Freaky Friday Coordinator

(Part time, maximum of 8 hours a week, 6 month Contract with possibility of extension)

Deadline: Monday, September 9th, 2024

The Brain Injury Society of Toronto (BIST) is seeking a Coordinator to run our Freaky Friday Program. Reporting to the Executive Director, this is a part-time position open to a person who identifies as having lived experience with a Brain Injury. 

Freaky Friday is an in-person program that runs at the BIST Office every Friday of the Month, 3-4:30 PM, except the first Friday of each month. The First Friday is a Community Outing to an accessible location in Toronto (such as the movies, or a museum). 

The Freaky Friday Coordinator is expected to be available every Friday to assist with Community Outings and run the Freaky Friday program (approximately 3 hours a week).

The remaining 5 hours of this position is preparation work and can be done remotely or in the BIST Office, at the person’s choice, and or duties as assigned.

Responsibilities:

In consultation with the Programs Manager, plan and facilitate Friday Programs:

  • Organize activities which focus on arts, crafts and games for Freaky Friday; activities must be cognitively accessible and beneficial to our community of individuals who live with the effects of Brain Injury
  • Plan and budget materials for each day of the Freaky Friday program
  • Support members with tasks as needed during program (such as steps to complete a craft)
  • With the consent of participants, take pictures at programs for social media use
  • Work/collaborate with guest facilitators, when needed
  • Get feedback from participants on what projects / activities they would like to see happen for future programming
  • Delegate tasks to BIST Placement students assisting with program, as needed 
  • Accompany and assist BIST staff on monthly Community Outings
  • Assist with preparation and ideas for Community Outings 

Qualifications:

  • People skills: must be able to work delivering Freaky Friday program with people who live with the effects of Brain Injury from a variety of backgrounds and experiences – including people with addiction / mental health issues, individuals who live in poverty, members of the BIPOC and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and individuals with various cognitive and physical abilities  –  and make sure everyone is welcome, encouraged and respected at the program. 

 

  • Facilitation: Participants arrive to the Freaky Friday program at different times, and come in with different needs. The facilitator must be able to pivot to accommodate program tasks to the level of ability, participant interest, possible guest Facilitator illness, or other reasons (such as, low energy / high pain days for participants). They must also be able to re-direct participants’ attention to ensure the group runs smoothly. Strong facilitation skills and flexibility are crucial to this position.

 

  • Curriculum: Freaky Friday is mostly an arts-based program. A background in the arts is considered an advantage for this position, but is not required. The facilitator must be able to independently research arts, crafts and other activities for the program and lead the group through these activities, but can ‘learn as they go’ to facilitate a craft/activity while during preparation time. 

Assets:

  • Experience with teaching, developing curriculum, facilitating groups and / or arts-based programs is an asset. 
  • Ability to speak a language other than English is also an asset.

How To Apply:

  • Please send your resume, and / or a letter expressing your interest in this position to BIST CEO, Laura Bellon: lbellon@bist.ca by Monday, September 9th, 2024.
  • Accommodation during the hiring process can be made available to any applicants who make their needs known in advance. 

Our Mission

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for people in the City of Toronto, living with the effects of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) through education, awareness, support, and advocacy. We provide free and accessible services to persons with brain injuries and their families through support groups, peer support programming, wellness initiatives, workshops and case coordination services. 

We are focused on providing a safe space for our community to connect, socialize and learn. We are also invested in supporting the most marginalized in our city through our homelessness, poverty and intimate partner violence initiatives. We are an agency committed to partnerships and being a voice for change and as such we are involved in projects and committees related to ABI and the justice system, hidden disability, vulnerable road users and bridging the digital divide. We are the creators of www.abijustice.org, a first of its kind information hub dedicated to the intersection of brain injury and the Ontario Justice System.