Outdoor Education, Nature Play & Learning

Position: Outdoor Educator
Organization: Evergreen
Location: on site at Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto ON

Introduction:

Evergreen is currently seeking to grow its team of Outdoor Educators. This group of individuals are the fabric that holds Evergreen’s Nature Play and Learning Programs together, ensuring a playful, engaging, and safe experience for all classes that visit Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto. Their talents and interests are as diverse as their contributions, and each is relied upon for their unique skills, perspectives, and experience.

About Us:

Evergreen is a national not-for-profit helping make cities flourish. Cities that are low carbon, inclusive to all and sustainable at their core.

For 30 years, Evergreen has been making Canadian cities better places to move, work, live, play and grow. We have worked from coast to coast with governments, neighborhood groups, school boards, developers and residents, collaborating to create better communities.

About the Role:

Our Outdoor Educators contribute to the overall success of educational programing at Evergreen by supporting a culture of experiential learning, place-based activities, and nature connection. They are responsible for core program functions, especially the planning and delivery of safe and engaging programs, in support of Evergreen’s Nature Play and Learning Programs.

Outdoor Educators play a key role in on-the-ground program delivery, utilizing their unique skills to help our programs come alive. They have a passion for teaching, care about and share their knowledge of local ecology, geology, and history, and are eager to learn.

Outdoor Educators thrive in a dynamic outdoor setting and extend caring, creative support to both program participants and their colleagues. They are mature team-players and strong communicators who believe in the power and importance of outdoor play and nature connection in transforming children’s lives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver engaging public and private educational programs and outdoor nature-based activities for children and youth who attend Evergreen’s Education and Children’s programs (e.g., Visiting Schools Program, Camps, Nature School, Tours and Team Building).
• Facilitate nature-connected programs that represent the core values of Education and Children’s Programs at Evergreen: Place-Based, Ecological, Experiential, Active and Mobile, Arts-Infused, Integrated, Inclusive.
• Execute programming involving the use of loose parts, natural materials, and inquiry-based learning approaches.
• Engage in reflective practice to troubleshoot and improve upon existing programming.
• Ensure safe delivery of programs according to Evergreen’s policies, procedures, and training, including the benefits of healthy risk-taking and performing dynamic and formal risk assessments.
• Provide a welcoming experience for visitors and act as an ambassador for Evergreen, including liaising with teachers, parents/guardians, and volunteers.
• Monitor and maintain program spaces and materials, identifying and documenting any concerns with a supervisor.
• Document any incidents, accidents, or customer service issues, and report to the supervisor in a timely way.
• Communicate a summary of program statistics and experience to the supervisor.
• Seasonal assistance with summer camps or winter skating programs may be required.
• Contribute to positive workplace culture and great internal communication.
• Model Evergreen’s core values of sustainability, innovation, and connection.

About You:

You excel in the following areas:

• Customer-focus. Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of others in a way that exceeds their expectations.
• Communication. Speak, listen, and write in a clear, confident, respectful, thorough, and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
• Attention to detail. Recognize that details matter. Work systematically to ensure key details do not slip through the cracks.
• Flexibility/adaptability. Manage ambiguity well. Adapt to changing priorities and conditions in an agile way, responding quickly and effectively. React to change with curiosity and excitement.

You have the following qualifications:

• 1-3 years education or experience in children’s environmental education or related fields
• Experience and comfort facilitating learning experiences for children ages 5-18
• Experience delivering educational and/or experiential programs in the outdoors
• Experience working with individuals of different ages, cultures, backgrounds, and abilities
• Current Standard First Aid & CPR C training (or willingness to obtain pre-start)
• Complete a successful police reference check (provided by Evergreen)

You might have the following assets:

• Experience with Forest & Nature School practices and/or Nature Connection Routines
• Experience with any of the following approaches to education: experiential, emergent, inquiry-based, play-based, or place-based learning
• Naturalist or ecological knowledge
• Fluent in French
• OCT (Ontario Certified Teacher) or ECE (Early Childhood Educator) Qualification

Additional Information:

Reporting Relationships

• Supervised by: Program Manager

Working Conditions

• Working with a variety of people, primarily children
• Working on site at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto for in-person programming
• Working outdoors, sometimes in inclement weather conditions
• Working remotely to facilitate virtual programming (as needed)
• Participate in flood preparation, evacuation, and clean-up activities when necessary
• Available Monday to Sunday on a part-time basis (especially weekdays during school hours)
• Shifts of 5-8 hours

Physical Requirements

• Standing for extended periods of time
• Lifting heavy objects on a regular basis

Contract

• Permanent, part time, hourly
• Hire Rate: $23.74/hour

Application Close Date: Friday, November 22, 2024

*Please include a cover letter with your resume to be considered for this position.*

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