Growing Gardens’ mission is to enrich the lives of our community through sustainable urban agriculture. We envision people experiencing a direct and deep connection with plants, the land and each other. Growing Gardens unites the Boulder County community through urban agriculture projects, such as: The Cultiva Youth Project (Ages 12 – 18), The Children’s Peace Garden (CPG, Ages 3 – 11), Horticultural Therapy, Community Classes, Growing Gardens Food Project, and the Community Gardens (General Public), and our Community Orchard.
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 each year. Environmental Education Interns teach a wide variety of engaging hands-on activities about organic gardening practices, the garden as a source of food, the importance of pollinators and visiting our honeybee hives, building healthy soil by exploring our vermicomposting system, and more. Interns are given responsibility to teach independently as well as with a team, gaining valuable experience for future teaching in Environmental Education.
Job Announcement:
Summer Environmental Educator
Do you LOVE being outside, working with children and exploring the natural world? Do you have experience or interest in working in a garden or farm setting? Are you excited to work collaboratively to make camp memorable for children aged 5-11 years old? Do you love to laugh, run through the sprinklers, and eat snacks from the garden? We are looking for high energy, upbeat, compassionate environmental educators to join our team for Growing Gardens summer camp in 2022!
Mission & History
Growing Gardens’ mission is to cultivate community through sustainable urban agriculture. Our programs empower people of all ages, income levels, and abilities by connecting them with their local food system, each other, and the environment.
Our organization values the diverse skills and individuals that come together to create a thriving community and workplace. We are committed to the work we do, and bring our best selves each day, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously, have fun, and enjoy the process of doing good in our community. We take care of each other and put people at the center of everything we do.
Summer Camp Description
Children’s Peace Garden Summer Camp strives to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards through hands-on learning experiences in the garden. We’ve found that connecting children with their food has lifelong impacts on their health and eating choices. We offer week long, full day camps for nine weeks in the summer for youth aged 5-11. Each week has a unique theme such as urban farming, farm to table cooking, or survival skills.
Job Title: Summer Environmental Educator
Job Status: Full Time, Seasonal Summer Employee, Average 40 hours per week
Reports To: Education Program Coordinator
Pay: $560 per week of summer camps; training weeks will be prorated.
Required Training: May 31st - June 3rd, 8am-4pm.
Summer Camp Schedule: Summer Camp is weekly June 6th - Aug 12th.
There is no Summer Camp July 4th-8th, but there will be 2 days of mid-season prep July 7th-8th.
TO APPLY:
Follow this link to direct you to our online application. If the link does not work, copy the url code below into your web browser.
https://growinggardens.campintouch.com/ui/forms/application/staff/App
Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until February 14th. We recommend getting your application in as soon as possible for full consideration. Position will remain open until filled.
Job Purpose:
Growing Gardens’ Summer Environmental Educator works to deliver high quality summer camp education programs. Educators co-lead a group of 15 campers each week and teach students about our garden and all it has to offer through lessons, activities, crafts, games and basic cooking.Working with the Education Program Coordinator, educators are responsible for preparing camp and leading children through activities. Summer Environmental Educators are essential in setting and attaining programming goals and objectives.
Major Functions and Accountabilities
Works with fellow Summer Educators to prepare and lead week long summer camp.
Teach garden-based education programming for children at the Boulder Farm.
Maintain positive relationships with campers, parents and fellow staff.
Record keeping and administrative work documenting programming.
This job is outside in all weather conditions and involves many contact hours with program participants.
Required Qualifications
The candidate must have at least 460 hours of satisfactory and verifiable experience working with school-age children.
460 Hours must be with children aged 4-18 in groups of four or more. Babysitting hours cannot be counted.
Experience teaching in an outdoor or environmental education setting.
Self-motivated team player with ability to meet deadlines, remain flexible and adjust to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Responsibility, reliability and organizational skills.
Exceptional relationship building skills.
Strong conflict resolution skills.
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with the Education Team.
Adaptability to changing situations, needs of program participants and changing weather conditions.
Consistent positive attitude and ability to enthusiastically work all day outdoors with children.
The position is contingent upon the satisfactory results of a background check.
A note about working here in the time of Covid-19:
Like everyone around the globe our operations have been challenged by this pandemic. Our work has had to shift at a moments’ notice based on Public Health guidelines and changing priorities for the organization. We ask that staff are understanding of changing schedules and planned work as is necessary.
Growing Gardens prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination or harassment and will take affirmative measures to ensure against them, especially if they are carried out on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, status as a veteran or disabled veteran, neurodiversity, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, matriculation or political affiliation. This policy applies to all employees or potential employees, volunteers, participants, members of the Growing Gardens Board of Directors, people who serve on Growing Gardens’ committees, and anyone attending Growing Gardens’ events. This policy extends to all aspects of employment at Growing Gardens, including hiring, transfer, promotion, training, working conditions, policies, compensation, evaluation, discipline and termination.
For any questions, contact Rachel Charkowicz at rachel @growinggardens.org
