Summer Garden Educator

Join Central Ohio's premiere community garden for a summer of learning with children and youth. We are looking for candidates with at least a year of gardening experience (formal or informal) who would like to strengthen their teaching skills.

At Highland Youth Garden, our mission is to grow food, grow minds and grow community in partnership with the Hilltop community of West Columbus. Highland Youth Garden is considered by the City of Columbus to be a local model for community engagement, food justice and beautification. We were established in 2009, grew thanks to the hard work of committed volunteers, and achieved federal nonprofit status in 2019. We grow and distribute fresh produce to our neighbors, build and support backyard Family Gardens, provide nature- and nutrition-based education to over 350 Hilltop students in grades preschool through grade 8, offer after school gardening clubs for neighborhood children, employ and mentor Westside teenagers and provide a peaceful and welcoming community gathering space in a challenged neighborhood. Our doors are literally always open.

Open Position Description: Temporary Garden Educator

STARTING PAY RATE: $15/hour
HOURS: 15 hours weekly, mid-June through mid-August 2022, 8 AM - 12 PM Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays; 3 PM - 7 PM on Wednesdays. Some flexibility is possible.

TEACHING - 90%

Assist the Manager of Afterschool and Family Programs in planning, leading and engaging children in garden-based activities that support Ohio learning outcomes in math, science, language arts, visual arts, health, nutrition and social emotional development.
Assist other staff members with the Green Teen Program, the Garden Markets and general gardening activities.

TEAM PARTICIPATION - 10%

Support other team members in education, gardening, safety and facility needs.
Represent Highland Youth Garden positively and support our mission in all interactions.
Communicate via email, text messages and in-person regarding education plans to HYG staff and volunteers.
Mentor youth employees.
Support community outreach projects to promote educational programming.
Provide stories and photos for social media.

SUPERVISION AND REPORTING

The Temporary Garden Educator’s supervisor is the HYG Executive Director.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of gardening/horticulture/agriculture through either formal or informal experiences.
• A passion for growing community and impacting others.
• Self-directed and flexible work style.
• Strong communication skills.
• Basic cooking skills in the home and/or professional setting.
• Background check will be required.
• Full COVID vaccination is required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and simultaneously supervise a variety of tasks.
• Ability to stand, walk, stoop, reach and bend.
• Mobility of arms to reach.
• Dexterity of hands to grasp and manipulate large and small objects.
• Ability to lift, push and/or pull objects that may weigh approximately 50 pounds.
• Ability to work in outdoor weather conditions, including full sun and high temperatures.
• Upon acceptance of position, ability to pass a complete background check.
• HYG permanent staff are required to be fully vaccinated per the CDC’s definition of full vaccination status.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

Highland Youth Garden is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. HIghland Youth Garden is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

How to apply:

Please apply directly on Indeed. A cover letter is encouraged.