Compassionate Communities In BC

We are looking for an artistic and creative person to join our team to support Cherryville youth! Position will be posted until filled.

YOUTH ARTS & CULTURE

Program Coordinator Job Application

Position Summary

The Program Coordinator works collaboratively with CCFRS staff to create exciting arts & culture classes for Cherryville youth. There will be 4 unique programs that run for 6 weeks each and target youth ages 6-14. Programs run mid-September to May for a total of 24 weeks. Arts & Culture is a range of educational opportunities including but not limited to Art & Health, Dance, Drawing, Painting & Crafting, Music & Singing, Photography & Film, Poetry & Parks, and Culture.

The Program Coordinator reports to CCF&RS throughout the duration of classes and works collaboratively with staff to create an engaging and inclusive learning opportunity.

Education, Training, and Experience:

• Experience and/or training working with youth
• Must hold a current Emergency Child Care First Aid & CPR Certificate (available through CCFRS)
• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector
• Must have Responsible Adult or equivalent
• Must be at least 19 years of age
• Must be able to lift and support up to 50 pounds
• Technical skills (computer savvy, able to use excel and word, etc.) an asset

Work Performed

Duties and Responsibilities for this position include:

• Creating engaging learning opportunities for youth 6-14 to express themselves in variety of ways
• Working collaboratively with CCFRS to develop 4 arts and culture programs including but not limited to topics covering Art & Health, Dance, Drawing, Painting & Crafting, Music & Singing, Photography & Film, Poetry & Parks, and Culture
• Being attentive to the children and building self-esteem and confidence
• Promoting kindness and creating a positive and inclusive atmosphere
• Set up and clean up after every class, leaving workspace in same condition as before use
• Taking inventory of program supplies and submitting requests to CCFRS staff when needed
• Adherence to CCF&RS policy and procedures including a signed Confidentiality Agreement
• Ensuring safety of program participants and responding to emergencies in accordance with established policy and guidelines

Hours

This is a contract employee position, 6 hours per week at $20.00/hour (includes MERCS) for 24 weeks running from September to May. Classes range from 1-2 hours per week depending on age group and program focus. Additional hours may be available but not guaranteed.

Qualified applicants are invited to submit resume with at least two references by email to:

Meghan Derkach, Executive Director at meghan.derkach@hotmail.com

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, please note only the applicants under consideration will be scheduled an interview.

We are beyond excited at Cherryville Community Food & Resource Society to be part of the North Okanagan Rural Response Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada via Health Canada’s Emergency Treatment Fund.

Working in partnership with Canadian Mental Health Association, Whitevalley Community Resource Centre, and local Indigenous partners, our goal is to deliver trauma-informed outreach services to Cherryville residents of all ages, absolving barriers to access and reducing stigma. Programming will primarily focus on mental health engagement, supports and prevention, harm reduction education, and peer support. Any Cherryville resident interested in learning more can reach out to our office Monday-Thursday, 8:00-3:00 @ 250-547-0089.

If you would benefit from one-to-one support to navigate mental health and/or substance use, we have recently onboarded a Social Worker dedicated to supporting folks and their families throughout their journey. You can call or text Angel at 250-550-8409, book an in-person or virtual appointment today, or email angel.zeolkowski@ccfrs.ca to get connected.

See below for the Village of Lumby’s Press Release on May 12, 2026 for more details of this fund.

Check out this YouTube video presented by Meghan Derkach, Executive Director at Cherryville Community Food and Resource Society.

(1318) A Rural Approach to the Compassionate Community Model – YouTube

Bio: My name is Meghan Derkach, and I was born and raised in a rural community called Cherryville. I have always been an advocate for social justice and equity since a young age. When I was 18, I was having lunch with a group of older adults who were sharing their frustrations about having to leave the Cherryville community because there weren’t enough resources for them to live independently and I remember feeling absolutely broken hearted about it. That was the moment I realized I wanted to support Cherryville aging and pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work with a Concentration in Aging. I was drawn to the aging-in-place model, community development and looked to age-friendly community literature. However, being rural has its unique challenges and many of the “making an age friendly community” infrastructure wasn’t relatable. Working with older adults I soon came to realize you cannot support aging-in-place without addressing access to health care as they are overlapping systems. I then pursued a Health-Focused Master’s in Social Work through University of Waterloo to better understand the complexity behind health care and how to better support rural aging in place.  During this time, I was volunteering at Cherryville Food Bank and started expanding its reach to include resources and services to all residents. In 2021 I assumed the Executive Director position after strengthening our organizational and financial health and obtaining multiple grants. 2021 we officially changed our name to include resources as we expanded our vision and mission to meet the needs of all rural residents. Fast forward to 2024, we have implemented a range of services and resources to support rural living for youth, low-income families, persons living with disabilities, older adults, and a variety of community engagement events. In early January, we started to focus on Cherryville residents who had complex health conditions and or living with life limiting illness to advocate for better access to health care within community. These conversations led us to BC Centre for Palliative Care Seed Grant as the Compassionate Community model aligned perfectly with our growing vision and mission. I am excited to share a little more about this grant and how it has unfolded in the Cherryville community.