Job Description

Full Season Environmental Education Interns gain hands-on experience teaching and learning in our programs as they develop essential skills for environmental education. Environmental Educators improve their teaching techniques through practice, reflection, and feedback. Environmental Educators spend most of their time directly teaching Children’s Peace Garden programs such as field trips, After School Garden Club, classroom visits, summer camps at our Boulder and Longmont Farms. Interns also gain experience observing and teaching After School Garden Club, Classroom Visits and Field Trips at the Food Project Farm.

In addition to teaching in the Children’s Peace Garden, full season Environmental Education Interns gain experience teaching in the Horticultural Therapy program. This programs primarily serves elderly community members and persons with special needs.  Environmental Education Interns have the opportunity to co-lead these programs at off-site facilities as well as various on-site field trips at the gardens. During the summer months, Environmental Education Interns will occasionally work alongside teenage youth in the Cultiva Youth Project. Interns experience ways to engage with teenagers on the farm while helping youth develop leadership skills, learn about sustainable agriculture, and cultivate job and life skills.

In the Spring and Fall seasons, full season EE Interns will participate in Growing Gardens’ Food Project Gleaning program in partnership with GG staff. Interns will collect produce directly from farmers during Wednesday evening Farmers’ Markets in Boulder and bring it back to the Hawthorn Farm where it is distributed to our school partners. Interns will participate in Gleaning on a rotating basis.

Education Interns will gain hands-on experience and knowledge about vegetable production while maintaining the Children’s Peace Garden, and assisting in the Greenhouse and Cultiva fields.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INTERN DUTIES

TEACHING IN CHILDREN’S PEACE GARDEN, HORTICULTURAL THERAPY AND THE FOOD PROJECT FARM

●     Teach the following topics during field trips to the Boulder and Longmont farm sites and classroom visits to local schools: plant life cycles, planting and garden care, insects, pollination, beekeeping, composting, harvesting, healthy eating, community, cycles, and much more!

●     Teach Field Trips, After School Garden Club, Classroom Visits and Summer Camps in Children’s Peace Garden in Boulder independently and with co-teacher, with support and feedback from Program Coordinator.

●     Assist Food Project Program Coordinator with Field Trips at the Food Project Farm site in Longmont.

●     Act as a responsible, positive role model for Cultiva teens.

●     Support and co-teach Horticultural Therapy classes for seniors and people with differing abilities.

●     Conduct surveys, document and report attendance at all programs.

●     Attend intern trainings as assigned throughout entire internship.

●     Document activities through photography for reports, grant proposals and marketing as needed.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

●     Assist with marketing for programming

●     Positively interact with the public during community outreach events

EVENT PARTICIPATION

●     Assist with Growing Gardens’ Plant Sale, working 3 weekend days in May

●     Assist with Growing Gardens’ annual Farm Gala fundraiser

●     Assist with the Community Harvest Festival in September

Environmental Education Interns are responsible for other duties as assigned to engage with, and learn from, the Growing Gardens non-profit organization and community.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THE INTERN WILL DEVELOP:

EDUCATION:

●       Teaching and co-teaching wide range of audiences in a garden-based setting including effective teaching techniques, group management strategies, and age-appropriate teaching/learning.

●     Learning and teaching gardening skills and related topics including those outlined above.

●     Cultivating leadership and job skills for teenagers in a farm work environment.

●     Practicing effective communication strategies.

●     Learning effective feedback strategies including peer-to-peer and supervisors.

●     Working effectively in a dynamic team environment including comfort with changing tasks.

●     Cultivating a positive learning environment for all audiences including diverse populations.

●     Contributing as facilitator and active member of a professional learning community.

●     Evaluating programs through formal process.

GARDENING AND AGRICULTURE:

●     Basic small-scale organic vegetable production techniques including: Seeding, Transplanting, and Propagation; Garden care through the seasons; Vermicomposting; Honeybees; Insects and Pollination; Gleaning; Harvesting; and more!!!!

●     Gleaning produce for donation

STRUCTURE OF INTERNSHIP

●     Internship duration is March 4th – November 1st 2019.

●     Intern must attend the mandatory Orientation on March 4th and 5th, 2019.

●     Intern position is 40 hours per week. 

Note: hours will vary between weeks and will average to 40 hours per week. Hours primarily take place during the day during the week, however there is some evening and weekend work required.

●       Each Intern is supported by a Mentor and Supervisor:

●     Attendance is required at seasonal Orientation meetings with all GG interns, mentors, intern supervisor and additional GG staff.

●     Interns may attend Learning Opportunities with Growing Gardens staff throughout the season.

Learning Plan Contract – Each Intern will develop a Learning Plan contract with their Mentor by the second week of the internship. This contract includes: position description, educational objectives, learning objectives, and skill development plan.     

Evaluation – Mentor will provide a midpoint and end-of-internship evaluation. Evaluations include Intern self-evaluation, Mentor and Supervisor evaluation of intern, and intern evaluation of supervisors. Intern supervisor is present as needed for midpoint evaluations, and is present for end-of-season evaluation.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF INTERNING WITH GROWING GARDENS:

●     Friendly, relaxed work environment!

●     Good experience at a well-respected non-profit!

●     Development of marketable teaching and group leadership skills

●     Additional training offered through Growing Gardens classes, workshops, and staff

●     Access to a wide variety of organic seeds and plant starts!

●     Shared garden plot with other GG Interns in the Hawthorn Community Garden

●     Weekly organic vegetables from the garden as available – This benefit has the value of $20-$35 per week depending on the time of year.

●     Easy access to public transportation from garden!

●     MONTHLY STIPEND OF $800 AND 1 WEEK PAID VACATION

●     and so much more!!!!!!!!

Qualifications

Growing Gardens is seeking individuals who are excited to gain skills and experience teaching and learning in a community of motivated garden-based educators! Interns will bring some prior experience engaging youth, and much excitement to teach in a dynamic garden environment. The intern must be excited to work outside in all weather conditions, and be able to serve as a mature, healthy role model for children and teens. Interns love working collaboratively with a team and can work effectively independent of supervision. Interns do not need prior gardening or farming experience but they must have interest in developing skills and knowledge in this area. Interns must demonstrate responsibility, reliability, and organizational skills. Applicants must hold CURRENT CERTIFICATIONS IN MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION, CPR AND FIRST AID BY MARCH 4, 2019. The intern position is contingent upon the satisfactory results of a background check. Applicants must have AT LEAST 480 DOCUMENTED HOURS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CHILDREN.

Additional Information

TO APPLY:

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY JANUARY 10, 2019 AND WILL BE REVIEWED ON A ROLLING BASIS. POSITIONS WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL FILLED.

SEND COVER LETTER, COMPLETED APPLICATION, AND UPDATED RESUME TO MEGAN (MREYNOSO @GROWINGGARDENS.ORG)

MORE INFORMATION AND APPLICATIONS CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.GROWINGGARDENS.ORG/INTERNSHIPS