Youth and Family Education Specialist

Job title: Youth and Family Education Specialist

Job description: The Toronto Botanical Gardens (TBG) will play an important role in the 21st century with a goal of serving over one million visitors a year. Like all botanical gardens, TBG is a public institution best positioned to provide education, knowledge and understanding of the world of plants and their importance to thriving healthy ecosystem for all other life forms on earth. TBG has embarked on an exciting landmark expansion project to achieve world-class excellence in education, conservation, research and horticultural displays across an expanded 35-acre footprint adjacent to one of Toronto’s most extensive urban ravine system.

Toronto Botanical Garden is a registered charitable organization, governed by a Board of Directors.

Our Mission

Toronto Botanical Garden connects people to plants, inspiring us to live in harmony with nature.

Our Vision

Toronto Botanical Garden will be renowned for its display of nature’s beauty and as a dynamic hub for plant-centered learning, conservation and research.

Scope of Position

• Reporting to the Director of Education, the Youth and Family Education Specialist will assist the Director of Education and Adult Education Supervisor in the development of a strategic plan for education as whole at TBG, including developing an education mandate, determining audience, approach, program models, opportunities, and program voice.
• This role is a 3 day/week contract until Dec 31, 2021, with options to extend and/or convert to permanent part-time and possibly permanent full-time.

Position Summary

• Conduct a thorough assessment and SWOT analysis of TBG’s current school programs, identifying opportunities for growth and development, and making recommendations for new content, revisions to existing programs, and delivery models.
• Based on analysis above, develop an innovative new education program (K-8) for TBG. This may include brand new program offerings and/or updates to existing programs for TBG’s school programs. This includes, researching and writing new content, assessing relevant topics areas, and connecting them to the Ontario curriculum; making recommendations for priority grades to launch this fall; and project planning an ongoing rolling relaunch of the full program for throughout the 2021/22 school year. Programs will need to be developed with a hybrid approach, allowing us to present online programs as needed, and evolve back into in-person programs as restrictions life.
• Develop online asynchronous content as part of a project to create and build develop TBG Learning Management System
• Support the development of a school programs advisory panel, in support of the development of school programs.
• Identify and develop new program opportunities for family programs – online and in-person, as well as support current family program initiatives.
• Lead all school programs, live online, recorded, and/or in-person.
• Moderate online family programs through Zoom including navigating technical issues, as well as support any in-person family programs.
• Develop evaluation tools and methods for both family programs and school programs
• Collaborate with Adult Education Supervisor on the development of the technical aspects of delivering online education programs, as well as building TBG’s LMS.
• Support the Grant Writer in any grant work initiated in response to family or school programs
• Along with Adult Education Supervisor, and funding dependent, research and explore long-term opportunities for creating ongoing and permanent online education offerings at TBG – feasibility studies, identifying ops, tech requirements, LMS, instructors, recommendations, etc.
• Other duties as required in support of school and family programs, including, but not limited to, outreach, marketing, researching audience growth opportunities, internships, partnerships, etc.
• Some weekend and evening work will be required.

Key Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in education, or equivalent such as environmental studies, outdoor education and early childhood education
• 5 years’ experience as a formal or non-formal educator, within a school or public facing non-profit organization (such as a botanical garden, museum, nature centre or outdoor education program), designing, developing, and facilitating outcomes and inquiry-based lessons and programs that support Ministry of Education elementary school curriculum
• Experience designing, developing, and facilitating non-formal programs for school groups, children and families
• Innovative, creative, out-of-the-box thinker
• Experience producing and editing video-based content/programs is an asset
• Experience using an LMS and developing content for an LMS is also an asset
• Strong critical thinking skills – able to assess gaps in programs and identify opportunities
• Committed to building environmental awareness and supporting TBG’s mission – connecting people to plants

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about nature, the environment and outdoors
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal relationships and strong collaboration skills with all key stakeholders which include staff, members, volunteers, public and partners
• Attention to detail, responsive and adherent to deadlines. Excellent time management, organization and planning skills
• Strong sense of accountability, commitment towards measuring outcomes and ability to work in a results-oriented culture
• Demonstrated initiative and autonomy
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and manage competing priorities
• Maintains and communicates a positive attitude, exercising diplomacy, confidentiality and good judgement

Location

North Toronto
777 Lawrence Avenue East

Application for Consideration

Please send your resume and cover letter outlining your interest in this role to:

Committed to employment equity, Toronto Botanical Garden encourages applications from Indigenous people, people with disabilities, members of visible minority groups and women.

Please indicate you saw this posting at GoodWork.ca.

Company: Toronto Botanical Garden

Expected salary:

Location: Toronto, ON

Job date: Wed, 12 May 2021 06:14:03 GMT