The Virginia Cooperative Extension Family Nutrition Program Educator for Initiatives to Advance Indigenous Health assists caregivers of young children and elders 45 and older to eat healthier meals and snacks, obtain the best nutrition at the lowest food cost, and be physically active. The position also builds community capacity to improve access and availability of affordable, safe and culturally appropriate, nutritious foods and beverages, such as through gardening initiatives. In collaboration with many organizations and the 7 federally-recognized tribal organizations in Virginia – Pamunkey Indian Tribe, Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Upper Mattaponi, Rappahannock, Nansemond and Monacan - the Virginia Family Nutrition Program aims to help reduce the risk of nutrition insecurity and chronic disease by working with indigenous adults to gain practical skills that result in changed behaviors to shop smart, eat smart, and move more.
The individual in this position will recruit, enroll, and teach adult participants individually or in group settings (in-person, by phone, or using video conferencing) about basic principles of food resource management, food preparation, nutrition, and physical activity. The position will also forge partnerships to promote healthy eating through policy, systems, and environmental change initiatives, such as through gardening initiatives. A small portion of effort will be dedicated to recruiting, enrolling, and teaching eligible youth from limited-resource indigenous families (in grades K-12, ages 5 to 19) in group settings (in-person only) during the summer about basic principles of nutrition, food preparation, and physical activity.
This position involves collaborating with federal tribal organizations, agencies, and organizations that work with indigenous persons with limited resources, marketing the program, and collecting evaluation records for all programs.
The Family Nutrition Program Educator (Indigenous Initiatives) is an employee and representative of Virginia Cooperative Extension and works under the supervision of the Coordinator for Indigenous Health. The person in this position is expected to travel regionally to provide in-person programs and build community partnerships within Indigenous communities with a primary focus of supporting tribal traditions, culture, beliefs, and food sovereignty initiatives.