ChangeLink Program Coordinator

A dream born in Kenya has become a charitable organization of hopeful young people uniting as the Otesha Project. Otesha, which means "reason to dream" in Swahili, was created to mobilize youth to create local and global change through their daily consumer choices. We believe that there are alternatives to our culture of overconsumption, and that each one of us has opportunities to have positive impacts every single day.

The Otesha Project's education programs and bicycle tours use theatre, multi-media, and storytelling to engage a wide range of audiences, and have reached more than 72,000 people to date. Otesha's performances focus on re-evaluating our daily choices to reflect the kind of future we'd like to see - rethinking what we really need, conserving resources, and voting with our dollars. We aim to demonstrate the positive effects our everyday choices can have, by living sustainably, changing the world, and having loads of fun--all at the same time!

Position Overview:

The Otesha Project is seeking a competent and enthusiastic ChangeLink Program Coordinator. The successful candidate will be specifically responsible for implementing the ChangeLink program, which is designed to support youth initiatives in social enterprising efforts, and building partnerships that increase our profile in Ontario communities. The successful candidate will work directly with the Development Director and become a member of a 4 person staff team.

This position is a rare opportunity to become a part of a small team of dedicated and passionate individuals working to create positive societal change through youth education. Because of the organization's small size, the candidate will have the opportunity to engage in all of Otesha's programs, and use their skills to continually better the organization and increase its impact.

Responsibilities:

1) ChangeLink:

• Leading the implementation of the ChangeLink program as a member of the Otesha staff team.
• Developing and coordinating the execution ChangeLink which will be integrated into 2-3 Ontario cities and all Otesha programming by July 11, 2013.
• Delivering and facilitating at least 5 presentations that target Otesha alumni and other youth with the goal of supporting youth across Ontario in developing social venture projects through the support of ChangeLink
• Networking and building working relationships with local, provincial and national partners, over 500 Otesha alumni, and The Otesha Project network at large.

2) Fund Development:

• Work directly with The Otesha Project's Development Director on integrating a fund development model into organizational activities for ChangeLink
• Communicate the organization's vision, mission, values, and goals to donors and partners to support the ChangeLink program

3) Partnerships:

• Increase the profile and capacity of the organization by partnering with other organizations and individuals within the private sector

Qualifications:

Ideal Attributes and Skills:

• Experience co-ordinating large projects, planning events, and organizing logistics
• Self-motivated, demonstrated ability to take initiative
• Charismatic and confident manner; able to engage with donors and professional partners
• Experience with public speaking and professional presentations
• Experience with contact/donor management database software is an asset
• Experience with or knowledge of fund development models is an asset
• Knowledge of sustainability and social justice issues

Requirements:

• Between the ages of 15 and 30 (inclusive) at the time of intake/selection;
• Post-secondary graduates;
• Not currently in school;
• Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons who have been granted refugee status in Canada;
• Legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations;
• Not in receipt of Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.

Position: 4 days per week (33.3 hours per week, Monday-Thursday)
Length of term: November 12, 2012 - July 11, 2013

Compensation: $14.50 per hour

Additional benefits include:

• 4% vacation pay during contract
• Beautiful, sunny, friendly office environment
• Weekly time reserved for personal or professional development of your choice

Deadline: Applications must be received by no later than 12:00 midnight on October 31, 2012. Short-listed candidates will be notified and interviews completed thereafter.

To Apply:

Send your cover letter and resume by e-mail. Please label the subject heading: "ChangeLink Coordinator - YOUR NAME".

The Otesha Project is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to make the Otesha workplace as accessible as possible for all, and believe in providing equal employment opportunities without discrimination on the grounds of race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, ancestry, place of origin, age, marital status, source of income or family status.