Application Deadline: February 1, 2026; group interview to be held February 7 in Vancouver
The Position
If you love seeing kids find joy in holding worms or discover that kale is their favourite food, if you have a favourite silly vegetable song or game, and if you think camp is the best part of summer, this might be the position for you! Program Staff will facilitate Camp Fresh Roots programming for kids ages 4-12 at our Vancouver and Coquitlam schoolyard farms. Our camp programming includes educational activities, games, songs, farm work, harvesting, cooking, and sharing food, field trips, and more. Program Staff will work as part of a small team to lead a mix of pre-planned and camper-directed activities, with the opportunity for you to create programming you’re passionate about.
Key Details
Location: David Thompson Secondary School (South Vancouver) and Millside Centre (Coquitlam). Successful candidates must be willing to work at both sites.
Dates: June 25-September 4, 2026. August 4 will be a paid vacation day.
Hours: Full-time, Average 37.5 hrs/week.
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:15-5:30
Compensation: $18.75/hr, plus 4% additional pay in lieu of vacation, paid sick leave, 30% discount at Fresh Roots markets, and access to culled produce. On-the-job training and professional development workshops will be provided.
Note: Position is funding-dependent, which may alter final employment contracts. This is a Canada Summer Jobs position. Applicants must be between ages 15-30 and have Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Refugee Status.
Responsibilities
Follow all camp policies and procedures to ensure camper health and safety.
Maintain a fun, nurturing, and joyful camp environment for all campers
Lead engaging, age-appropriate programming that fits the camp philosophy
Provide guidance and supervision to campers, including helping campers solve their own problems and disagreements
Role model making good choices and trying new things
Work with the Camp Directors and other Camp Staff to plan activities and create or acquire program materials
Coordinate use of farm space and materials with other Camp Staff and share space appropriately with other Fresh Roots teams
Complete incident reports and other paperwork in a timely manner
Give and receive peer feedback
Work appropriately with and delegate tasks to LEX and CIT youth
Qualifications
Fresh Roots recognizes that applicants from oppressed groups, including folks who are Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour (BIPOC) may be hesitant to apply for positions where they don’t perfectly meet the listed qualifications. If you are excited about the job description, believe you could learn to perform the responsibilities, and can meet the essential qualifications, we encourage you to apply.
Essential Qualifications
Experience working with kids (teaching, volunteering, babysitting, etc.)
Excited about farm, food, outdoor, and/or environmental education
Outgoing, energetic, and unafraid to be silly
Able to work at both South Vancouver and Coquitlam sites
Physically able to work outdoors in all weather conditions for up to 9 hours a day
Current First Aid, including Child and Infant CPR, will be required before position starts; funding for this training may be available
Must pass a criminal record check to be able to work with children and vulnerable populations
Due to funding, must meet Canada Summer Jobs Requirements:
Between 15 and 30 years old
A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have refugee status
Eligible to work in Canada
Preferred Qualifications
Have completed secondary school
Experience working with neurodivergent kids and kids with learning differences
Education and/or experience (work or volunteer) in teaching, gardening, cooking, ecology, theatre, or related fields
Ability to speak multiple languages is a plus. Languages frequently spoken in our communities include Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Punjabi, Farsi, French, and Ukrainian.
About Camp Fresh Roots
Camp Fresh Roots offers joyful, risk-aware day camp programming led by well-trained, caring staff on Fresh Roots schoolyard farms and food lands in South Vancouver and Coquitlam. We welcome approximately 300 campers each summer from a wide variety of backgrounds and abilities, and we offer sliding scale registration to make our camps as accessible as possible. Staff receive 40 hours of training, including in-depth training on health and safety, camp programming, and diversity and inclusion. Learn more about the camp at freshroots.ca/camp.
About Fresh Roots
Fresh Roots envisions resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems which support human growth and connection. We cultivate educational farms and place-based programs where youth develop healthy relationships with food, land and community through growing and sharing food that nourishes themselves, their communities and the planet! Our core values are at the heart of everything we do at Fresh Roots. They are joy, community, inclusivity, empowerment and lifelong learning.
How to Apply
Fresh Roots is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups.
Submit a resume, a short cover letter OR video introduction, and the name, phone number, and email address for 3 references who are not friends or family members (coaches, teachers, mentors, work, or volunteer supervisors are all great). At least one reference should be able to speak to your experience with kids.
Your cover letter or video should
Introduce yourself
Share why you want this position
Share what you hope to gain from the position if hired.
Videos should be no more than 3 minutes, and must be shared via a link in the “website, blog, or portfolio” line. Cover letters should be no more than 500 words and must be uploaded as a document. Please note that we are not judging videos based on your video editing skills, and neither videos nor cover letters are preferred. Choose the option that best lets you shine.
A group interview will be held on Saturday, February 7 in Vancouver. Virtual interviews may be offered for those unable to attend the group interview.
We regret that due to the high volume of applicants only those selected for interviews will be contacted.
