Description
Human Rights Office
PASS Grade 4 (under review) $75, 047 to $84, 466
Contract to August 31, 2025
About the Board
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is committed to learning, equity, engagement and innovation. We are guided by our vision, Growing Together, the mission that every student experiences a sense of belonging and engages in dynamic learning to reach their potential and build their own future, and our values of Compassion, Dignity, Trust, and Joy to guide our daily work and ensure that we honour the unique identities and needs of all. Proudly serving a community of approximately 50,000 students in the City of Hamilton and surrounding area, HWDSB operates across 80 elementary schools, 13 secondary schools and 1 Adult Learning Centre, in addition to providing support and service to approximately 8,800 staff members.
Staff Wellness
At HWDSB, staff wellness is a priority. We are committed to co-creating and fostering an environment where staff feel safe, valued, and supported. We are continuously striving to support the needs of our diverse community and actively work to foster and maintain a culture of human rights.
Our holistic Staff Wellness program has been designed to support employee’s well-being in all dimensions of health. As one part of this comprehensive program, all staff as well as their dependents have access to free and confidential supports through our Employee and Family Assistance Provider (EFAP), in addition to many other program components.
About the Role
The System Navigator, Human Rights and Equity, as a member of the Human Rights Office and in collaboration with the Equity and Well-being Department, will work to bridge the gap between equity-deserving students, families and communities and the school system using culturally responsive strategies. The System Navigator provides support to students who are experiencing barriers in navigating the education system, impacting their access to meaningful and equitable education free from discrimination. The System Navigator will collaborate directly with school administration, students and families in proactively preventing and addressing inequities and human rights issues of hate, bias, and discrimination. In addition, the System Navigator will contribute to identifying school-based and systemic barriers that needs to be addressed at the school and system level, contributing to ensuring accountability as outlined in the Board’s Human Rights and Equity Action Plan.
Duties include but are not limited to:
Provide culturally responsive and identity- affirming services to students and families from equity-deserving communities to be able to navigate the school system and other systems (e.g. Child Welfare), and provide guidance with regards to policies, procedures, processes and practices.
Engage with students and families regarding their human rights, roles and responsibilities to increase understanding of the Board’s Human Rights Policy, the Equity and Inclusion Policy and how to access support from the Human Rights Office, the Equity and Well-being Department, the Special Education department and other system departments and school resources.
Support students and families as they interact with HWDSB schools and/or the school board by attending meetings, to empower them through system navigation and facilitation to reduce barriers for the family.
Act as a support and advisor to school administration and staff in developing their leadership in relationship and learning partnership with families in culturally and identity affirming ways.
Act as an objective third party, to support students and families to address conflicts that have arisen in the school system (e.g. experience with discriminatory behavior or practice, feeling that disciplinary action was unfair, IEPs not being implemented); working with school administration to find resolutions preventing escalation.
Support in school-based case management as part of a team, analyzing, and identifying and resolving issues, and when necessary, making connections to the Human Rights Office and other supports and resources.
Serve as a resource person to support with the creation and maintenance of student, parent and community groups from equity-deserving groups, engage with groups to gather student and community voice with a goal of proactively identifying and addressing human rights and equity barriers.
Qualifications:
Post secondary degree or diploma in Humanities or Social Sciences or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
A minimum of three years’ experience in education, youth and community-based programming and services, human rights and equity or social service sector or an equivalent combination of education and related professional and lived community experience.
A strong understanding of human rights barriers and systemic inequities and the needs and rights of students, families and communities facing discrimination, preferably in the K-12 education context and workplace context.
Strong understanding and application of human rights, equity and related legislations (e.g. Ontario Human Rights Code, Ontario Health and Safety Act, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act) and theories and practices of equity, diversity, inclusion and Anti-racism and Anti-oppression.
Strong understanding of HWDSB’s Human Rights Policy, Equity and Inclusion Policy, Safe Schools Policies and related Ministry of Education policies and procedures.
Deep understanding and experience addressing current and relevant discrimination and inequity issues and systems of oppression in the education or similar sectors (e.g. ableism, ageism, anti-Asian racism, antisemitism, biphobia, classism, homophobia, Islamophobia, racism, sexism, transphobia).
Familiarity with Hamilton’s diverse communities and the local needs and challenges in relation to navigating and addressing hate, bias and prejudice.
Demonstrated ability for conceptualizing and addressing individual and family educational human rights and equity concerns from a systems perspective.
Experience providing direct support to individuals and families from equity deserving communities that may experience discrimination (Black, racialized, Two Spirit and LGBTQIA+, Muslim communities, people with disabilities, newcomers, etc).
Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills including one-to-one support, teamwork, and presentations appropriate to various contexts, including cross-cultural and interdisciplinary communications.
Proven acumen and good decision-making responding to sensitive and urgent situations, maintaining privacy and confidentiality and ability to be compassionate, empathetic and impartial.
Ability to manage stress, urgent timelines, and high paced and high-volume customer service environment.
Ability to engage and facilitate courageous conversations and manage conflict.
Ability to work directly with students, families, school administration and staff.
Excellent organizational, time-management, analytical and critical thinking skills
Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams).
Requirement to work evening hours when required based on system needs.
Valid Driver’s License and access to a vehicle as travel is required.
Assets
Experience in a multi-unionized environment or public sector environments.
Experience providing services and working with groups and communities that experience discrimination and inequities.
Lived experience as a member of Indigenous communities and/or equity-deserving groups.
Ability to speak multiple languages (e.g. Arabic, Somali)
Deadline for submission is 4:00pm on Wednesday September 18, 2024 . Applicants who are short-listed for this position will be invited for an in-person interview at the HWDSB Education Centre (wheelchair accessible). If you require accommodation, please notify us in advance and we will work with you to meet your needs as HWDSB is committed to providing accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process, based on any human rights protected grounds.
Employment Equity Statement
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is committed to building inclusive learning and working environments where students see themselves reflected in the curriculum, staff population, physical surroundings and the broader community.
HWDSB’s mission is to empower students to learn and grow to their full potential in a diverse world. Guided by this mission, HWDSB strives to build a workforce that embodies the values of human rights, equity, diversity and inclusion, while reflecting and welcoming the diverse and distinct identities, experiences and needs of our students and our communities.
HWDSB seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, and who will contribute to the vision of creating inclusive and equitable outcomes. HWDSB especially invites and welcomes applications from:
Indigenous Peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples).
Members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin (e.g., Black and racialized communities, immigrant communities, etc.).
Persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities.
Persons who identify as women.
Persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. (i.e., Two-spirit and LGBTQIA+).
As part of HWDSB’s commitment to employment equity and removing barriers to groups that have faced and continue to face barriers in employment, we invite all applicants to complete a voluntary questionnaire that collects identity-based information. The voluntary questionnaire is on the Apply to Education application page for this position.
HWDSB is committed to providing accommodation throughout the recruitment and selection process, based on any human rights protected grounds. If you require accommodation, please notify us in advance and we will work with you to meet your needs.
Land Acknowledgement
HWDSB is located on ancestral Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Confederacy land as determined by the Dish with One Spoon treaty. The Dish with One Spoon wampum belt represents the treaty relationship between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Anishinaabe with respect to sharing the land and resources thereon. The intent of this agreement is for all nations sharing this territory to do so responsibly, respectfully and sustainably in perpetuity. We respect the longstanding relationships with the local Indigenous communities, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River.
Applicant Self-Identification Form
The information collected on this form is used to monitor HWDSB’s progress toward our equity goals including our commitment to diversity in HWDSB recruitment and hiring practices. We are committed to the security and confidentiality of information under our control, and to the protection of privacy with respect to personal and confidential information that is collected, used, disclosed and retained in the system (Policy 1.6 - Privacy). Information on this form is collected pursuant to Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan (Ministry of Education) and in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). Access to this form is restricted to specific individuals in Human Resources. The Research and Analytics Department will use aggregate data from all the forms (not individual data) for internal reporting. Their access and use of the data is governed by MFIPPA and ethical research practices. Applicant Self-Identification Forms will be maintained in the Human Resources job competition file and securely destroyed 1 year after the job posting for candidates not selected for an interview and 6 years after the job posting for candidates interviewed, in accordance with general records retention principles. If you prefer not to answer any of the questions, you can select “prefer not to answer”. This in no way affects your application or the applicant selection process. If you have questions or concerns about this form please contact humanresources@hwdsb.on.ca.
