Youth Council Coordinator
Reports to: Education Coordinator
Hours of Work: Up to 10 hours per month (average), from September 2024 to June 2025, for a total of 100 hours
Deadline: Monday, September 2, 5pm
Position Summary
The Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery is seeking a contract Youth Council Coordinator to join our team for the 2024-25 cohort. The Youth Council Coordinator supervises, mentors, plans and helps facilitate the activities of the Youth Council with the support of KWAG’s Public Programming Department (Education Coordinator). Youth Council convenes twice per month from September to June.
The Youth Council Coordinator’s role is to listen to the interests, desires and goals of the Youth Council, and help enhance Youth Council activities to support their goals, alongside the Education Coordinator. The successful incumbent must balance leadership and support, facilitating group discussions and decision making in a safe, equitable and inclusive forum, while responding to the interests of the Council. The Youth Council Coordinator will serve as a vital hub between the Youth Council and the Education Coordinator. Tasks include assisting with Youth Council recruitment, logistical planning and facilitating youth-led decision-making, under the supervision and support of the Education Coordinator.
About KWAG’s Youth Council
The KWAG Youth Council was formed in 2012 with a goal of prioritizing opportunities for local youth to meet new people, work with professional artists, do community outreach, develop new skills in art making and leadership and discover their world through contemporary art.
Youth Council provides a platform for participants to become strong leaders and aims to foster a lifelong engagement with arts and culture. The four core goals identified by the Youth Council are:
1. Cultivate leadership skills
2. Strengthening community
3. Technical and logistical skill development
4. Personal and creative growth
Each Youth Council cohort has a significant role in determining outcomes for the year. This approach puts youth first as they identify important projects that align with the overall goals of the program and prevailing social discourse. To achieve their outcomes, Youth Council develops a work plan with support from the Youth Council Coordinator and KWAG staff, focusing on critical thinking, leadership competencies, skill development and community engagement. The program provides guidance and immersion in the local contemporary arts ecology and creative industries, informing participants about professional opportunities and pathways to further develop their leadership skills within an arts context.
In the past, Youth Council projects have included youth-led tours of exhibitions, public art walks, summer markets, as well as art workshops for their peers and the general public. Youth Council also presents a collaborative art project for the annual student exhibition, Expressions, which features work from students across the Region. The Youth Council installation results from skills and collective mutual interests explored during workshops and regular council meetings throughout the term.
The Council is composed of 15 - 25 art enthusiasts between 16-21 years of age, who seek vibrant opportunities within KWAG and the greater community through contemporary art.
Youth Council Coordinator - Key Responsibilities:
• Through discussions with youth, and Education Coordinator, facilitate and plan programming for Youth Council sessions between September and June
• Work with the Education Coordinator to support and inspire Youth Council members in planning programs, providing facilitation, feedback and support on ideas, and championing innovation and experimentation
• Share Youth Council ideas and interests with the Education Coordinator, so they can leverage mentorship and gallery connections to further support the Youth Council goals, and collaboratively determine responsive programming
• Thoughtfully interact with the teens to ensure they feel supported in leading the Youth Council, while also mediating challenges that may arise
• Facilitate the exchange of information between Youth Council members and the Education Coordinator to ensure Youth Council members are informed of current activities at KWAG, and KWAG staff are aware of Youth Council activities, including advance notice of wish list items so that proper plants, budgets and permits can be developed
• Assist in the recruitment of Youth Council members, through direct contact with schools, volunteer fairs and local organizations
• Create and maintain contact list for Recruitment, including teachers and other organizations;
• Work with Education Coordinator to manage logistics of Youth Council activities (ie. booking tickets, confirming meeting times, transportation plans) and communicate plans with youth in advance (including reminders)
• Assist with set-up of Youth Council meetings at KWAG (procuring snacks, beverages, bus tickets as approved by Education Coordinator)
• Remain on-site to tidy Youth Council spaces after meetings
• Maintain contact spreadsheet for active Youth Council members;
• Collect photos of the Youth Council and testimonials from the program cohort
• Seek out networking opportunities with other Youth Councils or youth groups in the community and/or Southern Ontario
• Evaluate successes and failures of the program after term 1 (September to December) and term 2 (December to June)
• Build positive connections between KWAG and other community organizations through the program and be a positive ambassador for the gallery in community
• Act in a professional manner and representative of KWAG at all times, and ensure that internal Youth Council communication also meets professional standards
Qualifications:
• Warm, energetic and empathetic personality, comfortable working with youth
• Familiarity with Kitchener-Waterloo arts community
• Ideally a student or graduate in Arts Education, Fine Arts, Art History, or related field
• Experience leading and facilitating youth programming, ideally with teens and in the arts
• Strong planning and coordination skills
• Ability to work independently and within deadlines
• Ability to interact with public in a positive, enthusiastic, and professional manner
• Ability to facilitate creative discussion and experimentation relating to artistic process
• Able to work flexible hours throughout the week
• Current Vulnerable Sector Police check required (if over age 18).
KWAG Youth Council sessions are mostly held bi-weekly on Thursdays 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, and occasionally off-site in the community. The Youth Council Coordinator should be available 30 minutes prior to all sessions for set-up and remain afterwards to return all spaces and materials back to their original order. Some sessions may take place outside of regular working hours and on weekends. Regular meetings with the Education Coordinator will be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.
Hours and rate of pay:
This term position is up to 10 hours per month at $17 per hour, to be worked between September and June 30, 2025. This position will be on payroll, with 4% vacation pay provided. Most work will take place at KWAG (101 Queen Street North, Kitchener).
To apply:
Please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your interest and suitability for the position to:
Jenna Winter, Director of Finance & Administration
The Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery
Email: jwinter@kwag.on.ca
Deadline: Monday, September 2, 5pm
The Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery is committed to being an inclusive and respectful workplace that reflects the diversity of our community. We encourage and welcome applications that contribute to the further diversification of the Gallery, including but not limited to Indigenous, Black, and Racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ persons.
We thank all applicants for their interest in the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery; however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.
