Location: Toronto, ON. This will be a hybrid position and will include a mix of in-person and online work.
Duration: A 3-month contract from mid-June to mid-September 2022
Number of Open Positions: 1
Who We Are
StopGap Foundation raises awareness about the importance of accessibility and works towards creating a country where every person can access every space. Through StopGap’s programming, single-stepped locations are provided with brightly painted, custom, deployable access ramps to eliminate barriers in the built environment and create inclusive spaces we can all live, work, learn, and play in. StopGap’s ramps provide greater access for everyone, including wheelchair and mobility device users, parents pushing strollers, delivery people, and the elderly – a fantastic example of good universal design. These brightly coloured ramps also invite people to think and talk about accessibility in fun and innovative ways resulting in increased societal awareness about this important issue.
Since the first StopGap ramp landed in front of a Toronto neighbourhood business in October 2011, StopGap Foundation has grown from a local volunteer-run ad hoc initiative into an award-winning nationally-recognized registered charitable organization with a small but mighty team of paid staff.
To learn more about our organization, please visit www.stopgap.ca.
Description of Responsibilities
StopGap is performing an Accessibility Census within the City of Toronto to assess the current state of existing StopGap ramps and whether or not they are in need of a replacement, and to also note which locations in the city are eligible for a StopGap ramp but do not presently have one.
The Accessibility Census will involve:
1. Travelling to each of the 83 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) within the City of Toronto
2. Assessing the condition of StopGap ramps within each BIA and reviewing their need for repainting or replacement
3. Recording the location of single-stepped non-residential locations within each BIA that do not currently have a StopGap ramp but would be eligible for one
4. Logging other findings for non-residential locations such as the number of fully accessible, partially accessible, and inaccessible entrances that exist
5. Compiling and organizing the information gathered to create reports, statistics, and/or infographics (you will work alongside the Engagement Coordinator and Executive Director for this task)
In addition to working on the Accessibility Census, you will occasionally assist with Ramp Prep and Corporate Team Building Paint Days:
6. Ramp Prep: Helping to make ramp rope handles, sand unpainted ramps, and dremel ramp serial numbers onto unpainted ramps
7. Corporate Team Building Paint Days: Helping to set up the ramps, paint and other materials; providing instruction and assistance in painting ramps for the Paint Day participants; ensuring quality control of painted ramps; and assisting with clean up
Your Skills, Strengths, and Interests
1. You are passionate about accessibility and barrier-free design
2. You are very organized and have excellent attention to detail
3. You have great written and verbal communication skills
4. You are self-directed and have no problem meeting deadlines when working under minimal supervision (there will be daily check-ins with the rest of the StopGap team, but most of the work you will be doing will be unsupervised)
5. You enjoy extrapolating findings and insights from raw data and information
6. You are comfortable with and enjoy hands-on work, such as activities noted above in the Ramp Prep and Corporate Team Building Paint Days section
Requirements
1. Access to a laptop
2. Access to a smartphone with a working camera or a digital camera (to photograph and keep a record of existing ramp conditions)
3. Knowledge of using software such as Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), Google Suite programs (Docs, Drives, Sheets, Slides)
4. Comfortable travelling around the City of Toronto (whether that be by foot, bike, public transit, or car is up to you)
5. Comfortable lifting up to 50 lbs (larger ramps, buckets of paint, etc.)
Why Work With Us
This is your opportunity to join an innovative, fun, and public-facing organization, led by a visionary and creative team. You’ll have the opportunity to learn and execute during this 3-month experience. You will have access to the beautiful office space and network at the Centre for Social Innovation, of which StopGap Foundation is a member. We offer a competitive hourly rate of $20/hr and working hours can be negotiated up to 32.5 hours per week. To learn more about our company and leadership team, please visit www.stopgap.ca.
How to Apply
Thank you for considering this role. If you would like to apply, please send your resume to our Engagement Coordinator, velanie@stopgap.ca, with the email subject line “StopGap Summer Job Application” along with a note about why you might be a good fit for our team. PDFs, Google docs, and Word docs are accepted file types.
StopGap Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applicants with disabilities, and of all genders, racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, and with a range of life experiences to apply. If you require accommodation, please notify us and we will work with you to meet your needs. StopGap Foundation would like to thank all those that apply, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.