Community Engagement and Services Coordinator

About the job

Community Engagement & Services Coordinator

The Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children & Families

Location: Oakville, ON

Type: 1-year contract with possibility of extension and/or transition to a permanent position

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Application Deadline: June 26, 2026 (open until filled)

About Lighthouse

The Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children & Families is a non-profit grief support centre based in Oakville, Ontario. Since 1999, we’ve provided hope, healing, and peer support to children, youth, and their families who are grieving the death of a loved one. Our programs create safe spaces where children and young adults can share, connect, and grow through their grief — surrounded by understanding peers, skilled facilitators, and a compassionate community. We also work with caregivers, schools, and the broader community to increase awareness and build grief-informed support systems.

The Opportunity

The Community Engagement & Services Coordinator is a full-time position within the Services team focused on strengthening Lighthouse’s community outreach, partnerships, and pathways into support for grieving children, youth, and families.

This role supports community engagement efforts that increase awareness of Lighthouse services, reduce barriers to access, and help families more easily connect to and navigate Lighthouse supports and programs.

Working closely with the Director of Services and broader Services team, the role also contributes to workshop delivery, inquiry/intake support, and community-informed program development.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

Community Engagement & Outreach

• Build and maintain relationships with schools, community organizations, and community groups across Halton and surrounding areas
• Support outreach and community engagement efforts that increase awareness of Lighthouse services and reduce barriers to access for grieving children, youth, and families
• Plan and support the delivery of community-based workshops, presentations, and trainings in partnership with local partners
• Help strengthen how families and community members connect from outreach and inquiry into ongoing Lighthouse supports and programs
• Identify patterns, gaps, and emerging needs through community engagement and bring forward insights to help inform outreach priorities, workshops, and community-informed programming
• Develop and implement strategies for targeted community engagement and outreach to underserved communities, such as Indigenous Peoples, Black people, and other racialized communities, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, minoritized faith groups, and persons with disabilities.
• Apply a cultural safety and cultural humility lens to outreach, community engagement, workshops, and family interactions

Service Access & Intake Support

• Respond to phone and email inquiries and support families in navigating Lighthouse services and programs
• Support and help strengthen Lighthouse’s intake and inquiry processes with a focus on accessibility, consistency, family experience, and reducing barriers to access
• Contribute to the ongoing review, organization, and implementation of intake-related workflows, forms, and processes
• Help strengthen how families move from initial outreach, inquiry, or workshop participation into ongoing Lighthouse supports and programs
• Identify trends, barriers, and areas for improvement related to service access, intake, and participant experience
• Support the planning and coordination of programs, workshops, and community events as needed
• Contribute to a consistent, welcoming, and inclusive experience for children, youth, and families across all points of connection with Lighthouse

Community-Informed Program Support

• Share insights from outreach, workshops, inquiries, and community relationships to help inform program planning and service improvements
• Bring forward ideas for new or adjusted initiatives that support increased accessibility, participation, and alignment with Lighthouse’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) priorities
• Support the development of tailored workshops, engagement opportunities, and service pathways that respond to community needs and barriers
• Help bring an access and equity lens to program planning, outreach priorities, and family engagement strategies
• Contribute to new initiatives and process improvements that strengthen how families connect with and remain engaged in Lighthouse supports

Tracking, Learning & Continuous Improvement

• Support basic tracking of outreach, workshops, partnerships, inquiries, and engagement trends
• Help collect and organize feedback from participants, partners, and community activities
• Identify patterns, gaps, and opportunities that can inform future outreach, access, and programming decisions
• Contribute to simple, consistent documentation and reporting processes that help Lighthouse better understand reach, impact, and barriers to access

Qualifications & Experience

• Post-secondary education in a related field (e.g., social services, community development, child and youth work) or equivalent experience
• 3-6+ years of experience working with children, youth, and/or families in a community or social service setting, including experience applying learning across programs or initiatives
• Experience supporting children, youth, and/or families navigating grief, loss, or emotionally complex life experiences is an asset
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Experience with community engagement or outreach is an asset
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities
• Ability to identify patterns, gaps, and emerging community needs and apply those insights in a practical and relationship-based way
• Experience contributing to or supporting the development of programs, initiatives, or service improvements is an asset
• Knowledge of and demonstrated competency in anti-racism and anti-oppression (ARAO) and cultural safety/humility in community and/or non-profit settings.

Additional Information

• Full-time role with a mix of in-office, remote, and community-based work
• Some evening and weekend availability required for programs and events
• Ideal for someone who enjoys relationship-based community work, systems thinking, and improving how families connect with support.

Accommodation:

The Lighthouse is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment and volunteer practices in compliance with the Accessibilities for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs.

If you are committed to making a difference in the lives of those coping with grief and loss, we invite you to join our dedicated team. Together, let's create a supportive community where individuals find solace and healing. To apply, please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience to info@lighthousegriefsupport.org. Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

Thank you for considering this important volunteer opportunity with Lighthouse.