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Roots & Shoots Aboriginal Program Coordinator

Title: Roots & Shoots Aboriginal Program Coordinator

Reporting to: Abner Lico, Roots & Shoots National Program Manager

Status: Full-time

Location: Toronto

Date: November 2009

The Jane Goodall Institute supports wildlife research, education and conservation in Africa. The Institute’s youth network—Roots & Shoots—provides resources, training and support to empower Canadian youth to take action on local and global issues related to people, animals and the environment.

The Roots & Shoots Aboriginal Program Coordinator will take the lead in managing a six month pilot project aimed at Aboriginal communities across Canada. With the support of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), we will be rolling out this initiative at the end of 2009 / or January 2010.

Responsibilities:

Conduct research on existing community projects and organizations in Aboriginal communities
Deliver outreach activities to select Aboriginal communities where there is no Roots & Shoots presence
Liaise with Aboriginal representatives in communities that have expressed interest in Roots & Shoots
Work with local youth and elders to identify priority needs for community projects
Develop leadership capacity in Aboriginal communities to engage in environmental activities
Work under the supervision of the National Program Manager and with Roots & Shoots staff to implement community programming

Qualifications:

University degree or equivalent in related subject area
Experience in Aboriginal youth engagement
Excellent communications and interpersonal skills
Excellent organizational and time management skills
Excellent research and analytical skills
Ability to take initiative, work autonomously and efficiently and as a part of a team
Knowledge of Microsoft Applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and Internet
Knowledge of environmental issues in Canada and their inter-relationships with social justice

Ability to travel within Canada and the USA and to remote communities
Bilingual in Canada’s two official languages considered an asset
An interest in the goals and principles of the Jane Goodall Institute

Potential Deliverables:

Generate broad awareness of Roots & Shoots throughout Canadian Aboriginal communities and register new Aboriginal Roots & Shoots groups (number TBD)
Identify six to ten communities to work with by the second month of the pilot project
Identify key stakeholders in each community and liaise with them on a weekly basis

Facilitate and support projects once the target communities have been selected, and be present to facilitate (or co-lead) groups in hands-on projects, where possible

Visit each target community once and implement at least one focus group with youth, one leader training workshop and any other necessary groundwork with each community during each visit

Prepare a brief “community visit” report for each target community
Establish relationships with at least one program delivery partner organization in each target community
Create community youth councils in each Aboriginal community Roots & Shoots works in

Contribute to the creation of a micro-site for Aboriginal programming on the Roots & Shoots website (in conjunction with other Roots & Shoots staff)
Create a database of Aboriginal Roots & Shoots groups and members and facilitate communication among Aboriginal groups and members within Canada
Develop connections between Aboriginal Roots & Shoots members and non-Aboriginal Roots & Shoots members, primarily by creating a structured correspondence program that allows non-Aboriginal Canadian youth to communicate with Aboriginal groups
In concert with individual communities, develop one Roots & Shoots community-service project that will be completed in the spring of 2010
Develop marketing and other communications materials specific to Aboriginal communities based on feedback and research in the community
Prepare a thorough narrative and financial final report that evaluates the pilot project, highlighting the successes and challenges of the pilot and outlining the way forward

Meet with National Program Manager on a weekly basis and additionally and as needed
Meet with Aboriginal Advisory Board three times (Jan, April and June, 2010).
Maintain good financial recording, budgeting and reporting.

CONTRACT CONDITIONS MAY VARY: This is a six/seven month part/full time contract position, with the possibility of extension.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Abner Lico: abner@janegoodall.ca.

Deadline for applications is Friday, November20, 2009 at 5 pm.

For more information visit www.janegoodall.ca

We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for interview will be contacted.