Work tasks and responsibilities:
The School Gardens Program Assistant will work with the SPEC team to support the school gardens and the community groups that maintain the food gardens during the summer months by:
Providing general maintenance to the school gardens: watering, weeding, some planting, and harvesting.
Visiting the different school gardens to plant, weed, water.
Capture photos of the changes occurring in each school garden throughout the summer. Some of these images will be used for social media content and the school gardens website
Submit a blog post on your experience working in the school gardens at the end of summer.
Providing some assistance to the Riley Park Garden Guides program.
The School Gardens Program (http://spec.bc.ca/school-gardens) is an initiative run out of 6 Vancouver schools with varying socio-economic and cultural composition. This year will see the programs 13th year as it continues to expand. It brings school children from Elementary to Secondary age and community members with various backgrounds, to work on a shared project that improves personal and environmental health. It engages participants and the community in a shared project that has them outside getting fresh air, learning new skills and sharing knowledge, producing and consuming fresh local organic produce and putting an environmental solution into practice with tangible results.
Skills development and career enhancement opportunities for student intern
The intern will learn and/or strengthen skills and knowledge in:
Gardening and urban agriculture
Community engagement
Online communications
Interpersonal skills
Non-profit operations
For an individual looking to work in Vancouver’s environmental and community development non-profit communities or within the field of urban agriculture this will be an invaluable opportunity for networking and skill building.
Skills and Qualifications:
Passion for urban agriculture and environmental conservation
Some food growing and gardening experience
Experience and interest in working with school aged children and their families
Outreach and or engagement experience
Knowledge of social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Able to develop content to share to our Instagram page.
Capable and willing to travel across the city in summer months, preferably via bicycle or public transportation
Capable of heavy lifting including garden implements, hoses, etc.
Eligibility
This position is funded by a Canada Summer Jobs grant. To be eligible, the individual must:
(a) be between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the start of employment;
(b) be a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or person on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act*; and
(c) be legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial / territorial legislation and regulations.
*International students are not eligible. Recent immigrants are eligible if they are Canadian Citizens or permanent residents.
The job requires having a Criminal Record Check done.
Hours and Wage
Eight weeks, 30 hours/week at $15/hour, starting July 6, 2020.
To apply,
please send your resume and cover letter to admin@spec.bc.ca by June 21.