Farms, Farmers, Agriculture Policy
Are you organized? Do you enjoy event planning and coordinating all the little details that create meaningful, educational, fun events? Do you take initiative to advance projects and tasks? Are you a natural communicator, able to engage diverse audiences? Do you dream up creative ideas and see the world in graphics and visuals?
We are seeking a dynamic person, capable of working with our team to support the delivery of a national policy jam in Ottawa, gathering new and young ecological farmers from across the country to network, learn, strategize and mobilize for a better food and farming future. If you’re a mix of a community coordinator, event planner and discussion facilitator, with a love for farming in your heart, YA is looking for you!
ABOUT YOUNG AGRARIANS
Young Agrarians (YA) is an educational resource network for new and young ecological farmers in Canada. YA recognizes the Indigenous lands and territories that we work on and alongside. YA is committed to providing programs and services that are inclusive and available to farmers and friends of diverse backgrounds. Since 2012, the YA network is volunteer-driven, with farmers across the country organizing on-farm events and building communities to create spaces for knowledge sharing and growth.
YA began as a seed of an idea and since has grown into a dynamic educational network and set of programs that target the educational needs of new and young farmers.
- National : aggregate resources and opportunities online;
- National : coordinate educational and networking events on and off farm year-round, as well as e-learning;
- Western Canada : on-farm apprenticeship training program (YAAP) in regenerative agriculture;
- BC : land access programming and supports (BCLMP); and
- Western Canada : business mentorships (BMN).
YA’s Grow-a-Farmer Strategy works to deliver the following programs :
National : aggregate resources and opportunities online;National : coordinate educational and networking events on and off farm year-round, as well as e-learning;Prairie provinces : on-farm apprenticeship training program in regenerative agriculture;BC : land access programming and supports; andWestern Canada : business mentorships.YA works to grow the sector by supporting new entrants through farmer-to-farmer learning. The theory of change is to engage new and young farmers and the farm-curious online, bring them together to network and learn together on and off farms, support access to training opportunities and resources, and when ready to start farms, provide educational supports for on-farm training, land access, business readiness, and peer mentorship. The long-term goal is to grow connections to each other and the land in order to grow a resilient and climate-adapted food system for a healthy future.
WORKPLACE CULTURE : We strive to create a workplace that reflects the diverse communities we collaborate with and serve. The organizational culture is focused on bringing your whole self, emotional intelligence and leadership, and working together to support farmers to overcome barriers and challenges through educational supports and resources.
COMPENSATION & HOURS
Anticipated start date is October 2024Approximately 15-20 hours per week30 / hrMileage is reimbursed at provincially approved ratesThis is a fixed-term contract role until February 2025ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Work with YA Staff on a strategy for reaching more new and young farmers to promote the Policy Jam and help grow the YA network.In collaboration with the National Policy Coordinator, support the planning of a YA Policy Jam event in Ottawa (in January 2025). Support the development of a program schedule. Help to identify and recruit speakers and educators to ensure a diverse representation of knowledge at events. Assist with the development and dissemination of outreach materials and strategic communications to promote the event. Manage the registration process, coordinate event food, and liaise with the venue, speakers, volunteers, partners and sponsors, contractors, and guests. Assist with site visits to ensure seamless event logistics and smooth delivery of materials. Provide support to develop and deploy any evaluation materials or information captured from the event, including social media metrics and engagement. Develop graphics and written materials for the YA website to promote the event. Conduct outreach to other organizations and promotional partners. Create and manage events on Eventbrite and Facebook to track registration and attendance. Respond to farmer and organizational correspondence and inquiries about the event. Help to identify additional on-site supports and resources needed (tech, staff, wayfinding) to ensure an accessible event Support the development of a work-back plan and facilitator’s guide for the event. Provide on-site set-up support and coordination on the day of the event.Communications and Outreach :
Develop and implement strategic communications to promote Policy Jam events.Coordinate communications activities including : social media campaigns, blogs, Mailchimp campaigns, and other outreach to farmers.Develop engaging messaging and effective storytelling approaches, maintaining the organizational voice.Create compelling graphics to support outreach activities, and approve other organizational graphics according to branding guidelines.Respond to social media, email, and phone inquiries for Policy Jam Events.Proofread all outgoing communications materials with a keen eye for detail and accuracy.Create and manage events on Eventbrite and Facebook.Collaborate on the development of press releases for particular media outlets and audience segments.Identify key media outlets, journalists and local press contact lists to promote the event.Evaluate communications activities to analyze effectiveness, update strategy, and support project reporting to funders.Follow organizational policy and protocol for workplace communications.Ensure good workplace documentation, including : Maintaining work plans in Monday.com. Maintaining contact information in Salesforce, as per YA best practices. Maintaining program files on YA Google Drive. Ensuring documents, contact lists, and program materials are maintained and updated.Support with other organizational needs as time allows.QUALIFICATIONS
Our ideal candidate :
Is familiar with Ottawa and has local farmer networks in and around the Ottawa Valley, and can be available to support on-site event organizing in and around Ottawa.A full license with access to a vehicle.Has experience facilitating and organizing events and is good at keeping track of the details.Values and enjoys administration, documentation, outreach, communications as well as networking and relationship and community-building.Thinks strategically about communications, metric tracking, decision-making, and stakeholder and team engagement.Can take initiative and knows when to slow down.Is motivated and able to work on multiple projects and meet deadlines without direct daily supervision.Enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and is able to adapt to existing project management systems including spreadsheets and work plans.Has demonstrated computer know-how including : SEO, Photo, Video and Graphic Editing Software (e.g. Canva, Google Workplace, Google Hangouts, Zoom, MS Office, Excel / Spreadsheets, Mailchimp, WordPress, and Salesforce).Is up-to-date on best practices for social media, Eventbrite and website engagement.Understands food systems and ecological farming and has familiarity with the food and farming community in Canada.Brings cultural competency as well as recognition and appreciation for the diverse voices in farming communities.Contributes a positive vibe and solid communication skills to the workplace.Has experience representing a non-profit organization and passion for realizing the mission.Works remotely from a home office, and has a computer, reliable internet connection, and either a landline or cellular phone reception / service.TO APPLY
Please send a PDF cover letter and resume as one document to : [email protected], with the following file name : [FIRSTNAME LASTNAME] – POLICY JAM COORDINATOR.pdf.
In your application :
Indicate where you are locatedSummarize the number of years of experience you bring with respect to the qualifications listed.Answer the following 3 questions in your cover letter :What is motivating you to apply?What skills and abilities can you bring to this position?What is your experience working with farmers in the Ottawa area?Clearly indicate on your resume or cover letter which online platforms you have experience working with (Google Workspace, Canva, WordPress, Mailchimp, Zoom, Social Media, and Salesforce) as well as any other relevant programs you are familiar with. The successful applicant is expected to be able to jump in and work within the existing technology ecosystem. While limitations to in-house training capacity exist, there are Standard Operating Procedures in place, and continuous peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.Include a PDF or Word document with samples of social media content that you have created. If you are including links to content where other creators are posting, please provide information on when you managed the channel / profile with exact date range or links to specific posts.Optional : Submit a video (up to 1 minute), telling us what would make you a great coordinator for the Young Agrarians. Feel free to have fun and be creative! Videos can be submitted as an email attachment, or as a link in your PDF.Please mention you saw this posting at FoodWork.ca .
Due to the volume of applications we receive, we will not be available for phone calls or lengthy email inquiries. If you have 1-2 questions, please ask by email. Thank you for your time and interest!
