Company description

Growing Gardens is a Boulder based non-profit organization established in 1998 with the mission to enrich the lives of the community through sustainable urban agriculture. Growing Gardens helps people experience a direct, deep connection with food, the land and each other through our programs for diverse populations: the Children’s Peace Garden (Ages 3-11), Community Classes, Community Gardens, Growing Gardens Food Project, and Cultiva Youth Project (Ages 12-18). Our activities are centered in the heart of Boulder on 11 acres of land that has been in agricultural use for the past 100 years. We expanded our programming in 2016 to include a 1 acre farm in neighboring Longmont, Colorado, which provides fresh produce and agriculture-based education to the Longmont community. To learn more about Growing Gardens, visit www.growinggardens.org.

Internship description

Children’s Peace Garden programs teach children environmental stewardship, nutrition education, respect for diversity, and creative self-expression to nurture a healthy, happy and well-balanced child. 8,000 children from ages 3-11 participate in CPG programming.  Environmental Education Interns teach a wide variety of engaging hands-on activities about organic gardening practices, the garden as a source of food, and how to prepare simple, nutritious food from the garden, and more. Interns are given responsibility to teach independently as well as with a team, gaining valuable experience for future teaching in Environmental Education.

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.  During the summer months, Environmental Education Interns will occasionally work alongside teenage youth in the Cultiva Youth Project. 

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

 

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
• Gleaning produce for donation

 

Structure of Internship

• Internship duration is March 4th – November 1st
• 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

 Additional Benefits of Interning with Growing Gardens:

• 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

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! 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. 

Compensation

this position is: stipend / non-monetary compensation

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline

Attachment

click here to download the attached document.