Therapeutic farms, therapeutic gardening, therapeutic horticulture

- Wage: $28/hr ($58,240 annually) commensurate with experience

The Ignatius Jesuit Centre (IJC) is a spiritual, ecological and community hub located on a 600-acre working farm and conservation property just north of Guelph. Rooted in the Ignatian tradition, IJC brings together agriculture, ecological stewardship, spirituality and community engagement.

In fall 2026, Eli’s Place Residential Treatment and Transition Centre will begin operating from Loyola House on the IJC property. Eli’s Place is creating Canada’s first long‑term residential therapeutic community for young adults aged 18 to 35 living with serious mental illness. Guests will live and work together as a community, combining individualized clinical care with shared daily life and meaningful work in horticulture, conservation and land stewardship.

Eli’s Place is a non-religious program. Its relationship with IJC is operational, not a religious affiliation. Under formal agreements with Eli’s Place, IJC provides the residential facility and food services and coordinates access to its agriculture, grounds and conservation lands.

Position Overview

Ignatius Jesuit Centre (IJC) is seeking an experienced and collaborative Farm-Land Services Coordinator to develop, coordinate and support land‑based work program services and IJC volunteer activities. This is a hands‑on, outward‑facing role that combines program planning, operational coordination, technical instruction and practical work across IJC’s farm, grounds, and conservation landscapes.

The Services Coordinator will lead the development, launch, ongoing delivery, and adaptation of the land‑based work activities that IJC provides for Eli’s Place.



Working closely with IJC’s Agriculture, Conservation and Campus Care teams, the Coordinator will develop meaningful activities based on the real work needs of the property. Activities will be organized across four work streams: Agriculture, Conservation, Campus Care, and Maker Skills. Maker Skills comprises useful and creative projects in woodworking, food processing and other rural or land‑based skills, particularly during late fall and winter.

The Services Coordinator will work closely with the Eli’s Place Work Teams Manager to plan activities and support their day‑to‑day delivery. IJC is responsible for identifying and preparing suitable work, providing technical expertise, and ensuring that IJC worksites, tools and task‑specific procedures are ready for safe participation. Eli’s Place staff are responsible for supervising Guests, determining their readiness and capacity to participate, adapting activities to individual therapeutic needs, and responding to Guest wellbeing or clinical concerns.

The IJC Services Coordinator will provide technical guidance to Eli’s Place staff and Guests but will not provide clinical care or independently supervise Guests. Success in this role will require explicit communication, careful coordination and the ability to adapt work activities while maintaining their operational value, safety and integrity.

Responsibilities





Program Building and Leadership

- Develop the Eli’s Place work program activities within each work stream in collaboration with IJC Farm‑Land program and operational staff.
- Establish weekly, seasonal and annual cycles of meaningful work based on IJC’s operational needs and the capacity of each work area.
- Prepare for the program launch and planned growth during the first year, ensuring that suitable spaces, tools, equipment, materials and task instructions are available.
- Develop Maker Skills activities and either deliver the technical component directly or coordinate delivery by qualified staff or skills leads.
- Participate in relevant IJC organizational meetings and joint IJC–Eli’s Place meetings to support program planning, review and adaptation.
- Develop practical evaluation and feedback processes with Eli’s Place and IJC staff, including regular operational reviews and seasonal adaptation.

Program Coordination and Delivery

- Serve as the primary IJC liaison for the Eli’s Place work program, coordinating regularly with the Eli’s Place Work Teams Manager, Work Team Leads and IJC Farm‑Land staff.
- Develop and maintain a schedule of work activities for weekday morning and afternoon work periods, in coordination with IJC’s Agriculture, Conservation and Campus Care leads.
- Confirm the readiness of worksites, tools, equipment, supplies, orientations and technical instructions before activities begin.
- Provide general IJC worksite orientations and coordinate or deliver task‑specific instruction to Eli’s Place Work Team Leads and Guests.
- Be available during scheduled work periods to provide technical

📌 Therapeutic farms, therapeutic gardening, therapeutic horticulture (Canada)
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📍 Canada