We're hiring a short-term Research & Education Coordinator for the summer! Popular education is at the core of our work, and we need to create some new materials that better reflect the realities of our members and communities. This is a great opportunity for someone who's passionate about making important knowledge accessible by creating workshops and written/visual resources.
Resource Movement Overview
Resource Movement, a project on the Tides Canada shared platform, is a multi-racial community of young people with wealth and/or class privilege working toward the redistribution of wealth, land, and power. Our vision is a world where wealth and power are shared equitably, and Indigenous land rights are respected. A world where all communities can tell their own stories, live well, and shape their own future. In our work, we educate ourselves about the roots of inequality, encourage each other to take bold action in solidarity with social justice movements, and open space for critical voices within philanthropy. With Chapters in Montreal and Toronto, our network includes over 100 young people across Canada who participate in learning opportunities, show up for social justice movements, and engage in campaigns.
Position Overview
Resource Movement is hiring a summer staff position: a Research & Education Coordinator, based in Toronto. This position will be responsible for conducting research to inform the development of new education materials for Resource Movement, specifically new workshop content, and content for a short ‘zine’. The research and curriculum development will have a strong focus on the stories of wealth extraction & accumulation experienced by Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Colour (BIPOC); as well as Canadian state policies that have resulted (and continue to contribute to) migration and displacement, colonization, ableism, racism, ecological destruction, and cis-hetero-patriarchy. Research work may also cover regional stories of accumulation and dispossession, Canadian taxation policy, and wealth distribution in Canada.
Note: This is one of three summer coordinator positions that we are hiring. If you would like to apply for multiple roles, please feel free to do so.
Location: Toronto
Contract duration: 8 weeks, July 8 (ideal start date) - August 30
Working conditions: Flexible schedule, living wage - contact us for details!
Conditions of hiring: Candidates must qualify for the Canada Summer Jobs program (details on eligibility at the end of this posting - if you have questions, get in touch with us!)
Application deadline: Monday, June 10, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
Core Responsibilities
1) Coordinate the curriculum development of a introductory series of workshops, tailored to the learning needs of BIPOC young people with access to wealth / class privilege:
Conduct interviews with BIPOC Resource Movement members, looking into their perspectives regarding content development needs for the BIPOC-specific curriculum
Conduct desktop/secondary research regarding the histories of wealth accumulation (including both ‘boosts’ and ‘blocks’) for BIPOC people in Canada*
Coordinate the development of workshop content, alongside RM members, for a series of workshops, including the development of facilitation guides, activities, and workshop resources
2) Coordinate the development of content for a zine, covering Canadian policies that have prevented / supported accumulation of wealth and privilege, including through:
Reviewing existing draft materials for the zine*
Developing a research plan, alongside RM members
Conducting research, including into: Canadian state policies that have resulted (and continue to contribute to) migration and displacement, colonization, ableism, racism, ecological destruction, and cis-hetero-patriarchy
Write new content for zine
Coordinate the design and editing of zine
*Significant content has already been researched and developed by previous contract staff and Resource Movement members - you will not be starting this work from scratch!
Desired Qualifications (ideal, but not all required)
Skills & Experience
Experience developing workshops and group conversations to facilitate learning and self-reflection (ideally around issues of equity, anti-oppression, and privilege)
Strong written communication skills
Experience conducting interview-based and internet research (preferably on topics related to the work stated above)
Strong project management skills
Strong administrative skills (including comfort using Google Drive)
Strong interpersonal communication skills
Confidence working and making informed decisions independently
Characteristics & Attributes
High level of comfort discussing class, wealth, and economic inequity; understanding of historical roots of acquisition of land, wealth and power
Personal drive to support the redistribution of resources toward historically oppressed/ marginalized communities
Non-judgmental approach to social justice work, open to engaging with people at a range of points on their journeys of (un)learning
Strong belief in the possibility and importance of cross-class collaboration for social justice
Strong grounding in an anti-oppressive framework
We are committed to having a cross-class team; candidates with poor, low-income, and working class backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply
Working Conditions The Research & Education Coordinator will be responsible for arranging their own working environment for the duration of the contract (i.e. Resource Movement will not be providing an office space). They will be responsible for using their own phone and computer for the duration of the contract. An additional stipend of $40/week will be provided to offset these costs.
How to Apply Together with your resume, please forward a 1-page cover letter that includes your responses to the following questions:
How do you relate to Resource Movement’s mission and vision?
What interests you most about this position?
How would your skills and experiences (personal and professional) translate into success in this position?
Which elements of this position would be most challenging for you, and why?
How did you hear about this position? (optional - will help us evaluate our outreach efforts)
Please send your resume and cover letter to Jon McPhedran Waitzer at jon@resourcemovement.org by 10 a.m. EST on June 10, 2019. If you have questions about the role, please feel free to reach out to Resource Movement using the above email address or by phone: 438-827-4999. We are hoping to conduct interviews June 19th - 21st. If you will not be available for some or all of that time period, please mention this in your cover letter. The ideal start date for this role is July 8th.
Employment Equity We believe our work is stronger when it benefits from the experience, knowledge and wisdom of people who have faced systemic barriers. People with disabilities, women, Indigenous peoples, members of racialized groups and members of other historically marginalized communities are encouraged to apply. If you would like to be considered for employment equity please indicate this on your covering letter by including the statement “I would like to be considered for employment equity.” No further elaboration is necessary, but you are free to add more information if you would like. Where candidates don’t differ significantly in terms of other desired qualifications, priority will be given to those being considered for employment equity. Detailed eligibility criteria for Canada Summer Jobs funding
(if you have questions about your eligibility, get in touch with us!): To be eligible to apply, you must:
be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment;
be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment; and,
have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.
Note: International students are not eligible participants. International students include anyone who is temporarily in Canada for studies and who is not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person who has been granted refugee status in Canada.
For more info about Resource Movement and Tides Canada: www.resourcemovement.org http://tidescanada.org/approach/shared-platform/ As Resource Movement is on Tides Canada’s Shared Platform, the selected candidate will be an employee of Tides Canada. From Canada’s big cities to its remote land, waters, and rural communities, Tides Canada provides uncommon solutions for the common good. Our mission is to help Canadians secure a healthy environment in ways that promote social equity and economic prosperity. To tackle the complex environmental and social problems that we face in Canada today, Tides Canada provides strategy, expertise, and tools to ensure changemakers can get from vision to impact. Tides Canada is strongly committed to creating a diverse workplace environment and we welcome and encourage applications from the communities we serve. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Tides Canada will provide accommodation during all steps of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. Please advise us if you need any accommodation.