Canada Summer Jobs School Grown Market Garden Assistant

We are currently seeking the ideal candidate to fill the position of:

School Grown Market Garden Assistant

At FoodShare we advocate for food justice by supporting communitybased food initiatives and through ongoing advocacy and public education. Our vision is a Toronto where all people can feed themselves their loved ones and their communities with dignity and joy. We operate on a peoplefirst model that values fair compensation policies that respect a work/life balance and the contributions of our team members at all levels.

Main Tasks:

School Grown is a schoolyard farming Social Enterprise that provides paid jobs and school credit to high school youth. We grow food at Burnhamthorpe CI Farm and Eastdale CI Farm. You will spend the spring summer and fall seeding weeding harvesting selling at the farmers market and participating in weekly workshops about cooking food justice and antioppression. The School Grown Market Garden Assistant will work alongside the School Grown Coordinator supporting the maintenance of our schoolbased market garden orchard shelterbelt pollinator garden and the community compost exchange programs.

This position is funded through the Canada Summer Jobs Program and requires that the applicant:

• Be between 1530 years of age (inclusive)
• Be a Canadian Citizen permanent resident or person on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
• Be legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial legislation and regulations

Duties include (but are not limited to):

• Support and maintain farm sites in collaboration with School Grown staff. This includes preparing garden beds seeding weeding watering and harvesting produce.
• Support with harvesting and distribution of produce grown at the school farms by compiling weekly orders and assisting with harvest records and data management.
• Support the maintenance of the pollinator garden orchard and shelterbelts
• Support shifts at the onsite market which includes working along with other youth and collaborating in handling cash merchandising products and delivering friendly customer service
• Support the Community Compost Exchange program once a week.
• Work collaboratively with volunteers student interns coop students and other School Grown staff to complete daily tasks.
• Support recording and managing of relevant production and marketing data
• Farmers market activities including supplying setting up and closing down merchandising customer service mentoring and supporting volunteers
• Participate in FoodShare staff and team meetings all staff training and reporting requirements such as timesheets and handle other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 1 year of experience in vegetable gardening growing food or working with plants
• At least 1 year of experience running a compost system in smallscale or backyard gardening
• Demonstrated interest in communityled food projects and/or neighbourhoodbased community organizing.
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of food justice and equity
• Demonstrated ability to work within a diverse community (people of different ages abilities and cultural backgrounds)
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Effective communication and organizational skills
• At least one year of experience working with youth in a community setting is an asset
• Knowledge of food systems including growing cooking and composting is an asset
• Valid G Drivers License is an asset

Job Requirements:

• Must meet Canada Summer Jobs Program requirements outlined above
• Willingness to do physical labour outside in all weather conditions (rain or shine!
• Lifting and moving up to 40 pounds
• Some evening work may be required (but youll always know well in advance)

Please note that the successful applicant will be required to obtain a Vulnerable Sector Check. FoodShare will cover the cost of this requirement.

Compensation & Benefits:

Salary: $24.50/Hour

Benefits: Vacation in pay 8 paid days for wellness days & sick days and personal days will be prorated based on days worked/contract dates health benefits reimbursement (prorated) daily lunch stipend.

Contract Type: Fixed term Fixed hours

Duration: 8 weeks 35 hours/week)

Reports to: Community Action Support Program Manager

Location: remote may require some inperson meetings or events

Available positions: 2

Anticipated Start: June 2025 (Flexibility in start date is possible but no later than June 26 2025 and ending no later than August 30 2025

* Note that as part of FoodShares commitment to equity all staff get equal pay for equal work. As a result salaries and benefits are nonnegotiable.

TO APPLY: Please submit your applications by 9am Tuesday April 29 2025 by clicking the Apply Now button below.

Selection Process:

1. FoodShares HR team will screen applications to determine which demonstrate meeting the postings base qualifications. Please make sure to detail your experience in your resume/cover letter to ensure the committee has the information they need to assess your qualifications for the role. This process takes at least 2 weeks from the application deadline.
2. The hiring committee will review anonymized versions of the applications that pass the initial screening and decide which candidates to invite to interview. This process usually takes about 1 week.
3. The hiring committee will conduct first round interviews with selected candidates. Candidates will be sent the interview questions 48 hours in advance of their scheduled interview. Candidates are welcome but not expected or required to send any questions they have for the hiring committee in advance of the interview. These interviews usually occur about 4 weeks after the application deadline. In recognition of the time and labour of preparing for and attending an interview FoodShare financially compensates interviewees at a fixed rate of $75 per interview.
4. The hiring committee may conduct a second round of interviews which may include a preinterview assignment which would be compensated.
5. HR will conduct reference checks for the candidate they intend to extend an offer to. This process usually takes about 1 week.
6. HR will send the selected candidate and Employment Agreement which the candidate will have at least 1 week to review and return.

Please note:

FoodShare is a food justice organization. This means that we are committed to working to identify and dismantle systemic forms of oppression that cause and perpetuate food security inequities.

Racialized people and others from equityseeking groups are overrepresented in food insecurity and poverty statistics but are significantly underrepresented in communitybased food organizations. We believe that those most affected by an issue must have access to paid positions in organizations

tasked with challenging poverty and food insecurity. FoodShare strives to create a workspace that reflects the diversity of identities and lived experiences that exist within the communities we work alongside.

If you require accommodation when navigating the application process please contact .net.