Description

Work with purpose at United for Literacy

Formerly Frontier College, United for Literacy is the national registered charity dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth, and adults through literacy.

Our vision is:  

Literacy is recognized as a human right and a driving force for empowerment and prosperity. United for Literacy leads the effort in Canada to help people and communities achieve their goals through the power of literacy. 

Since 1899, our "All Welcome!" approach and innovative services have been transforming every place into a learning place. In the past year, nearly 25,000 children, youth, and adults in over 200 urban, rural, and remote places across Canada (including 137 Indigenous communities) gained access to free, inclusive literacy and numeracy programs. These programs took place both in person and online, and they were supported by nearly 2,000 trained volunteer tutors.

As an education-focused organization, we’re committed to learning from our shared history. In our recent history (from 2005), we progressively started to hire and train members of the communities we partner with. This ensures that the local culture, language, and traditions are the heart of all educational activities offered by United for Literacy. We will move forward in the spirit of reflection, collaboration, reconciliation, and change. 

The Opportunity:

We are currently seeking an Intern to support the Ottawa Community Coordinator with the implementation of fall 2025/winter 2026 United for Literacy programming, volunteer management, and program evaluation. This will involve planning and facilitating both online and in-person children’s educational support programs. This position will require creativity, organization, and leadership.

Note: Due to funding requirements, the successful candidate must be a current post-secondary student.

This position will report to the United for Literacy Community Coordinator for Ottawa. Working under the Community Coordinator, this position will require a commitment of approximately 10 hours per week from the end of August 2025 until the end of March 2026. The workload for this position will vary throughout the contract and will require flexibility on the part of the candidate. The Intern will have a balance of volunteer management, program, and administrative responsibilities as detailed below.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Adhere to United for Literacy’s Volunteer Management Policies & Procedures.
• Support the implementation of virtual and in-person literacy and numeracy programming for children and youth.
• Manage and work closely with the United for Literacy Ottawa team to plan and facilitate programming and conduct community outreach.
• Support Ottawa Community Coordinator and Literacy Facilitator to ensure successful program delivery.
• Facilitate the delivery of at least one in-person program per week.
• Communicate effectively with United for Literacy volunteers, community partners, and other stakeholders.
• Assist and support the Community Coordinator in volunteer screening and placement.
• Maintain accurate volunteer files and ensure all reference checks are completed on all volunteers.
• Complete required data entry and statistical collection.
• Support the Community Coordinator in conducting program evaluation as well as reporting.
• Provide relevant learning and tutoring resources to volunteers.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills, Attributes, and Requirements

• Be a post-secondary student for 2025-2026
• Strong communication and administrative skills.
• Located in or easily accessible to Ottawa to help support in-person programming.
• Experience with planning/coordinating programs and/or events.
• Organized, able to manage multiple tasks, and deal with stress.
• Flexible schedule: able to commit to weekly hours as required, including some evenings and weekends.
• Ability to provide a supportive, motivational, and positive environment for United for Literacy volunteer tutors and Organizational Team leaders (OT).
• Experience with volunteers, community settings, and diverse populations.
• Energetic, resourceful, and flexible.
• Able to think critically, solve problems, and manage details.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite, social media platforms (Instagram & Facebook), Canva, and hosting meetings on Zoom and MS Teams.
• Demonstrated ability to work to high standards unsupervised and to take initiative.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to be flexible in different teaching environments, including online instruction.
• All successful applicants will need to complete a police record check.

Additional Assets 

• Access to a vehicle 

• French language proficiency 

Compensation   

Salary of $17.20 per hour   

Working at United for Literacy  

You will benefit from:   

• A supportive work environment that seeks to be open, inclusive, and fun  

• Staff-led groups and committees include, among others: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI); Internal Skills Development; and more.  

• Connecting with your colleagues from coast to coast to coast for team-wide training and learning.  

Ready to join our team?   

Please email your cover letter and resume to:   
Sarah Brydges, Ottawa Community Coordinator 

[email protected] 
No phone calls, please. You will be contacted if you are selected for an interview.  

For more information about United for Literacy visit www.unitedforliteracy.ca  
Closing date:  Wednesday, July 30, 2025, 5:00pm  
We welcome applications from individuals who self-identify on the basis of any of the protected grounds under the Human Rights Code. We are committed to integration and maintaining the independence of individuals and removing barriers to accessibility in the workplace. We are committed to full compliance with the Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation. We invite applicants to request accommodation, as required, throughout the application and hiring process.  

We require some of our staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to do in-person work. Exemptions for valid medical reasons will be considered.