Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Programs, Jobs

Position: Youth Program Lead
Project: Youth in Food Systems (YFS)
Location: Waterloo Region, Ontario / Hybrid

Organization Overview

Seeds of Diversity Canada was founded in 1984 as a member-based organization of farmers and gardeners who preserve the biodiversity and sustainability of the basic building blocks of our food system: seeds, plants, and pollinators. We engage Canadians in hands-on education and conservation programs to build more robust future food systems through local seed production, training, on-farm plant breeding, pollinator protection, and skills development.

The Program

In 2021 we launched Youth in Food Systems (YFS), focused on engaging high school aged youth in learning about our food systems, building relevant and transferable skills, and exploring careers.

Our objectives are to inspire youth to become engaged with the current and future needs of our food system, which is the largest sector of the Canadian economy, largest employment sector, and the greatest factor in reducing and managing the effects of climate change. We are also aware that youth well-being is an increasingly important challenge, and aim to provide meaningful community engagement that encourage connections with peers, adult allies and community while building confidence and leadership capabilities.

Our program is a combination of several projects, all youth volunteer driven and supported by paid staff: an online participatory career interview series; digital media about food systems and sustainability; and youth-led food production, distribution, and seed stewardship in Waterloo Region. To date, we have engaged nearly 600 youth in the program, and aim to reach 700 by the end of 2026.

The Role

The Youth Program Lead is a role composed of three primary elements. First, the Lead will act as the primary point of contact for our youth participants within YFS, who join the program on an ongoing basis into one or more youth-driven projects. The Lead is the main staff mentor & support for the dozens of youth in the program at any given time, facilitating online and in-person activities, events, and communications to optimize youth experiences and learning.

Second, the Lead is responsible for co-designing and implementing various youth-facing program elements, alongside the Program Director. The Lead will be responsible for maintaining project timelines over the course of the year, often balancing multiple projects at a time.

Third, the Lead is responsible for supervising summer staff members hired through the Canada Summer Jobs program, and any other part-time staff positions, in conjunction with the Program Director and Executive Director. The Lead will delegate responsibilities to summer and/or part-time staff (including most youth support tasks), and lead weekly team meetings throughout staff contracts.

The following outlines some of the primary responsibilities of the Youth Program Lead position. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list.

• Act as the primary point of contact for all youth via Discord (online engagement platform), email, and in person;
• Foster positive relationships with youth, and strategically pivot activities and processes to best serve the needs of the youth;
• Work closely with the Program Director to ensure effective onboarding and training of all youth;
• Work closely with the Program Director to ensure the youth who join us are supported and engaged effectively. This includes participating in the development and implementation of evaluation tools;
• Co-design, coordinate, and facilitate youth programming from start to finish:
  • Co-facilitate biweekly Seed Stewardship sessions in Waterloo Region (January to March)
  • Co-coordinate and supervise biweekly Market & Garden Leader field trips and pre-season trainings in Waterloo Region (March to June);
  • Co-coordinate and facilitate quarterly virtual team meetings for the Media Creation team (March, June);
  • Co-facilitate other sessions for various project teams, as a means of relationship building and idea sharing.
• Build partnerships with community food leaders and organizations for the purposes of interviews, field trips, and other local activities;
• Supervise and support summer and part-time staff members, alongside senior staff;
• Contribute to communications, including social media and monthly newsletter.

Essential Skills and Qualifications

Our ideal candidate is a strong communicator and leader, with the ability to foster positive working relationships with young people aged 14-19. We are looking for someone who is comfortable facilitating group activities with little to no supervision, and who is adaptable to meet the ever evolving needs of the program and youth.

Our ideal candidate has some experience supervising short-term staff, including effectively facilitating regular team meetings and communications.

Our ideal candidate should have reliable transportation in order to attend meetings and activities across Waterloo Region (mileage is reimbursed).

Our ideal candidate is willing to be flexible in working late afternoons and evenings when required to meet the needs of the youths’ schedules, as well as occasional Saturdays for events and activities.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• Extensive experience working with high school aged youth;
• Extensive experience developing and implementing youth-focused activities and events;
• Knowledge of Waterloo Region’s local food systems;
• Understanding of / experience working within a small nonprofit organization;
• Experience with work-from-home structure;
• Experience managing digital tools and workflows that support team collaboration and project execution (We use Asana, Slack, and Google Workspace);
• Able to manage multiple projects simultaneously;
• Comfortable working with minimal supervision.

Compensation: $27-$32 per hour; 3 weeks PTO + 1 week holiday shutdown (2 weeks PTO for contract period). Mileage compensated at $0.45/km

Term: 28-32 hours per week; 6 month contract to start, renewable based on fit and funding.

Start Date: January 5, 2026 (flexible)

Work location: Hybrid, flexible work environment with an estimated 50% of time spent in office/community. Our office in Uptown Waterloo is available for working, and will be the site of regular team meetings. At-home work equipment stipend offered annually.

Application Deadline: This opportunity will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. Interviews will begin Monday, December 8th.

How to Apply:

Email Program Director, Rayna at info@youthinfoodsystems.ca with your resume and cover letter as one PDF file (maximum 3 pages total) and include the subject line “Youth Program Lead”

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

Please note: Successful candidate will be required to provide a recent (within 6 month) Vulnerable Sector Check as soon as possible upon hiring. Costs associated will be reimbursed.

Seeds of Diversity Canada staff and board are committed to an anti-oppression learning journey, and committed to integrating justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion principles into our work and workplace culture. We humbly acknowledge that we have a long way to go. We encourage BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, individuals from other diverse communities to apply.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please contact Rayna Almas, Program Director, at info@youthinfoodsystems.ca to request accommodations.

We do not use AI tools for screening applications. 100% of applications are reviewed by a human being.

We thank all applicants for their interest; we strive to communicate with all applicants within two weeks of application.