Food Justice Educator

FRESH New London (freshnewlondon.org) is a small food justice non-profit located in New London, CT. Our mission is to build momentum for food system change through local agriculture, community, and youth in order to dismantle systemic oppression and ensure everyone has access to food with dignity. We grow food in the city, develop youth leaders, and connect with our community to build lasting and local change.

FRESH Core Values

Racial, Social, & Land Justice

Shared Leadership

Our Community: Our Culture, Our People, Our Place, Our Power

Young People and the Future

Environmental Stewardship

Health and Wellness of the Whole Person

No shame food culture 

Sense of Humor and Fun!

FRESH New London is fiscally sponsored by Third Sector New England, Inc. (TSNE) (www.tsne.org).

The Food Justice Educator (FJE) will lead the youth empowerment work at FRESH New London, with a focus on connecting youth to the mission of food justice. This role will encompass FRESH's three primary program buckets: growing food, connecting communities, and empowering youth. Under direct supervision of the Senior Program Manager, the Food Justice Educator will manage the youth crew and leadership programs, engage youth and community members in the “how and why” of FRESH’s mission, and work as part of a collaborative team to advance food system change across New London.

In addition, the Food Justice Educator will assist with food production at FRESH sites, work with youth to distribute fresh food to the community, build relationships to involve FRESH members in the work, and conduct workshops that ground our work in social and racial justice. The primary focus will be on youth ages 13-25, but the role will also involve working with people of all ages to teach and promote food justice.

Essential Functions

50% Youth Program Facilitation:

• Plan, facilitate, and evaluate seasonal, year-round Youth Crew Programs for high school students, focusing on food justice, social justice, and intersectionality.
• Data Collection and Assessment:
• Design, implement, and assess program activities, maintain records of workshops, attendance, and pre/post-program assessments and reports. 
• Collecting media and content from programming 
• Co-supervise Junior Staff in collaboration with the Senior Program Manager.
• Provide leadership development opportunities for youth (ages 13-25) and support them in facilitating youth crew activities.
• Lead food justice workshops for community members of all ages, focusing on college/ community partners, FRESH members, and other adults.

35% Cross-Bucket Work (Growing Food & Connecting Communities):

• Grow food alongside FRESH youth and the Farm team, from seed to harvest, while teaching the importance of sustainable food systems (including culturally relevant gardening skills, indigenous practices, and anti-racist work).
• Other farm tasks as needed 
• Support youth in distributing food to the community.
• Participate in youth organizing coalitions and partnerships, amplifying FRESH youth voices and food justice perspectives.
• Attend and facilitate local, regional, and statewide meetings to represent and promote the food justice movement.
• Assist in farm-based community education and volunteer engagement for people of all ages.

15% Other Duties:

• Lead occasional field trips and educational activities for pre-K through eighth grade students.
• Participate in FRESH staff meetings, events, and team-building activities.
• Attend events, conferences and trainings for development and experiential learning opportunities
• Support all programmatic work as needed. 

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

• Mission and Values:
  • Passion for agriculture/ urban gardening, food justice, and sustainable food systems.
  • Deep commitment to working with young people, fostering their leadership, and valuing youth power.
  • Strong alignment with the core mission and vision of FRESH New London, and a desire to grow in knowledge and experience in this field.
  • Collaborative mindset and the ability to work effectively in a team.
  • Self-motivated, responsible, and flexible, with a strong work ethic.
  • Commitment to anti-racism and addressing other forms of discrimination.
• Skills and Knowledge:
  • Strong communication skills, including the ability to use email, Google Docs, and text messaging/ GroupMe effectively.
  • Familiarity with or willingness to learn about New London and its communities.
  • Experience/ interest and appreciation for diverse cultural food traditions.
  • Willingness to work in both office and outdoor/agricultural settings, including performing physical farm work (Rain, shine or snow)
  • Energetic, engaging, and able to make the work fun and meaningful.
  • Understanding of diverse teaching methods and learning styles, with an emphasis on popular education and hands-on learning.
• Other Experience: 
  • Flexible work schedule, including availability for after-school hours, evenings, and Saturday mornings.
  • Bilingual (Spanish or Haitian-Creole  and English preferred).
  • Valid CT Driver’s License (preferred) and clean driving record.
  • Successful background check.
  • Ability and willingness to drive a pickup truck (Preferred)
• Special Requirements
  • Evening and weekend hours, flexibility required;
  • Must live in or near New London, Connecticut;
  • Comfortable driving trucks

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those for this position. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Work is performed in an office environment and in close proximity to other workers.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to:

• Ability to sit and/or for extended periods of time in front of a computer screen is an essential aspect of the position. 
• Ability to lift and/or move materials or equipment up to 50 pounds;

• Work in different environments, including on a farm and/or outdoors in all seasons;
• Perform repetitive tasks for long periods of time;
• Reach; traverse; sit (usually for longer periods of time); occasionally ascend/descend; and position self (to) move;
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate;
• Job is not subject to significant occupational or environmental hazards.

Compensation and Benefits

Location: Work will be primarily performed at F.R.E.S.H New London, CT.

Schedule: Seasonal: 18.5 hours per week (Winter, Spring), 25 hrs per week (Summer,Fall). Flexible schedule, some evening and weekend hours required.

Compensation: The hourly rate for this position is $22.00/hr.

Benefits: Benefit eligibility will fluctuate seasonally based on standard weekly hours. This position will likely be benefits eligible in the Summer/Fall is standard weekly hours increase.

TSNE/FRESH strives to achieve excellence through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that embraces all of our individual and collective differences. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Middle Eastern and North African, Bilingual and/or Bicultural candidates, and LGBTQ2SIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We value and honor the unique talents, learning styles, and lived experiences of each individual that enrich and strengthen our workplace culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All employment conditions are based on an individual’s performance and job qualifications. TSNE/FRESH prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, creed, color, religion, native language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, race-based hairstyles, or any other protected characteristic stated by federal and state law. Regardless of any class’ protection under the law or lack thereof, TSNE/FRESH celebrates diversity and values the strengths that come with having a diverse team of employees. It is represented in our workplace culture, and it is who we are.

TSNE/FRESH's EEO statement extends to volunteers, interns, contractors, vendors, and clients.