Job Opportunity at The Centre for Women and Trans People

Work Study Position: ‘The Spice’ Program Facilitator

Application Deadline: Monday September 27, 2010 by 12pm

Start date: September 30, 2010 (must be available for training on October 2 and 3, 10am-5pm)

This position will require an individual who has a love for food, community building and interest in health for the coordination of The Spice, an ongoing weekly outreach cooking program at The Centre for Women and Trans people at U of T. The Spice is a participatory cooking program promoting community building. The Spice brings people on campus together to contribute their culinary ideas and learn new skills while building bridges among communities. The program was developed out of the awareness of the growing poverty on campus and the need to promote healthy lifestyles. The objectives of the project are to outreach to the campus and larger communities, build networks around addressing poverty and food issues, promote healthy, nutritious and affordable food as well as preparation skills and knowledge to participants. The tasks of The Spice Program Facilitator include but are not limited to:

• Plan a weekly lunch cooking program, including finding nutritional and diverse recipes, and facilitating meal preparation

• Purchase supplies for the program

• Foster a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere

• Facilitate discussions around issues of food security within an anti-oppression framework with volunteers and participants

• Network with other groups on campus and in the community who are doing work around poverty, food and nutrition

• Publicizing the Spice to the University of Toronto and the wider community by using mainstream and alternative media, and making and distributing flyers and posters

• Maintain an online recipe blog

• Develop a recipe book of the recipes used in the program

• Ensuring the Community Cupboard is well-stocked

The individual will have the opportunity to work independently in a collective environment with the support and supervision of staff and collective members. They will gain experience and program coordination including building leadership, organizational, interpersonal, communication and community development skills. They will also acquire a deeper understanding of issues of poverty and food issues as it relates to health, as well as new cooking skills.

Skills:
Analytical
Communication
Creative
Interpersonal
Organizational
Food Preparation

Degree:
• Bachelors Level
• Masters Level
• Ph.D. Level
• Other

Industry: Social Services
Discipline:
• ANY Discipline
• OTHER-Arts
• Arts
• Education
• Environmental Studies
• Health Sciences
• Social Work
• Social Sciences

Hours of work available/week: 12
Special features about the hours of work: Fridays required, occasional evening and weekends

How to apply:
Please mail, e-mail, fax or drop off your resume, cover letter and one-page personal statement (details below) directly to the Centre c/o Hiring Committee. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

All applications must be accompanied by a one-page personal statement on “Community organizing and working through oppression and privilege.” This statement is intended to give the Hiring Committee a bit of an idea of your understanding of community organizing, the work you’ve done and how you understand yourself in that work.

The Centre believes that those who are on the margins are often in better positions to understand how systems of oppression, power and privilege work and are maintained. We especially encourage people who are surviving racism, colonization, poverty, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, and sexism to apply for paid positions, as well as to volunteer in action groups and to join The Centre’s Collective.

Contact information:
The Centre for Women and Trans People at U of T
c/o Hiring Committee
North Borden Building
563 Spadina Avenue, Room 100
Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2J7

Email: womens.centre AT utoronto DOT ca
Fax: 416-978-1078
Website: http://womenscentre.sa.utoronto.ca