Garden Educator/Horticultural Therapist Court-Involved Youth

(Paid Opportunities) Return to Paid Opportunities

Compensation: $21-$25/hr

The Garden Educator/Therapeutic Horticulturalist will be asked to facilitate programming with young people using plants as a healing medium. Participants include court-involved youth and vulnerable individuals from marginalized communities, who currently reside in youth detention centers. We welcome candidates that have experience with this population, and use person-first language with facility (youth who are in detention, instead of juvenile detention or at-risk youth).

We seek candidates who are passionate about environmental justice and lovers of growing food who want to share their knowledge with others. This position offers meaningful gardening and teaching opportunity for the right candidate. It will be a role that calls for a blend of patience, adaptability, and a resolve to find creative solutions in an environment where our students remain at the forefront of what we do.

Additionally, we are also looking to interview candidates who have a car and are able to drive to the various locations. While transportation via subway or bus is possible to some sites, for some sites it will make it very challenging to stay sustainable in the long run. We appreciate your consideration of this request.

Responsibilities/Duties

Plan and facilitate multiple workshops in person. Learn and administer Sprout By Design’s provided curriculum, as well as adapt lesson plans to meet student needs/interest and offer nature-based activities that are compelling to you as the educator.

Organize and create new teaching tools and materials (you will have the opportunity to design your own lessons and projects outside of the provided curriculum)
Prepare for gardening (indoor/outdoor) activities, ensuring you have everything needed for the class in advance.
Setup and cleanup workshop materials
Cultivate and maintain outdoor urban spaces, including soil, and hydroponic farms, composting, and chicken coops
Organic crop handling: seed sowing, transplanting, harvesting
Organic crop maintenance: soil health, weeding, disease control, overall appearance
Facilitate staff training, professional development, family night events, and special events
Supervise open garden hours at relevant locations
Attend meetings with Sprout By Design and client-specific meetings and training as required
Coordinate with Sprout By Design, volunteers, and interns

Qualifications/Requirements

At least 2 years of garden/farm teaching experience, with a wide range of students and locations preferred
Knowledge and skills in three or more of the following: (organic) gardening, rooftop gardening, hydroponic gardening, chicken keeping, composting, horticultural therapy, botany, environmental science, food systems, food access, sustainability, food justice, public health, and nutrition
Ability to work with diverse populations including youth and adults, individuals with special needs, gifted youth as well as court-involved youth in secure facilities.
Strong desire to facilitate programming that translates to placing students at the center of their own narrative through quality experiences felt in nature.
Positive attitude around children, adults, and seniors
Must be a creative self-starter who takes the initiative to problem-solve and communicate with site staff and serve as a liaison between community partners and the Sprout team. Strong oral and written communication skills
Computer, organizational, and project management skills strongly desired Must have a reliable form of transportation. Open availability to work various hours, including evenings & weekends. Must be authorized to work in the United States.

Additional Information

Applicants with both weekday and weekend availability strongly encouraged to apply.

Contact Information

Sprout by Design
Contact Name: Gunjan Koul, Director of Education & Operations
Email: gunjan@sproutbydesign.com
Phone: 302.897.2551
Website: Apply Online