Purpose of the Position:
This position focuses on family literacy development and entails working closely with community groups to identify family literacy needs, build local skills, provide relevant resources and tools and provide ongoing support.
| Location: |
Yellowknife |
| Reports to: |
Executive Director |
| Team: |
Works collaboratively with other Literacy Council staff |
| Reach: |
Makes decisions of a professional nature and provides expertise, information, resources and training to support the delivery of community-based family literacy programs |
| Term: |
January 5, 2022 - March 31, 2023 |
Background:
The NWT Literacy Council is a not-for-profit organization with a mandate to promote and support literacy development in all the official languages of the NWT. One of the key roles of the NWT Literacy Council is to provide support to build community capacity to deliver and sustain local literacy programs and services. The principles of community development and local ownership that reflect the literacy needs of the community guide our services.
Duties and Responsibilities
Research and plan the development of family literacy projects
- Research new trends and issues in the family literacy field.
- Research and analyze family literacy programs that may be relevant to NWT communities.
- Design and develop projects that will support and promote family literacy, in collaboration with communities and other staff.
- Coordinate and collaborate with other individuals, literacy organizations, non-profit organizations, businesses and government agencies.
- Develop and maintain relationships with communities and community members.
Develop and deliver training to support literacy development
- Design and deliver training that will increase the capacity of communities to design, develop, implement and manage their own family literacy programs and projects.
- Design and deliver workshops to enhance the skills of literacy providers.
Develop resources that are relevant and meaningful to people in the NWT
- Monitor new resource development in other jurisdictions.
- Design, develop and produce a variety of resources to support family literacy delivery in the NWT.
Promote and share information on literacy and the NWT Literacy Council
- Promote activities of the NWT Literacy Council with other groups and organizations, media and the general public.
- Increase the profile of the NWT Literacy Council.
- Provide information on family literacy developments in Canada and elsewhere.
Provide support to community-based literacy programs
- Administer family literacy funding.
- Develop criteria for eligibility for family literacy funding.
- Provide support to programs to apply for family literacy funding.
- Monitor use of family literacy funding.
- Collect annual reports from family literacy programs that have accessed funding.
- Provide support as necessary to family literacy programs by communicating with them through phone, fax, email and onsite visits.
Demonstrate accountability for responsibilities
- Assist the Executive Director to develop proposals related to family literacy and provide project reports as required.
- Provide Executive Director with project updates and discuss issues as they arise.
- Collect relevant statistics and data to measure project outcomes.
- Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of projects and implement appropriate changes.
Skills and abilities
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of literacy development issues in the NWT
- Demonstrated ability to work in cross-cultural settings
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of, and commitment to, participatory community development approaches
- Strong facilitation and consultation skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills to deal with individuals and groups with varying interests and backgrounds
- Strong research skills
- Able to develop and maintain a team approach among individuals and groups to achieve common goals
- Able to travel, sometimes extensively
- Able to develop materials and deliver information using plain language
- Able to develop and deliver effective presentations
- Knowledge and understanding of child development and early literacy development
Education and Experience
- A post-secondary degree or diploma in education, early childhood development, or community development, or equivalent
- Training in family literacy
- 3 –5 years of experience in family literacy, preferably in the NWT
- Experience or training that supports the ability to research, write, facilitate and develop resources
- Experience in working effectively with communities and other groups and individuals
- Knowledge of and ability to use MS Office Suite, MS Teams, social media and Internet
- Driver’s license is an asset
Environment
- Job requires considerable sensitivity to local community and cultural factors
- Job requires a high degree of self-initiative to maintain progress and momentum
- Job requires ability to manage multiple projects
- Job requires frequent travel to remote communities
- When not traveling, normal office environment
Equipment Used
Computers
- Word processing
- Spreadsheets and databases
- Internet Browsing
- E-mail
- Research
- Desktop publishing
Copier
Scanner
- Making digitalized copies of written materials
Telephone
- Consulting with various individuals
Position of Trust
This is a position of trust. The successful candidate must pass a Criminal Record Check.
