Leadership Development Associate, Lived Experience Initiative, Kitchener ON at Mennonite Central Committee — Kitchener, CAN | Base Career | Base Career
Experience facilitating groups, workshops, peer-support activities, community engagement initiatives, or other participatory learning experiences.
Experience mentoring, coaching, or supporting individuals who face barriers to participation.
Demonstrated ability to build trusting and respectful relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.
Understanding of trauma-informed, strengths-based, anti-oppressive, and participant-centred approaches.
Direct and extensive understanding of homelessness, poverty, housing instability, and social-service systems, preferably within Waterloo Region.
Working knowledge of conflict resolution, conflict transformation, mediation, or peacebuilding practices.
Experience developing or adapting curricula, learning activities, training materials, or educational programming.
Strong communication, active-listening, collaboration, and group-facilitation skills.
Commitment to social inclusion, equity, dignity, and meaningful leadership by people with lived experience.
Ability to organize and prioritize varied responsibilities, work both independently and collaboratively, and adapt to emerging participant and program needs.
Ability to travel within Waterloo Region.
Preferred
Lived experience of homelessness, housing instability, poverty, or related systemic barriers.
Experience in peer support, community organizing, advocacy, public engagement, or leadership-development initiatives.
Established knowledge of Waterloo Region community organizations, housing resources, and social-service networks.
Relevant bachelor’s degree plus 2–4 years of related experience, or 7–10 years of equivalent experience.
Key Responsibilities
Collaborate with MCC staff, participants, and project partners to develop, refine, and deliver the Lived Experience Leadership Program curriculum.
Design and adapt workshops, reflection exercises, experiential learning opportunities, and participant resources that support the program’s leadership-development outcomes.
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Integrate peacebuilding, inclusion, trauma-informed practice, conflict sensitivity, and lived-experience leadership principles throughout program content and delivery.
Coordinate guest speakers, mentors, trainers, and community-based learning opportunities that enrich the participant experience.
Co-facilitate biweekly cohort meetings, workshops, and learning sessions in a welcoming, inclusive, and psychologically safer environment.
Facilitate learning related to leadership development, systems navigation, homelessness and poverty, conflict transformation, storytelling, public speaking, advocacy, peer support, and community engagement.
Support participants in identifying their strengths, interests, leadership goals, and opportunities to apply their learning.
Encourage reflection, relationship-building, and practical application of learning throughout the program.
Build relationships with local service providers, community organizations, and people with lived experience to promote the program and support participant recruitment.
Deliver program information sessions and coordinate participant onboarding and orientation.
Identify barriers to attendance, engagement, and participation, and collaborate with participants and relevant partners to connect them with appropriate supports or accommodations.
Provide strengths-based encouragement, coaching, and mentorship that supports participants’ learning and leadership goals.
Maintain appropriate role boundaries and follow established processes when participant needs require specialized or crisis-related support.
Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with community agencies, service providers, advocacy groups, and lived-experience leaders.
Coordinate opportunities for participants to contribute to community organizations, volunteer placements, advisory groups, advocacy initiatives, peer-support roles, and other leadership settings.
Represent MCC and the program at relevant community meetings, networks, and events.
Help establish pathways through which program graduates can continue developing and exercising leadership after completing the program.
Gather participant feedback and stories of impact using respectful, accessible, and consent-based approaches.
Contribute to surveys, program evaluation, reporting, and documentation of lessons learned.
Use participant and partner feedback to recommend and implement improvements during the pilot.
Participate in team planning and reporting processes and contribute operational insight to sustainability and future-program planning.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
Assist with special events and projects as needed.
Participate in MCCO orientations, provincial meetings, Peace Conference and Staff Development Days
Participate in a local faith community, being willing to use your personal gifts within this community.
Model nonviolent peacemaking through respectful daily interactions with staff and the public.
Maintain a high level of integrity, reflecting Christian respect and Christ's unconditional love to those with whom you work, including colleagues, partner agencies, the homeless and the marginalized.
Communicate MCC’s values to customers, volunteers and donors.
Additional Information
That AI is not used to screen, assess, or select applicants for any position.
