Job Details
We are excited to welcome a pair of Co-Gardening Instructors onto our camp staff for the 2024 season. We are seeking individuals who are passionate about gardening to cultivate our camp garden, and engage our youth in daily activities that spark enthusiasm about growing food and working with the earth.
Essential Functions
Garden Maintenance & Youth Engagement
- Collaboratively manage the care of vegetables, herbs, and flowers in the 92NY Camp Garden.
- Lead all gardening tasks including: watering, weeding, pruning, mulching, and planting.
- Maintain general cleanliness and organization of the garden.
- Lead produce harvests and distribution to campers and camp staff
- Communicate with our Garden Mentor as needed to navigate any gardening challenges (such as drought, pests, diseases, crop failures, etc)
- Work with Co-Garden Instructor and our Garden Mentor to plan age appropriate gardening activities and lessons for 92NY camp youth.
- Co-lead up to 6 group lessons a day; for groups of 15 to 18 campers; ranging in age from 5 to 11; including some campers with special needs. Engage all youth in various gardening activities, tasks, and lessons.
- Ensure that all students are trained to use gardening tools safely, and are supervised at all times.
Camp Responsibilities
- Attend staff orientation sessions during June.
- Daily supervision of campers, and assuming responsibility for their health, safety, and well-being while present in the garden.
- Provide support and assistance to campers while respecting their privacy and sense of self-worth so that they can meaningfully engage in gardening activities.
- Communicate with Head Counselor, Unit Supervisor and Camp Director any observations or concerns regarding the needs of individual campers, including any difficulties, where necessary.
- Participate in weekly debrief and planning calls with your Garden Mentor.
- Participate in Family Visiting Night, and co-lead tours of the garden.
- Read and fully comply with the policies of Camp as set forth in the Staff Manual that you will be given during Orientation and always comply with its rules and regulations, including dress code and emergency procedures.
- Exude enthusiasm for Camp life and activities and actively seek to incorporate the Camp s values of compassion, kindness, leadership, courage, and mindfulness, into learning objectives and activities
- Act as a role model for campers.
Qualifications
- Two+ years of experience in gardening and vegetable production
- Experience working with youth in a garden, school, camp, or youth program environment (Experience engaging youth in gardening is preferable, but not required)
- Knowledge of sustainable agriculture, food justice, cultural awareness and sensitivity.
- Ability to work as a member of a small team and the ability to accomplish tasks independently
- Comfortable working outside in all weather, and able to lift up to 50 lbs safely.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.
Schedule
Camp runs from June 27th through August 16, Monday to Friday (9:00am - 4:00pm), with pre-camp orientation sessions in June.
**Please note that you will have the option of arranging your own transportation to/from camp each day, or commuting with us on our bus (meeting at one of our pick up locations in Manhattan by 8:00am) where you will be expected to supervise campers while in transit to and from Camp.