With an increase in the number of people looking to grow their own food, Lush Valley Food Action Society aims to support opportunities for people to access land to plant gardens. You are invited to assist our community to flourish with our Garden Share Program. We match people whom are looking for a place to garden with persons who have potential garden space on their property. The Garden Share program is a great way to turn unused green space into an abundance of fresh local produce. We look forward to connecting you with the perfect land match. For more information about this program please contact chantal@lushvalley.org or 
250-331-0152 and check out the Garden Program page on our website www.lushvalley.org

Kitchen Manager: Canada Summer Jobs Student Position  Start Date ASAP for 8 Weeks

LUSH Valley Food Action Society is a grassroots, non-profit food security organization based in the Comox Valley.  We support food-related projects that promote community health, personal empowerment, and environmental stewardship.  For more information on our organization, please visit www.lushvalley.org.

LUSH Valley invites applications for a Kitchen Manager to assist with the operations and maintenance of the Society’s kitchen. The ideal applicant would be a community-minded and dynamic individual who is capable of working collaboratively with staff, board members, employees and volunteers to accomplish the organization’s goals and priorities.

Tasks and Responsibilities: 

• Ensuring volunteers, clients and community members carry out kitchen cleaning requirements after use.
• Maintain up keep of kitchen, supplies stocked, broken items replaced, and equipment functioning.
• Ensures groups have an appropriate food safety plan.
• Create a food safety plan for the kitchen in collaboration with mentor- implementing processes and procedures.
• Work with kitchen program facilitators (Community Kitchens, Young Cooks, and Food Skills for Families) so that programs are run in a safe, clean and functioning environment.
• Act as a point of contact for volunteers, staff, and community members interested in utilizing the kitchen.
• Oversee bookings and ensure there is no overlap.
• In collaboration with mentors schedule monthly meetings to review maintain and improve relations between volunteers, staff, and community members in utilizing the kitchen.
• In collaboration with mentors develop and implement marketing and media plan for commercial rental space.
• Take on a leadership role with supports from mentors in ensuring the fluid functioning of the LUSH Valley Kitchen.
• Report to mentors and office staff with any pressing concerns requiring immediate attention.
• Participate in community outreach, attending community events to engage community members in participating in kitchen programs and renting the kitchen.
• The Student Kitchen Manager and the Student Assistant Program Coordinator will work together on various projects as their positions will overlap.

This job is made possible by the Canada Summer Jobs Initiative
To be eligible to participate in the CSJ initiative, individuals must:
·         be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment;
·         have been registered as full-time students in the previous academic year and intend to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year;
·         be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act3; and,
·         be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations.

Remuneration
·         The base salary is $11.50/hr (inclusive of vacation & holiday pay) at 30hrs/week for eight weeks. 

Resumes with cover letters can be sent to cynthiafitton@lushvalley.org. or dropped off at our office 1126 Piercy Ave Courtenay. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.
LUSH Valley is committed to social justice and employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. We especially welcome applications from members of racialized groups, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority gender or sexual orientations, and others with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities. Canadian citizens or permanent residents will be given priority.
We thank all applications for their interest in this position. We regret that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

Assistant Programs Coordinator: Canada Summer Jobs Student Position                                 
Start date: ASAP for 8 weeks

LUSH Valley Food Action Society is a grassroots, non-profit food security organization based in the Comox Valley.  We support food-related projects that promote community health, personal empowerment, and environmental stewardship.  For more information on our organization, please visit www.lushvalley.org.

LUSH Valley invites applications for an Assistant Programs Coordinator to assist with organizing and overseeing programs offered by the Society as noted below. The ideal applicant would be a community-minded and dynamic individual who is capable of working collaboratively with staff, board members, employees and volunteers to accomplish the organization’s goals and priorities.

The Assistant Programs Coordinator will work directly with the Food Programs Coordinator.
Tasks and Responsibilities:

·         Fosters relationships with community partners through participation in community events and attending community meetings in conjunction with members and staff;
·         Collaborates with the Program Coordinator on proposal writing and funding applications for new programs and short-term projects;
·         Assists with providing education, training and presentations to community groups.
·         Collaborates with members and staff to develop policy and procedure in office, kitchen and for programs.
·         Assists with planning LUSH Valley events and attending community events.
·         Co-ordinates and facilitates the implementation and delivery of new programs or projects;
·         Assists with the coordination and facilitation of current programs (Garden Share, Fruit Tree Program, and all Cooking Programs); in conjunction with program facilitators of kitchen and community programs.
·         The Student Kitchen Manager and the Student Assistant Program Coordinator will work together on various projects as their positions will overlap.
·         Assists with coordination and facilitation of community roundtable on strengthening the local food system. 

Applicant Qualifications
·         Health related education
·         Effective and proven communication skills with vulnerable populations
·         Experience working with youth
·         Knowledge of food security and poverty issues
·         Cooking experience
·         Food Safe certification
·         Criminal Record check
·         Class 4 driver’s license is an asset but not a requirement
·         Experience working productively both independently and in teams
·         Experience planning & executing tasks
·         Strong organizational skills
·         Computer skills (MS Office, Adobe, social media)

This job is made possible by the Canada Summer Jobs Initiative
To be eligible to participate in the CSJ initiative, individuals must:
·         be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment;
·         have been registered as full-time students in the previous academic year and intend to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year;
·         be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act3; and,
·         be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations.
Remuneration
·         The base salary is $11.50/hr (inclusive of vacation & holiday pay) at 30hrs/week for eight weeks. 
Resumes with cover letters can be sent to cynthiafitton@lushvalley.org. or dropped off at our office 1126 Piercy Ave Courtenay. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.
LUSH Valley is committed to social justice and employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. We especially welcome applications from members of racialized groups, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority gender or sexual orientations, and others with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities. Canadian citizens or permanent residents will be given priority.
We thank all applications for their interest in this position. We regret that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

Food Programs Coordinator Position                                                                             

Period:  March 2014 – February 2015 with opportunity to renew based on funding

LUSH Valley Food Action Society is a grassroots, non-profit food security organization based in the Comox Valley.  We support food-related projects that promote community health, personal empowerment, and environmental stewardship.  For more information on our organization, please visit www.lushvalley.org.

LUSH Valley invites applications for a Programs Coordinator to organize and oversee programs offered by the Society as noted below. The ideal applicant would be a community-minded and dynamic individual who is capable of working collaboratively with staff, board members, employees and volunteers to accomplish the organization’s goals and priorities in accordance with time and funding limitations.  The Food Programs Coordinator will be tasked with organizing, assisting, or running LUSH Valley programs as needed.

Programs Coordinator Duties and Activities

·      Attends monthly Board Meetings providing a report on activities including any issues, requirements or concerns, to assist with the smooth functioning of programs, the writing of funding proposals and reporting to the funders.  

·      Develops and implements food programs in collaboration with other staff, i.e. Young Cooks, Family Literacy Outreach, Community Kitchens, Pocket Market, Member Pantry; works collaboratively with other members of these committees to develop policy and procedures, source facilitators, suppliers, volunteers, field trip hosts and other requirements for office, kitchen and other programs as time allows. 

• Assists with developing the Garden Share and Fruit Tree Program for the 2014 season with assistance from the FTP Committee, including sourcing volunteers for all aspects of the Program, i.e. orientation, compensation, etc.

• Provides education, training and presentations to community partners and special events as required and as time allows.
• Assists with the development of LUSH’s commercial kitchen social enterprise.

A key responsibility of the Coordinator is to oversee Young Cooks, a food skills program specifically designed at LUSH Valley for children of people with a mental health/dual diagnosis or children from low-income families. The purpose of the program is to educate youth about food topics like nutrition, cooking, and budgeting, and to help them build interpersonal skills.

Duties Specific to Young Cooks Coordinator

·      Plan and facilitate afterschool and summer program intake.

·      Teach food and life skills, including basic budgeting, effective interaction, meeting goals and building positive relationships.

·      Introduce youth to the local food system through field trips.

·      Develop the Young Cooks program to meet the LVFAS mission and the program purpose.

Applicant Qualifications

·      Health related education

·      Effective and proven communication skills with vulnerable populations

·      Experience working with youth

·      Knowledge of food security and poverty issues

·      Cooking experience

·      Food Safe certification

·      Criminal Record check

·      Class 4 driver’s license is an asset but not a requirement

·      Experience working productively both independently and in teams

·      Experience planning & executing tasks

·      Strong organizational skills

·      Computer skills (MS Office, Adobe, social media)

Remuneration

The base salary is $15/hr (inclusive of vacation & holiday pay) at 25hrs/week based on month-to-month wage with opportunities for wage enhancement through additional project & contract opportunities. The position includes two weeks of paid vacation time and (sick days).  Work hours may be flexible and based on events, programs and office hours.

Applications can be sent to cynthiafitton@lushvalley.org. or dropped off at our office 1126 Piercy Ave Courtenay. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.

LUSH Valley is committed to social justice and employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. We especially welcome applications from members of racialized groups, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority gender or sexual orientations, and others with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities. Canadian citizens or permanent residents will be given priority.

We thank all applications for their interest in this position. We regret that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.