Description

Why Literacy? Work with purpose at United for Literacy.  

Canada’s literacy divide widens daily because so many people lack adequate support. Solving systemic literacy challenges is key to advancing social equity and prosperity across our country. Literacy changes everything.  

United for Literacy (formerly Frontier College) is a national charity that was founded in 1899.  The programs located in Tkaronto, now known as Toronto, take place on the traditional land of many nations including Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples.  This territory is part of ‘the Dish with One Spoon’ wampum, a Treaty made between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas, and Haudenosaunee, Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaty signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.   

As settlers on this land, we acknowledge that United for Literacy played a role in promoting non-Indigenous education. This contributed to the colonization of Indigenous peoples and communities. As an education-focused organization, we’re committed to learning from our history. In our recent history (from 2005), we progressively started to hire and train members of Indigenous communities we partner with. This ensures that the local culture, language, and traditions are the heart of all educational activities offered by United for Literacy. We have also adopted the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a plan for reconciliation and are looking at how we can implement the calls to action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  We will move forward in the spirit of reflection, collaboration, reconciliation, and change.    

We believe literacy is a right, and that every place can be a learning place.  We recognize the role literacy plays in creating fair communities and societies.  Our vision is a Canada in which everyone has the literacy skills they need to achieve their goals at school, at work, and in life. Our mission is to provide local learning support programs that change lives.  

We encourage applications that reflect the diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds we serve at United for Literacy. In keeping with our ongoing efforts to promote equity and reflect the diversity of our organization, we encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and members who identify with racialized communities.   

 THE OPPORTUNITY 

The Scarborough Literacy and Basic Skills program offers free community-based literacy programs for adults 18 years of age and older who want to improve their reading, writing, math, and computer skills to find employment, access education and apprenticeship opportunities, and for everyday life.  Programs take place online and in person at 1200 Markham Road.  Classes and workshops are facilitated by an Instructor Coordinator and supported by volunteer tutors.   

We are currently seeking a full-time Program Assistant to support program delivery, outreach and administration.  The successful candidate will work from home, at the Scarborough office located at 1200 Markham Road, and in the community at various community events.  

Overall Accountability 

The Program Assistant is a member of the Toronto Adult Program team. This position reports to the Regional Manager and will work closely with: 

• Instructor Coordinators to support the delivery of programs.   

• Community Coordinator, Outreach and Recruitment to support outreach activities 

• Community Coordinator, Intake and Administration to support administration. 

United for Literacy staff will provide training and mentorship to the successful candidate. 

Major Duties and Responsibilities 

1. Program Delivery 

• Apply knowledge of Zoom Meetings and Microsoft Office programs to help learners address technical issues logging onto and using Zoom Meetings and Microsoft Teams 

• Work with Instructor Coordinators to facilitate workshop activities and support in-class activities 

• Work with staff to assess and evaluate the effectiveness and impact of program activities and content 
   

2. Outreach 

• Use Canva to create easy to read and understand outreach materials to recruit new volunteers to support programs 

• Attend community events to share information about programs and volunteer opportunities 

• Respond to enquiries about the organization, adult literacy programs, and volunteer opportunities 
   

3. Administration  

• Facilitate adult goal setting and progress/exit surveys to measure impact of programs 

• Facilitate 3, 6, and 12 month follow up calls with learners who have completed the program 

• Use Microsoft Office Programs to create documents and reports 

• Use Microsoft Teams to communicate with staff, share and collaborate on documents, and participate in team meetings 

Skills and Attributes 

• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to listen, connect, and engage with learners and community members from diverse experiences 

• Education and/or experience in community literacy and/or community services 

• Computer skills, specifically MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel, MS Teams, Outlook, Canva, Zoom Meetings, and Internet 

• Ability to work effectively with minimal supervision and in a team environment 

• Positive learning attitude, tolerant of ambiguity, and flexible to change 

• Ability to think critically, solve problems, deal with stress, and manage a complexity of details 

• Excellent spoken and written communication skills, using plain, accessible language 

Additional Assets 

• Ability to work occasional evenings on Monday and Wednesday until 6:30pm 

Working with United for Literacy 

Hours of Work:  35 hours per week, Monday to Friday   

Location:  

Toronto, Ontario 

In this position, you will be working online, in the office, and in the community. 

In addition to your salary, you will benefit from: 

• Half days before a statutory holiday (start your long weekends early!) 

• A work environment that seeks to be open, inclusive, and fun 

• Staff-led groups and committees include, among others: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI); Internal Skills Development; and more. 

• Connect with your colleagues from coast to coast to coast for team-wide trainings and learning. 

Ready to join our team? 

Please email your cover letter and resume by Friday May 9, 2025 to: 

[email protected] 

Subject Line: CSJ – Program Assistant – [Name]  

No phone calls, please.  You will be contacted if you are selected for an interview.   

For more information about United for Literacy visit: www.unitedforliteracy.ca 

Please note, this position is funded by Canada Summer Jobs, an initiative of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy.  Eligibility for the program and the position include: 

• be between 15 and 30 years of age at the beginning of the employment period 

• be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment and 

• have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations. 

• International students are not eligible participants. As the objective of the CSJ program is to support youth entering the Canadian labour market, the temporary nature of an international student's time in Canada does not allow for a long-term connection to the labour market. 

We welcome applications from individuals who self-identify on the basis of any of the protected grounds under the Human Rights Code. We are committed to integration and maintaining the independence of individuals and removing barriers to accessibility in the workplace. We are committed to full compliance with the Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation. We invite applicants to request accommodation, as required, throughout the application and hiring process