Harrison's Hope

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About the Company

Harrison’s Hope is a registered Canadian charity that provides lifelong support for individuals and families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD is a lifelong, brain-based disability that affects up to 8% of Canadians. 

We support caregivers, individuals living with FASD, and the professionals who work with them. Our programs include free virtual caregiver support groups, a monthly guest speaker series, workshops, service navigation, and respite programs that help individuals build life and social skills while giving caregivers time to rest. We are based in Ontario and serve families across Canada, with most of our programs offered online. 

Job Description

Teens living with FASD often tell us that events designed for younger children or for whole families don’t feel right for them. In this role, you will help Harrison’s Hope plan engaging, fun, age-appropriate activities that help teens connect with each other, and that give their families a chance for respite. 

This is a project-based role. You will work on a small number of planning tasks, with guidance and regular daily feedback from your supervisor.

You will learn about FASD-informed, inclusive program planning and gain hands-on experience in community event design.

Key Responsibilities

• Researching activities that appeal to teens, such as bowling, pickleball, laser tag, whirly ball, or bubble soccer, and finding local options, costs, and accessibility details 
• Developing event ideas and simple activity schedules for teen events 
• Helping gather youth input, for example by drafting a short survey or a list of questions to learn what teens want 
• Supporting early planning for respite programs and an online teen engagement group 
• Exploring ways to make events welcoming to a wider group of youth, including teens with ADHD and other neurodevelopmental differences 
• Sharing your work at regular check-ins and updating it based on feedback 

Qualifications

No previous work or volunteer experience is needed. We welcome students of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, including students with lived experience of disability or neurodiversity. You may be a good fit if you: 

• Are interested in youth programs, disability inclusion, community services, recreation, or event planning 
• Have ideas about what makes an activity fun and welcoming for teens 
• Enjoy researching, organizing information, and sharing ideas 
• Are comfortable working online and keeping in touch through email and video calls 
• Are open to feedback and like to learn as you go 

If you need any accommodations to apply or to take part in this role, please let us know. We are happy to work with you.

Additional Information

All work is done online from wherever you are. You will need access to a computer or device with internet, email, and video calls (for example, Zoom or Microsoft Teams). 

There is no requirement to attend events in person, unless you wish to participant in any of the events. We will cover the transportation and costs of those events, if you do choose to attend in person. 

Time Commitment: About 4 hours per week, approximately 16 hours per month. Hours are flexible and can be completed at times that work for you. We will schedule a regular virtual check-in with your supervisor (about 30 minutes each week, counted as part of your hours). Daily email and phone check-ins will be used to support the role. 

We understand that school comes first. We are happy to adjust your workload around midterms, exams, and reading week. We just ask that you let us know in advance when you need to change your schedule. 

How to Apply

Send your application to Mary Byrnes, mary@harrisonshope.ca.