Indigenous Justice Coordinator

(Community Legal Worker)

Part time, contract

We are looking for an enthusiastic Indigenous community organizer, social worker, or other professional to co-lead our CBJT project on an 12 month contract. The position is part time at 2.5 days a week.

What Is the CBJT?

“Communities Building Justice Together (CBJT): Increasing Access to Justice for Indigenous and Black Communities in Scarborough”. This project is funded through a Discretionary Grant from the Law Foundation of Ontario. We deeply thank the Law Foundation for their support of this work.

This project will build and develop community-led resources with East Scarborough’s Black and Indigenous communities. Clinic staff and community members will co-develop and deliver public legal education events, materials, and resources relevant to the needs of these communities. Further, with these communities, we will provide support navigating the legal system and provide a platform for community developing and organizing around access to justice issues. This work is fundamentally grounded in a comprehensive, community listening process which will guide us regarding the specific legal needs of Indigenous and Black communities in East Scarborough.

Duties and Responsibilities

Project Coordination

• Co-coordinate the Communities Building Justice Together (CBJT): Increasing Access to Justice for Indigenous and Black Communities in Scarborough (“the Project”), including reporting to the funder, monitoring project budget, and completing project deliverables.
• Co-chair and lead, as required, the Project Advisory Committee to guide the Project in a good way that meets the needs and reflects the lived experiences of Black and Indigenous Communities in East Scarborough.
• Collaborate with external consultants and Management regarding the Project’s Community Listening/Needs Assessment Process.
• Support Indigenous clients with poverty law issues with system navigation.

Law Reform / Organizing & Public Legal Education

• Lead and organize the law reform and community organizing efforts arising from the Project.
• Steward existing community relationships and build new community connections through creative outreach and organizing strategies within Indigenous Communities in East Scarborough.
• Identify and carry out law reform initiatives relating to Indigenous Communities in East Scarborough.
• Represent the clinic to community groups by providing resources and expertise in legal issues impacting Indigenous Communities in East Scarborough.
• Write and present briefs to various levels of government on legal issues impacting Indigenous Communities in East Scarborough.
• Lead and organize the public legal education activities of the Project.
• Write, edit, review clinic-produced PLE materials on legal issues impacting the Indigenous Community in East Scarborough.

Please Note: Given the nature of this role, it may require work to occasionally be performed outside regular work hours, including on evenings and weekends.

Qualifications and Experience

• You have lived experience as a member of the Indigenous community.
• You have experience leading/managing community based projects or programs.
• You have experience managing activities among interdisciplinary/diverse community groups.
• You have a demonstrated commitment to social justice and working for positive social change on issues that affect low-income individuals and groups, particularly Indigenous communities.
• You have the strong communication and interpersonal skills that are needed to address the needs of people from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds, but in particular those engaged by this Project.
• You have a collaborative work approach and the ability to work well in a team-based environment.
• Experience as a paralegal in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario is an asset.
• Experience managing or co-ordinating funded projects is an asset.
• Experience leading law reform and public legal education initiatives is an asset.

Terms of Employment

This is an 12 month contract for 2.5 days per week. The annual salary is $65,000, prorated to 2.5 days per week (o.5 FTE).

We have a Remote Work Policy that permits a hybrid work arrangement for this position after completion of a probationary period.

How to Apply

All applicants are asked to submit, in PDF format:

• a cover letter,
• resume; and,
• contact information for two references, with one reference being from the Indigenous community which you are apart of.

through the FactorialHR web portal (scls.factorialhr.com).

Applications will be accepted until 12 April 2024

Your cover letter should outline any experience you have working with low income and diverse communities, relevant employment and lived experiences.

Additional Information

We thank all applicants for their interest however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

SCLS welcomes applications from diverse individuals who self-identify on the basis of any of the protected grounds under the Human Rights Code. Lived experience and intersectional identities are merit factors for hiring for this position. 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 will provide accommodation during the hiring process upon request. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

In recognition of the time and labour of preparing for and attending an interview, SCLS will financially compensate interviewees at a rate of $40 per interview (expected time – one hour). If the candidate is asked to prepare a presentation or assignment during the hiring process, SCLS will financially compensate the candidate for that work at a rate of $40 per hour, based on the time the hiring committee believes the task should reasonably take to complete.

We encourage candidates to learn more about the land on which we live and the nations who have been the stewards of this place since time immemorial, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewa, the Wendat, and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Please see scarboroughcommunitylegal.ca/thisland for more from which to learn.