Work Experience ParticipantCommunity Ambassador, Café Window & Service Support
Program: FOOD Works: Food-Based Opportunities for Occupational Development
Status: Temporary paid work experience placementHours: 200 hours total, part-time
Wage: $20/hour
Location: A Better Life Foundation / Save On Meats, Vancouver Downtown Eastside
Reports to: Program Manager, with day-to-day support from Community Engagement and Program staff
About the Opportunity
A Better Life Foundation is offering paid work experience placements for people who want to build confidence, gain customer service experience, and take a meaningful step into the workforce.
This opportunity is designed for people facing barriers to employment, including people with lived experience of poverty, disability, recovery, housing instability, income assistance, or other life circumstances that have made steady work difficult.
You do not need a perfect resume or formal customer service experience. You do need a willingness to show up, learn, treat people with respect, and help create a welcoming environment.
At ABLF, food is how we build community. This placement offers steady pay, practical training, and the chance to support guests, volunteers, neighbours, and community partners.
Who Can Apply
This opportunity is available to people who meet WEOG eligibility requirements. Eligible participants may include people who receive or qualify for:
- British Columbia Employment and Assistance
- Disability assistance
- Hardship Assistance
- Person with Persistent Multiple Barriers to Employment benefits
- Assistance from an eligible Treaty First Nation
- Assistance from a First Nation Administering Authority
What You’ll Do
Participants may help with:
- Greeting guests, volunteers, and community members
- Supporting café window service
- Helping with meal programs and community events
- Setting up and cleaning up before and after programs
- Offering friendly, respectful service
- Helping people feel welcome and included
- Sharing basic program information
- Supporting volunteers during events
- Helping with simple service tasks, supplies, and room setup
- Supporting community outreach and engagement activities
What You’ll Learn
You will build practical skills that can support future work in customer service, hospitality, peer support, outreach, food service, nonprofit programs, or community work.
Training may include:
- Customer service and guest support
- Communication and teamwork
- Event and program setup
- Basic food service support
- Professional workplace habits
- Time management and reliability
- Working with volunteers and community members
- Staying calm and respectful in a busy environment
- Receiving feedback and building confidence
Additional supports may include de-escalation and naloxone training, FOODSAFE Level 1 where useful, transit support, and wraparound support where needed.
Who This Is For
This may be a good fit if you:
- Want to get back into the workforce or build first work experience
- Like working with people
- Are interested in community, hospitality, food service, or peer support
- Can treat guests, staff, volunteers, and neighbours with respect
- Are open to learning and receiving support
- Want to build confidence, routine, and work habits
- Care about making people feel welcome
Formal experience is helpful but not required. Lived experience is valued.
Working Environment
This is active, people-facing work. Participants may stand, move, greet people, help with service, set up rooms, clean up, and support events or meal programs.
The work can be busy and social. At times, it may involve interacting with people who are having a hard day. You will be supported by experienced staff who are used to working with people of all backgrounds and abilities.
Success Looks Like
By the end of the placement, success may look like:
- Showing up consistently
- Building confidence in a people-facing workplace
- Learning basic customer service and community engagement skills
- Working respectfully with staff, peers, volunteers, guests, and neighbours
- Completing training and work experience hours
- Feeling more prepared for future employment
How to Apply
Please apply if this sounds like a good next step. We welcome applicants with lived experience and people who may not have had traditional access to employment opportunities.
We especially encourage applications from Indigenous people, LGBTQ2S+ people, people with lived experience of poverty in all its forms, people receiving income or disability assistance, and people connected to the Downtown Eastside or other communities impacted by systemic barriers.
Please email your interest to [email protected]
Pay: $20.00-$22.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
