Core Arts – Core Landscape Department Advert

Core Arts a leading Mental Health Charity based in Hackney is looking for an experienced Community Gardener + Volunteer Coordinator to join our growing landscape department, promoting community involvement in growing spaces.

2 days per week Tuesday and Wednesday - £30,000 - £34,000 per annum pro rata.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of the landscapes department. The ideal candidate will have experience of working in horticultural projects with disparate communities in the inner city and have a passion for plants, gardening and food growing - working outside in a community setting. Additionally you will have a horticulture qualification E.g. RHS Level 2 in Horticulture or demonstrable equivalent in experience. 

If you think you would like to join the Core Arts team we would love to hear from you

Closing date for applications: Monday 4th July 2022

*First stage Interviews to be held at Core Arts on Monday 11th July 2022

*Second stage interviewees will be invited to run a 30mins garden session with Core volunteers

To apply for this vacancy please send a covering letter of why you fit the Job Description and attach your CV to [email protected]

For more information about Core Landscapes check our website.

If you would like to speak to someone further about this role please contact Nemone Mercer on 07585770868.

Full Job Description Below 

Job title: Community Gardener + Volunteer Coordinator

Time commitment: 2 days per week- Tuesday and Wednesday

Fixed term one year (renewable)

Salary: £30,000 - £34,000 per annum pro rata

Reporting to: Core Landscapes Project Director, Core Arts CEO + deputy CEO

JOB DESCRIPTION

Community Gardener + Volunteer Coordinator

Main purpose of the role

• Plan and facilitate inclusive, and engaging gardening sessions for community volunteers
• Recruit, induct and support community volunteers in their creative learning
• Maintain the high quality of Core’s gardens and green spaces and help to develop them
• Expand and enrich the community volunteer programme
• Collate feedback, monitor and report the impact of the work

Additional purpose of the role

(Shared with Project director)

• Plan and implement community events, tours, trips, + specialist training days
• Maintain a high horticultural quality across Core’s green sites
• Propagate, promote and sell plants to the general public
• Collaborate to develop the new community garden at St Barnabas Church
• Promote Core Landscapes to the wider community and relevant stakeholders
• Occasional additional hours as required including occasional weekends to facilitate events, conferences etc

Responsibilities by function

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential:

• RHS Level 2 in horticulture or demonstrable equivalent in experience

Experience

Essential:

With Plants

• Experience of growing a wide range of plants in different sites and conditions
• Demonstrable commitment to organic growing + environmental sustainability
• Active participation in a community garden, including planning and maintenance

Essential:

With People

• Experience of teaching practical and theoretical organic horticulture to adults
• Experience of recruiting + coordinating volunteers from a range of backgrounds + cultures
• Experience of ensuring personal development and progression of volunteers
• Experience of working with people with a wide range of learning styles

Essential:

Office based

• Experience of monitoring and reporting to funders
• Experience of planning, promoting community events
• Experience of writing educational and communication based material

Experience

Desirable:

• Running all seasons outdoor volunteering sessions
• Adapting practice and theory sessions to the individual E.g. mobility + literacy requirements
• Marketing and trading (ideally with plants or produce)
• Project management
• Promotion via social media
• Writing press releases

Knowledge

Essential:

• Sound horticultural knowledge of food growing and ornamentals
• Understanding of the impact of gardening on positive mental health + wellbeing
• Understanding of climate change and bio-diversity emergency mitigation
• IT literate: Ability to use Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel etc
• An understanding of professional boundaries in community settings

Desirable:

• Have a particular area of horticultural interest and experience you can draw on to enhance the volunteer experience: E.g. pomology, tropical food-growing, wild-plants, medicinal plants, permaculture, garden and planting design tree identification, propagation, succulents, soil-life etc
• Have additional skills to enhance the volunteer experience E.g. carpentary, sign-making, nature based artistic/crafts abilities
• Be familiar with, and connected to, the network of community gardens in London
• Be familiar with a range of composting techniques
• Be familiar with irrigation systems, solar energy and rain-harvesting techniques
• Be comfortable with book-keeping, spreadsheets and databases
• First aid trained and/or mental health first aid trained

Personal Skills + Characteristics

Essential:

• Have an equal passion for people and plants
• Be personable and able to connect with people
• Enjoy learning and teaching equally
• Have initiative, ability to prioritise tasks, and meet deadlines
• Have excellent oral and written communication skills
• Be highly observant with attention to detail
• Demonstrate effective organisational skills
• Be patient and empathetic maintaining professional boundaries
• Have an ability to retain a sense of humour under pressure
• Have an awareness of, promote and practice, self-care

If you think you would like to join our team we would love to hear from you