SOGI 123 Lead - Intercultural Dialogues

Reporting to the Director, National Programs, the SOGI 123 Lead – Intercultural Dialogues will foster intersectional community engagement to address cultural divisions in perspectives on SOGI-inclusive education, with a focus on Muslim and South Asian communities.

ABOUT ARC FOUNDATION

ARC Foundation was founded in 2007 to build Awareness, Respect and Capacity through SOGI-inclusive K-12 education. ARC Foundation’s vision is a world where children and youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities live authentic lives. ARC Foundation is the registered charity behind SOGI 123, an inclusive education program that equips educators with tools and resources for supporting 2SLGBTQ+ students and creating safer and more inclusive school environments for all students. ARC facilitates the delivery of SOGI 123 in BC, the Yukon, the prairies, and Atlantic Canada.

MAIN FUNCTIONS

The SOGI 123 Lead – Intercultural Dialogues will manage the development and implementation of intercultural programming alongside functions such as communications, reporting and resource development. The SOGI Lead will work closely with the SOGI 123 program team, the broader ARC Foundation national team and community leaders as they work to develop resources that address the needs of specific cultural groups in relation to SOGI-inclusive education.  

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

  • Work with the Director, National Programs and Programs Manager to set program strategy for the Intercultural Dialogues project. 

  • Prepare and monitor an annual operational plan to ensure timelines are met. 

  • Connect with and foster positive working relationships with cultural leaders and communities in ways that achieve the objectives of the project.

  • Gain insights into the unique needs of specific cultural groups in relation to SOGI-inclusive education.

  • Host a series of dialogue circles that bring together members of different cultural groups to share insights and learn from each other.

  • Develop and promote culturally relevant and respectful resources for use in the education system and that cater to the needs of the focus communities.

  • Facilitate the sharing of intercultural SOGI expertise across schools, districts and provinces.  

  • Adapt current SOGI 123 resources to better serve the needs of the target communities.

  • Engage language speakers and those with SOGI-inclusive knowledge to develop or review resources in various relevant languages.

  • Coordinate evaluation processes, including surveys, analysis and reports. 

  • Work alongside other team members to develop and maintain strong relationships with intercultural and 2SLGBTQ+ community organizations. 

  • Monitor and adhere to the project budget to fulfill funding obligations.

  • Support ARC Foundation’s fundraising activities, particularly those involving intercultural-focused initiatives. 

  • Other duties as assigned.

YOUR SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

  • Experience working within and building relationships with South Asian and Muslim communities.

  • Bachelor’s degree in a related field and five or more years’ experience in complex program leadership, ideally in a not-for-profit environment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.  

  • Willingness and ability to travel for work within Canada. 

  • Proven ability to build strong working relationships with community leaders.

  • Confident working with a wide range of social groups.  

  • A collaborative style which values connecting people in the community and within organizations.

  • A strong interest in creating systemic change to support students of all sexual orientations and gender identities; preference may be given to those with lived experience within the 2SLGBTQ+ community.  

  • Understanding of a language commonly spoken in South Asian communities, such as Urdu or Punjabi a strong asset.

  • Experience and/or training in the K-12 Education sector an asset.  

THE FINER DETAILS

  • This is a 20 hours/per week 27-month term contract ending March 31, 2027. We are simultaneously hiring for a part time Project Manager. Interested and qualified applicants are welcome to apply for both roles to create a full-time position.

  • Flexible work environment: work from a remote location anywhere in Canada, with preference for Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley.

  • Must be willing to travel nationally, as required.

  • Expected start is mid-January 2025 or earlier where feasible.

WHAT WE OFFER

  • The opportunity to create real, impactful systemic change while shaping an innovative operations and workforce model.

  • A role within a strong and robust professional team that is focused on growing as an organization.

  • Compensation of $40,000 per year based on 20 hours per week

  • A competitive benefits package.

The position is designed to be 20 hours per week. While some duties will require availability at specific times during the work week, and different times of the year may have higher and lower demand periods, flexibility of work hours and approach are negotiable. We are simultaneously hiring for a part time Project Manager. Interested and qualified applicants are welcome to apply for both roles to create a full-time position.

ARC Foundation endeavours to provide meaningful employment for talented, motivated individuals from a broad intersection of communities, so that our small but growing team reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. Lived experience is an asset and 2SLGBTQ+ identified people, Indigenous people, people of colour, and people across the spectra of age and abilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants with South Asian and/or Muslim identities or backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.

Please submit a cover letter and resumé to people@arcfoundation.ca with “SOGI 123 Lead – Intercultural Dialogues” in the subject line of the email. Ideally, applications will be received by 9AM Pacific time on December 6th but will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.