs within the SOYL and other Fresh Roots teams

Qualifications

FR recognizes that applicants from oppressed groups, including folks who are Black, Indigenous, & People of Color (BIPOC) may be hesitant to apply for positions where they don't perfectly meet the listed qualifications. If you are excited about the job description, believe you could learn to perform the responsibilities and can meet the essential qualifications, we encourage you to apply. 

 Essential Qualifications

• Pass a criminal record check to be able to work with children and vulnerable populations
• Meet Federal Wage Subsidy Requirements for Young Workers: ie. be between ages 15-30 and have Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Refugee Status. If you are unsure of your eligibility, review these guidelines or contact us. 
• Two years post-secondary work, degree, or equivalent experience in education, youth work, social work, farming/food systems, environmental education, or related fields
• Confident and comfortable leading, teaching, and building community with groups of up to 20 teens; experience working with diverse populations of youth
• Experience in, or strong willingness to learn, farming, gardening, landscaping, or other land-based work
• Adaptable and able adjust plans in quickly changing circumstances
• Able to prioritize tasks and keep track of many details at once
• Commitment to Justice, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
• Excellent communication skills; English fluency required
• Able and happy to work outdoors in all conditions for up to 8 hours a day
• Able to carry out a variety of physical tasks that involve bending, squatting, lifting up to 50 lb, and repetitive motion
• Current First Aid with CPR will be required before the position starts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two years experience working in summer camps, teen drop-in or after school programs, youth sports, or similar programs serving youth ages 13+, especially those serving youth facing barriers
• Experience and comfort with managing conflict and disruptive behaviours
• Experience managing emergency situations, including providing first aid
• One season in production farming
• Customer service experience, especially farmer's market experience
• Knowledge or interest in land and food systems, regenerative agriculture, Indigenous food sovereignty, ecology, or related fields
• Able to speak additional languages; Languages frequently spoken in our communities include Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Punjabi, Farsi, French, Arabic, and Ukrainian.
• Driver's License (Class 5 or better); access to a vehicle a plus

About SOYL

The SOYL (Sustainable Opportunities for Youth Leadership) program engages a cohort of high school youth for six weeks each summer. The program focuses on collaborative work, practical skills, food-systems thinking, and social-emotional development. Youth receive a stipend (funding dependent) for participation, which includes work on the farm and at markets, preparing food for shared meals, and engagement in workshops, field trips and activities. Please visit
for more information about the program.

About Fresh Roots

Fresh Roots envisions resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems which support human growth and connection. We cultivate educational farms and place-based programs where youth develop healthy relationships with food, land and community through growing and sharing food that nourishes themselves, their communities and the planet Our core values are at the heart of everything we do at Fresh Roots. They are joy, community, inclusivity, empowerment and lifelong learning.

How to Apply 

Fresh Roots is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups.

Submit a resume, a short cover letter OR video introduction, and the name, phone number, and email address for 3 references who are not friends or family members (coaches, teachers, mentors, work, or volunteer supervisors are all great). At least one reference should be able to speak to your experience working with youth. 

Your cover letter or video should

• Introduce yourself
• Share why you want this position
• Share what you hope to gain from the position if hired.

Videos should be no more than 3 minutes, and must be shared via a link in the "website, blog, or portfolio" line. Cover letters should be no more than 500 words and must be uploaded as a document. Please note that we are not judging videos based on your video editing skills, and neither videos nor cover letters are preferred. Choose the option that best lets you shine.

A group interview will be held on Saturday, February 7 in Vancouver. Virtual interviews may be offered for those unable to attend the group interview.

We regret that due to the high volume of applicants only those selected for interviews will be contacted.