Youth Roots Assistant

IRC Background:

The mission of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC has a presence in over 40 countries and 27 offices in the United States; the IRC leads the way from harm to home. IRC opened an office in Seattle in 1976 and provides a continuum of services including intensive case management, employment and economic empowerment services, immigration assistance, health and wellness programming, and education support to refugee and immigrant families in Washington State. IRC Washington is committed to providing trauma-informed, equitable, and accessible services and maintaining and evolving a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace.

Job Overview:

The IRC’s New Roots program has developed services and infrastructure aimed at engaging low-income families in urban agriculture, nutrition education, and healthy food access navigation. New Roots builds on the agricultural experience of many new refugee and immigrant families by providing access to land, materials, and education for program participants to grow healthy food. New Roots Program Services include: Increasing Food Access, Fostering Income Generation, Improving Nutrition, Building Community, Developing Leadership and Skills.

The Youth Roots Program engages high-school- age youth who are passionate about food justice, land justice, and building sustainable food systems. Youth Roots Program Assistant will support program activities including a paid Summer and Fall internship, gardening, supporting the New Roots farmstand at the Tukwila Village Farmers Market, building career skills for youth, field trips, opportunities to contribute to local food systems projects, and other activities throughout the year. The Youth Roots Program Assistant will primarily be supporting with program planning and implementation. In between the Summer and Fall programming the Youth Roots Program Assistant will have the opportunity to support other programs within New Roots, including supporting farmers at IRC’s 3.5-acre farm plot in the Kent Valley, and community food distribution. This is a great position for someone who has a youth and community centered approach and is passionate about food and land justice. 

Major Responsibilities:
Program Planning and Implementation

• Support Youth Roots activities including recruiting and working directly with youth participants and program transportation for youth participants.
• Coordinate with the Youth Roots Specialist to deliver program activities and discussions rooted and centered in food access, land access, youth leadership development and other topics.
• Collaborate with Youth Roots Specialist to develop and implement program curriculum on topics such as: agriculture, nutrition, food justice, land justice and other related topics.
• Supporting the Youth Roots Specialist at field trips, farmers markets, and community gardens.
• Help with food distribution pop ups around South King County
• Support with communicating program information to participants and their families. Working with interpreters to convey information in participants’ languages.

Program Monitoring and Evaluation

• Facilitate Youth Roots program data collection and required reporting including program evaluation and collecting program input from youth participants.
• Input program activities and data into database.

Maintenance

• Support site maintenance at main educational garden sites in Tukwila.
• Maintain program supply and tool inventory.

Additional Responsibilities

• Support New Roots team through collaboration and participation in various New Roots events and projects
• Support New Roots with food distribution activities
• Participate in program meetings, and staff development activities.
• Comply with all policies, procedures, and protocols of the organization.

Other responsibilities as needed and assigned by Supervisor.



Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Youth Roots Specialist
Indirect Reporting: Youth Program Coordinator for Secondary Programs
Other Internal and/or external contacts:
Internal: New Roots Team Members and IRC Seattle Youth Team
External: Faculty and staff at Foster HS in Tukwila, property owners of main educational garden sites in Tukwila.