Supervisor: Program Coordinator
Position Type: Seasonal - Summer
Dates: April 30 – August 31, 2018
Hours of Work: 37.5 hours per week, usually 8:00 am - 4:00 pm including some evenings & weekends
Rate of Pay: $14 / hour

Job Summary: The FortWhyte Farms Crew Leader supports the operations of FortWhyte Farms, an educational facility designed to grow youth, food and community.  The program develops vocational and life skills in youth from diverse backgrounds.  The Crew Leader position provide leadership, guidance and training to youth engaging in sustainable agriculture, culinary arts, woodworking, construction projects and community development via hands-on learning.

Principal Tasks:

Farm Educational Program and Operational Support (95%)

• May and June
  • Work directly with youth participants in kitchen, greenhouse, carpentry and agriculture operations
  • Perform farm operations including horticulture, livestock, landscaping and yard site, facility cleanliness and maintenance
  • Participate in training and preparation for summer program with farm assistants and assistant crew leaders (ACL)
  • Assist with summer internship training, planning and facilitation
• July and August
  • Lead a crew of 4 - 5 youth members in summer intern program
  • Provide guidance and timely feedback to youth crew members
  • Train, motivate and hold youth crew members accountable in daily tasks
  • Participate in planning and delivery of weekly events (cooking community lunches, off-site field trips and workshops, community service work)
  • Facilitate group discussions and goal setting
  • Model teamwork, commitment, and open communication
  • Transport youth in 15 seat passenger vehicle as needed

Other FortWhyte Farms duties as assigned (5%)

Basic Hiring Criteria:

• Experience in working in mentorship role with under-served youth (Child abuse registry check and criminal records check require upon hiring)
• Some level of post-secondary education or relevant work experience
• Initiative and proven problem solving skills
• Physically fit and ability to work outdoors for long periods of time
• Valid Driver’s License and access to transportation (FWA is 20-30 min walk from bus stop)
• Culinary arts, landscaping, animal sciences, carpentry or agricultural experience an asset
• Certification in First Aid and CPR an asset
• Knowledge of FWA site an asset
• Class 4 Driver’s License an asset, and may be required upon employment

Please submit a resume and cover to: jobs at fortwhyte.org

Thank you for your interest; however only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Supervision and mentoring:

The student will receive direct supervision, orientation, training and guidance from the Program Coordinator and Operations Coordinator.  This includes with a comprehensive orientation of FortWhyte Farms headquarters, as well as an extensive tour of all FortWhyte Alive buildings (Interpretive Centre, Alloway Reception Centre, Siobhan Richardson Field Station, and the Outdoor Adventure Site), plus interpretive trails and exhibits. There will also be a review of the FWA Employee Policies and Guidelines manual, Safety/Equipment Manual, Greenhouse manual and Livestock manuals.

Additional training will be provided through the FWA Natural Leader program, a 6 hour workshop designed specifically for FortWhyte Farms. As well, the FortWhyte Farms Program Manager will provide on-going support/guidance/mentoring of the student in this leadership role on a daily basis. Regular meetings will be set to consult and guide as needed in the development of work plans, problem-solving, behavior management, decisions making and team-building skills. The Farm Manager will also be available to support and guide on an as needed basis. There will also be regular team meetings to provide an opportunity to share information with and learn from all farm staff.

Open communication including ongoing feedback is expected of all employees and supervisors. A review of the job description, work plan and specific goals will be part of the students’ orientation and will be revisited throughout the summer to ensure understanding and promote growth and development.

The position entails the development and utilization of leadership, public relations, and communication skills and the acquisition and application of specific agricultural and entrepreneurial-related knowledge in the public education role. The Crew Leader role at FWA involves a steep learning curve to gain background ability to deal with a variety of situations and personalities, being a positive role model and mentor.

Health and Safety Practices

Health and safety of employees and visitors is done at FortWhyte Alive by being pro-active in risk mitigation. A first Aid Emergency Protocol with guidelines for all staff in dealing with emergencies, inclusive of accident/incident reports has been established and is reviewed with all new staff. Workplace Safety and Health information and training is provided as part of the review of the Employee Policies and Guidelines manual as well as in the specific training sessions regarding work equipment. Training in CPR/First Aid is offered to all staff. Additionally, as a working farm, biosecurity and farm safety training is also offered to all staff engaging in agricultural products, processes and food preparation.

Farm staff regularly participate in recreational activities offered at FWA including swimming and canoeing.  All participants must wear a Personal Flotation Device during all water activities. A certified lifeguard is on duty during swimming activities to provide supervision and to review water safety procedures. All staff and participants are also expected to wear a hat, closed toed shoes and sunscreen, reapplying it regularly throughout the day.

Website: www.fortwhyte.org​