Place-based Learning, Environmental Education

ClearWater Farm and Future Chicken

Position: Environmental Learning Director
Organization: The ClearWater Futures Foundation 
Location: Canada; remote/hybrid, with travel to ClearWater Farm, schools, conferences, and partner meetings.

• Reports to: Annabel Slaight, Board Chair, Founder, Co-Executive Producer of Future Chicken
• Status: One year, full time contract. Renewable.

The Opportunity

ClearWater Farm and Future Chicken are creating hopeful, practical ways for children to understand food, farming, water, biodiversity, climate, and their own capacity to make change.

• The heartbeat is ClearWater Farm : a living place where children encounter soil, water, animals, food, biodiversity, regenerative practice, and care,

• The wings are Future Chicken : playful, child-centred storytelling and engagement platforms that carry learning and fun into classrooms, homes, digital spaces, schools, and communities.

The Environmental Learning Director will increase ClearWater Farm learning experiences and Future Chicken curriculum-connected resources across Canada.

The role will build partnerships, strengthen educator engagement, develop innovative programming, raise the profile of the work, and help establish credible evidence of impact.

Intended ripple effect: Children → peers → families → classrooms → schools → communities.

Key responsibilities

• Build a national strategy to increase educator and school uptake of ClearWater Farm experiences and Future Chicken resources.
• Develop relationships with teachers, school boards, ministries, universities, environmental and food organizations, youth networks, funders, and media partners.
• Create with the creative and learning teams, educator supports, including workshops, webinars, toolkits, presentations, and teacher-learning communities.
• Help create age-appropriate pathways for child- and youth-led environmental action. The sought-for outcome is Impact: Children and Youth Taking Action.
• Identify and test innovative approaches such as farm-to-classroom learning, youth storytelling, school action challenges, family engagement, and digital or immersive experiences.
• Represent ClearWater Farm and Future Chicken at selected conferences, events, panels, and sector conversations.
• Provide strategic input to the Future Chicken Learning Innovation Committee.
• Advise on ClearWater Farm’s educational programming and its role as a demonstration site for regenerative agriculture learning, food systems education, nature connection, and youth environmental leadership and impact.
• Help develop partnerships, funding opportunities, public visibility, and an impact-measurement framework.
• Expand learning and volunteer opportunities to a wider spectrum of youth working alongside Partnership team for Farm and Foundation expansion efforts.

What success looks like

Success is evidenced by children learning, developing ownership and confidence, leading and influencing others and taking action.

Possible measures include:

• Educators, schools, and school boards adopting or repeatedly using programs and resources.
• Educators reporting greater confidence in teaching environmental, climate, food, and farm-related topics.
• Children showing increased curiosity, ecological understanding, connection to place, confidence, and hope.
• Child- and youth-led projects such as gardens, habitat work, water or compost initiatives, storytelling, citizen science, presentations, and community events.
• Evidence that children’s learning influences peers, families, educators, schools, and community partners.
• Strong partnerships, new pilots, conference visibility, media or thought-leadership opportunities, and funding support.

Candidate profile

• The ideal candidate brings senior experience in some combination of environmental education, K–12 learning with emphasis on Elementary youth engagement (grades K-*), curriculum development, outdoor education, nonprofit leadership, science communication, regenerative agriculture and/or social innovation.
• They will be a strategic, creative, relationship-driven leader who understands Canadian education systems, can work confidently with internal and external partners and funders, communicates well publicly, and can translate a powerful place-based vision into scalable learning opportunities.

Recommended structure

• One-year, renewable, full-time
• The Director will have administrative, communications, event, and logistics support so that senior capacity stays focused on strategy, relationships, program development, public presence, and impact.

First-year mandate

• Develop and implement a national strategy to increase educator and school uptake of ClearWater Farm learning experiences and Future Chicken curriculum-connected programs and resources.
• Establish priority partnerships; create practical pathways for children to learn, own what they learn, and lead others.
• Advise on ClearWater Farm programming and the Future Chicken Learning Innovation Committee.
• Establish and maintain credible measures of educational, youth-action, and community impact.

Timing

Immediate. Ideal candidate to start in November,

Other

Must be qualified to work in Ontario, Canada.

ClearWater Futures Foundation, ClearWater Futures Farm and Future Chicken are all under the ClearWater Futures Foundation responsibility.

Our Commitment to Belonging & Inclusion

At ClearWater Futures Foundation, we believe that diversity powers innovation and inclusion fuels our success. We are dedicated to creating a workplace where every individual feels valued, heard, and empowered to bring their authentic self to work. We actively foster a culture of belonging where unique perspectives are celebrated, equity is prioritized, and every team member has the opportunity to thrive and grow.

Our organization is committed to creating an inclusive workplace and complies with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates, including Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. We review all applications based on qalifications, skills, and experience.

Remuneration

Commensurate with experience. Range $80,000 to $110,000

We welcome applications and also referrals of wonderful candidates.

If you or someone you know is a strong fit for this role, please send a resume to Annabel Slaight at: annabel.slaight@outlook.com

Please mention you saw this at rcen.ca or goodwork.ca.

Associated Links: 
https://theclearwaterfoundation.com 
https://clearwaterfarm.ca 
https://futurechicken.com