Overview
The Garden Specialist leads the garden program, including adapting lesson plans and teaching youth the day-to-day operations and maintenance of a teaching garden and promotes healthy lifestyles. Provides instructional programming to connect all aspects of tending gardening, including food preparation, serving, and eating.
Key Responsibilities
Teach engaging garden classes
Ensure safety of all campers, including setting clear safety expectations, observing and engaging campers while in their care, assessing the appropriateness of camper behaviors, following emergency procedures and all COVID-19 safety protocols.
Increase participant knowledge of food cycle, interest in growing fresh fruits and vegetables, and willingness to try new fruits and vegetables
Collaborate with Environmental Education Specialist to integrate nutrition and garden education Camp-wide, as well as leading the effort for Camp compositing program
Work with Camp’s Green Team to ensure that environmental sustainability is included through daily life at Camp Mendocino for both staff and campers.
Connect garden program to the dining hall by coordinating tastings, leading daily meal discussions with small groups of campers, and working with youth to promote vegetables of the day at meals
Maintain garden, greenhouse, and equipment
Foster character development consistent with BGCSF philosophy
Run activities with youth including but not limited to: wellness activities, team building, outdoor education, hiking, and overnight camping
Engage campers with a positive attitude.
Other duties as specified by direct supervisor
Required Skills:
Required Skills
Experience working with youth in a garden setting
Extensive experience with plants, gardening and composting
Gardening experience, including planting, cultivation, harvesting and maintenance of an organic raised bed garden and small greenhouse
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with coworkers, and campers
Ability to handle difficult or stressful situations in a professional manner
Excellent communication skills
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
Preferred Skills:
Preferred Skills
Experience working with youth in an overnight camp setting
Experience working with youth from disadvantaged circumstances
Background in the green movement
About Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco
Since 1891, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco (BGCSF) has provided high-quality, community-based youth development services to at-risk youth in San Francisco. Our mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.
Our Clubs are located in neighborhoods with the fewest resources for youth, and we are open when youth need us the most—after school, on most school holidays, and all day during the summer. We also provided full-day programming when schools were closed during the pandemic helping youth to access their school’s remote learning. In addition to our 13 traditional Clubhouses and School-Based Clubs in San Francisco, we also own and operate Camp Mendocino, a 2,000-acre residential summer camp that provides inspiring outdoor experiences.We impact the lives of Club members, primarily ages six to 18, by focusing on academic success, healthy lifestyles
