Employment Opportunity
Food Forest Intern

About Keepers of the Circle
Keepers of the Circle is an Indigenous Hub operated by the Temiskaming Native Women’s Support
Group (TNWSG), a non-profit organization founded in 1997 to promote the economic, cultural, and social
equity of Indigenous women. The TNWSG was also mandated to establish culturally based programs and
services to for Indigenous women and their families in the District of Temiskaming. In 2018, the mandate
extended across the province with our appointment as the Ontario representative for the Native Women’s
Association of Canada. Keepers of the Circle programming is focused on the restoration and retention of
Indigenous languages and Indigenous Traditional Knowledge; economic security and self-determination;
and creating culturally safe spaces for Indigenous women and families. 

About the Role
Keepers of the Circle created two food forests at our Indigenous hub sites to offer opportunities for
Indigenous communities to interact with local food systems and receive training and education around
traditional growing and foods.
Maintaining a food forest system that models sustainable land use will provide local families experiencing
food insecurity direct access to nutrient dense foods and contribute to a clean growth economy through
the development of entrepreneurial opportunities. This can be a place where people can interact with and learn about Indigenous and local agricultural practices and food systems. The Indigenous-led curriculum will build capacity, stimulate the local food and green economy, and create more jobs.
We are offering an internship opportunity for an Indigenous youth (age 15-29) as a Food Forest Intern.
During this internship, you will be responsible for assisting with the maintenance the natural infrastructure
built at Keepers of the Circle’s food forest sites (planting, cultivating, etc.). You will also assist with the
development of land management and food forest education curriculum that will be used for Keepers of
the Circle’s land-based and food focused training programs.

This internship is a great opportunity for youth to gain more experience in the food and agriculture sector
and strengthen the following skills:
• Written and oral communication skills
• Time Management
• Hands-on experience and knowledge of Indigenous & local agriculture practices
• Experience developing training curriculum using a Two-Eyed Seeing approach
• Project management skills
• Collaboration skills

This internship requires the individual to travel to both Keepers of the Circle sites in Kirkland Lake and
New Liskeard. It is a contract full-time position that is expected to be complete by the end of October
2023.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Food Forest Intern include:
• Assisting with the hands-on maintenance of the food forest (e.g. planting, cultivating, harvesting)
• Supporting the development of food and agriculture education curriculum that will be used for
future training
• Co-delivering on-site and virtual workshops around food growing, seed keeping, and other
traditional growing practices
• Coordinating use, regular visits, or tours of the food forest with our teams and departments within
Keepers of the Circle
• Engage in land management workshops and activities
• Assist with the organization and delivery of construction training for infrastructure built for the food
forest sites
• Identify opportunities for food distribution with the local Indigenous communities and the
integration and use of food grown within Keepers of the Circle’s programs
• Other assigned duties to support Keepers of the Circle’s activities and projects

Requirements and Skills
• Youth (between the ages of 15 and 29 years old)
• Interested in the food and agriculture space and pursuing a career within the sector
• Open to learning and integrating Indigenous culture and traditions into your work
• Respect to diversity
• Curious and eager to learn
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Organized and efficient with time management
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Working knowledge of MS Office, SharePoint, and Teams
• Working knowledge of Zoom
• Ability to travel and a valid G license is preferred
• Keepers of the Circle values the local community and preference will be given to recruit a local
candidate who can be on-site at one of our site locations.

Don’t think you meet the requirements? Apply anyways! We understand that people have different
experiences and skills and we’re looking for a candidate who is passionate about the sector.
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility

We advocate for the presence and contributions of all people regardless of ability, age, cultural
background, education, ethnic origin, gender expression, gender identity, immigration status, language,
marital status, nationality, physical appearance, political affiliations, perspective, race, religion, sexual
orientation, sexuality, family status, socioeconomic status, or other such considerations, and
intersectionality's therein. As an Indigenous organization, Keepers of the Circle has an affirmative action
policy that prioritizes the hiring of Indigenous Peoples and community affiliates. Please let us know of any
specific requirements during the application process by emailing hr@keepersofthecircle.com – we are
happy to work with you on accommodation requests.
How To Apply
Applications will be accepted until Friday, June 16th at 5pm EST. Please send your resume and cover
letter to hr@keepersofthecircle.com with the subject title “Food Forest – Internship Application (Your
Name)”.