Farm & Forest Assistant Educator with Land's Sake

Organizational Overview:
Founded in 1980, Land's Sake is a nonprofit community farm whose mission is connecting people to the land to build community and inspire lifelong stewardship.  We grow fresh produce using organic practices, sell our produce through our CSA and at our Farmstand, and donate at least 20% of what we grow to local hunger relief organizations.  Our education department provides a wide variety of year-round farm education programming for all ages, from after school programs and school field trips to community events and summer programs. Throughout all that we offer, we seek to create positive outdoor experiences. To learn more about this unique nonprofit, please visit: www.landssake.org.
Farm & Forest Summer Program
Farm & Forest is a farm education program dedicated to building meaningful community and connections to the land for youth entering grades 1 - 4.  It runs for eight independent weeks of full day sessions from June to August. Participants learn useful gardening skills, explore farm habitats, and care for our resident farm animals.  Daily activities include nature games, creating seasonal crafts, reading stories, making delicious snacks with farm fresh produce, and engaging in active outdoor play.
Farm & Forest Assistant Leader Position Summary:
The Farm & Forest Assistant Educator’s primary duty is to work with the Farm & Forest Lead Educator to deliver high quality farm education programs for children entering 1st - 4th grades.  While the Lead Educator will plan the majority of activities and logistics, the Farm & Forest Assistant Educator’s responsibility is to work with them to implement this unique outdoor program.
We have a small group of staff working in our summer education programs, so we all wear many hats (sometimes literally, but generally figuratively).  Additional responsibilities of the Farm & Forest Assistant Educator may include: assisting with Education Garden preparation and maintenance, helping with livestock care, leading farm tours for visiting groups, and helping to keep our farm education area clean, safe, and happy.
This is a seasonal, full-time, at-will position and will be supervised by the Education Manager.
Responsibilities:
● Lead eight weeks of the Farm & Forest summer program with the Farm & Forest Lead Educator 
●Teach daily outdoor lessons to 1st - 4th graders related to farm education, including but not limited to: gardening, nutrition, plant science, local food systems, basic cooking, animal care, nature crafts, outdoor games, etc.
● Create safe opportunities for outdoor exploration and active play.
● Communicate effectively with summer program participants, fellow staff members in all farm departments, farm visitors, and parents
● Gather weekly feedback from participants and parents
● Contribute to writing a weekly recap of Farm & Forest activities to send out in a newsletter and help with social media updates as needed
● Assist with management of the Education Garden
● Assist with management of a variety of livestock (chickens, rabbits, sheep, and goats)
● Assist with other related farm or education tasks as needed
● Occasionally lead farm tours for visiting groups
● Help teach a weeklong custom end-of-the-summer education program the week of August 19th - 23rd, 2019, similar to Farm & Forest except that it will be with a wider range of ages.
● Work with children of all genders, from diverse cultural, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and from diverse family structures
● Create a physically and emotionally safe and inclusive space for summer program participants and fellow staff
Qualifications:
Above all, must enjoy working with kids and being outdoors! But also must:
● Be at least 19 years old or have had at least one year of college experience
● Be able to attend staff training from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm the week of June 17th - June 21st, 2019
● Be able to work for all eight weeks of Farm & Forest from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, from June 25th - August 16th (with July 4th off) and an extra week of farm education programs from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, August 19th - 23rd
● Have experience teaching at a camp, school, after school program, or other youth program, with proven ability around youth safety, group management and discipline
● Have some sort of hands-on gardening or farming experience
● Be comfortable working outdoors in all weather
● Be comfortable working with a variety of farm animals
● Have the ability to remain calm, patient, and upbeat around groups of energetic children for up to seven hours at a time (with a lunch break, of course!)
● Have professional character that is consistent, responsible, self directed, well organized, flexible, personable, and is able to maintain composure and a sense of humor in a changing environment
● Be comfortable with public speaking and networking
● Have effective written and verbal communication skills
● Have access to a car and valid driver’s license
● Be able to pass CORI / SORI check
● Hold current First Aid and CPR certifications valid from June 17 - August 23, 2019
● Knowledge of second language a plus
Essential Functions:
● Must be able to maintain visual and auditory awareness of a group
● Must be able to negotiate various types of terrain on the farm and in the
forest
● Must be able to communicate (both written and verbally) clearly and effectively
with staff, participants, and other constituents
● Must be able to lift and carry up to fifty pounds
Salary & Benefits:
● Salary: $13/hour, with paid lunch
● Organic produce and flowers grown on the farm
● Paid sick time, in accordance with MA law
Equal Opportunity Policy:
Land’s Sake is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to creating a multicultural organization. Diversity and inclusion is an ongoing organizational practice
and a core value of Land’s Sake, with the goal of having culturally competent
services, materials, resources and programs. Our hiring practices are informed
by an appreciation of the strengths offered by differing cultures, races, religions,
ethnicities, classes, sexual orientations, physical capacities, and age groups.
To Apply:
Please email a resume and cover letter, detailing how your skills and experience
meet the qualifications of this position and stating how you heard about this
opportunity to education@landssake.org. Deadline: March 31st, 2019.