Youth Outreach, Youth Work

Position: Youth Coordinator
Type: age 30 & under / summer
Organization: Project Canoe

Location: Toronto ON, Ontario
Housing: Optional accommodations in Toronto are available in June, July, and August

APPLY HERE. Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Youth Coordinator (YC) is responsible for the outreach, screening, and enrollment processes for youth interested in attending Project Canoe’s summer backcountry wilderness canoe tripping program. As part of youth outreach, the YC is responsible for delivering presentations about our programs, meeting with community agencies, and providing resources and support to youth who will be attending our summer wilderness program.

The YC will follow Project Canoe’s philosophy for working with our youth, which is to empower youth who face barriers in their lives, highlight their unique and individual strengths, and build their capacities to chart positive futures for themselves and their communities.

It is important that the YC have direct practical experience working with our youth population. It is vital to have an understanding of the variety of challenges that our youth face, the possible resulting behaviours, and strategies for working with them. The YC will also have the opportunity to co-lead at least one canoe trip alongside Canoe Trip Leaders during the summer.

CONTRACT DETAILS

• Pay: $780/week
• Duration: Monday April 27, 2026 - Friday August 28, 2026
  • 18 weeks, full time, some evenings and weekends required
• Combination of virtual and in person work
• Optional housing accommodations in Toronto are available in June, July, and August
• Opportunities for professional development and training

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Outreach to community organizations, schools, and youth service agencies
• Manage the youth enrolment process for the summer wilderness canoe trip program
• Communicate effectively to youth both the magic and challenges of wilderness canoe trips to support their understanding of the experience
• Organize and facilitate a pre-trip meeting with each youth interested in attending
• Maintain the youth database (CampBrain), accurate files, statistics, and reports
• Assist with urban programs for youth and partnership service providers
• Support youth after trip, connecting them with other programs and Project Canoe’s urban programs
• Assist with transportation logistics, correspondence, mailings, and general office work
• Assist the Program Director in canoe trip logistics support (pre and post trip paperwork, basecamp tasks, evacuation support)

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Youth Outreach:

• Conduct outreach across the GTA and surrounding areas to build awareness of Project Canoe’s programs and philosophy
• Meet with potential referrers, youth agencies, and community organizations to promote Project Canoe’s programs and approach to working with youth
• Advise, develop, and screen all new partnership organizations in collaboration with the Program Director
• Collaborate with the Program Director to maintain and build relationships with partnership organizations

Registration & Enrollment:

• Manage all aspects of the youth registration and enrollment process for summer wilderness canoe tripping programs
• Assess suitability of prospective participants and refer ineligible youth to other programs or services
• Maintain knowledge of other youth programs and resources to support appropriate referrals
• Conduct welcome calls with each prospective youth to build rapport and understand individual needs
• Collaborate with the Program Director to place youth in appropriate trip groups and match them with with the most appropriate trip leaders

Staff Training:

• Deliver and support training for Canoe Trip Leaders on Project Canoe’s enrollment process, understanding and responding to youth behaviours, and applying best practices to support the diverse needs of youth throughout the summer

Supporting Trips:

• Brief Canoe Trip Leaders on youth participants and provide guidance on supporting their individual needs and behaviors in advance of each trip
• Complete necessary paperwork and documentation for youth participants before departure
• Serve as part of the response team for trip-related incidents or evacuations, coordinating logistics with the Program Director
• With support from Program Director, communicate with parents/guardians following incidents or disclosures involving youth participants

Other duties as assigned.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

• 2+ years practical experience working with youth, their families and social service agencies
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Strong organizational and administrative skills
• Skilled in conducting organizational outreach through various mediums, including emails, one-on-one meetings, and group presentations
• Experience with camps, canoe tripping, and/or other wilderness camping
• Knowledge and experience working with marginalized, underrepresented, and diverse communities (e.g. 2SLGBTQA+, newcomers, BIPOC, individuals/families facing economic barriers), especially in the Greater Toronto Area
• Required: Must be age 19 or over
• Required: Must be able to provide a satisfactory police vulnerable sector check**
• G class driver’s licence, or equivalent, is an asset, but is not required
• Advanced Wilderness First Aid & Bronze Cross certifications are an asset, but not required

**Because you will be interacting with youth in an unsupervised setting, we require a satisfactory police vulnerable sector check, or regional equivalent. If you are selected we will provide further instructions on how to complete this and we will reimburse the required costs (approximately $70). We recognize that the criminal justice system is not always applied equally and does not always treat people equitably. Having a criminal record will not necessarily exclude you from working with us; it will depend on the circumstances and what the record is for. If you are unsure about this or want to discuss it further, we can talk about it during your interview. If you have any questions or concerns please email us at info@canoe.org . Toronto Police Services provide some information and answers to common questions about police checks here: https://www.tps.ca/services/police-record-checks/

APPLICATION DEADLINE & HOW TO APPLY

To apply, first go to: https://projectcanoe.campbrainstaff.com/

Next, create an account, log in, and follow the instructions to complete the application form using the “Click to apply” button. When that is complete, please upload your resume using the “View/Upload Paperwork” button.

Please do not attach a cover letter. Instead, let us know more about you through the questions we have included in the application form.

Applications are due by the end of the day on Monday January 19, 2026.

Project Canoe strives for fairness and equity in employment. We are committed to anti-oppression, anti-racism, equity, and diversity in our workplace and in our community. As such, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. People from marginalized, underrepresented, and diverse communities, including women, Indigenous peoples, people of colour, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQA+ people, and people facing economic barriers, are especially encouraged to apply. Please advise us if there are any accommodation measures required to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received will be addressed in confidence.

Still have questions? Email our Program Director, John ( john@canoe.org ) and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.