Volunteer, Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

The City of Overland Park has Volunteer Opportunities at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.

Job Summary Statement

Engages visitors within the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens as scheduled. Areas include gardening/maintenance, greeting and phone answering, conservation management, education programs, special event support, gift shop support, feed and monitor birds, and train operations.

Duties And Responsibilities

Greeters

• Provide day to day support of operations.
• Welcomes the public and assists in answering questions both in person and on the phone.
• Helps to respond to visitors needs and concerns, engaging staff as needed.
  
  

Tour Guides

• Provide walking or golf cart tours.
• Lead individuals or groups, providing pertinent information and answering questions.
  
  

Train Operators

• Operate g-scale trains.
• Troubleshooting train operations.
• Interact with public and answer questions as needed
  
  

Garden/Maintenance:

• Assist staff with planting, weeding and the general maintenance of the gardens.
• May perform other garden bed maintenance work.
  
  

Trail Maintenance

• Perform trail maintenance such as trimming, cleaning up and spreading mulch along paths.
• Invasive species removal and clean up on the prairie and other affected areas.
• Support staff with other miscellaneous tasks as needed.
• May operate hand tools and power tools
  
  

Education Programs

• Supports educational activities and programs at the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.
• May help in curriculum and activities development.
• Meets and greets visitors, orients them to group activities and may lead educational activities.
• May give tours - walking or golf cart tours
  
  

Special Event Support

• Assist in the setup, delivery, and breakdown of events. May be involved in event planning as needed.
• Supports a wide range of different activities including but not limited to: Wine Tastings, Community Events, Large scale fundraising events, Seasonal Holiday events, and weddings.
• May be asked to help move chairs and tables.
  
  

Birding Program

• Maintain and fill all hummingbird and seed feeders.
• Maintain bird houses
• Assist with blue bird monitoring.
• May assist with bird walk observations.
• May assist in cleaning the bird watch area.
  
  

Gift Shop Support

• Assist staff with counting and pricing inventory, organizing displays, and other duties as necessary.
  
  

Education & Special License(s)/Certifications:

• Basic eighth grade education.
  
  

Greeters

Skills

• Manual dexterity.
• Good communication skills.
• Basic reading and math skills.
• Good memory skills.
• Interpersonal and customer service skills.
  
  

Mental Requirements

• Ability to receive training and maintain knowledge of Greeter responsibilities.
• Ability to engage the public in conversation.
• Ability to work under distracting conditions.
• Ability to perform basic math calculations.
• Ability to carry out assignments through oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Ability to greet and assist the general public.
• Ability to sit or stand and be attentive for extended periods of time.
  
  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY (Direct & Indirect):

• None.
  
  

Tour Guides

Skills

• Manual dexterity.
• Good communication skills.
• Basic reading skills.
• Good memory skills.
• Interpersonal and customer service skills.
  
  

Mental Requirements

• Ability to receive training and maintain knowledge of tour guide responsibilities.
• Ability to engage the public in conversation.
• Ability to carry out assignments through oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently or in group setting.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Ability to greet and assist the general public.
• Ability to sit, stand or walk and be attentive for extended periods of time.
  
  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY (Direct & Indirect):

• None.
  
  

Train Operators

Skills

• Physical dexterity.
• Good communication skills.
• Basic reading and math skills.
• Good memory skills.
• Interpersonal and customer service skills.
  
  

Mental Requirements

• Ability to receive training and maintain knowledge of Train Operator duties.
• Ability to engage the public in conversation.
• Ability to work under distracting conditions.
• Ability to carry out assignments through oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Ability to traverse uneven ground, slopes, obstacles and plant material to access trial rails.
• Ability to kneel, reach, lean, and bend.
• Ability to greet and assist the general public.
• Ability to sit or stand and be attentive for extended periods of time.
• Exposure to extreme environmental conditions.
  
  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY (Direct & Indirect):

• None.
  
  

Garden/Maintenance:

SKILLS

• Physical dexterity.
• Use of hand tools to carry out work.
  
  

Mental Requirements

• Ability to receive training and maintain knowledge of general garden maintenance.
• Ability to carry out assignments through oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Ability to traverse uneven ground.
• Ability to bend, kneel or stand for extended period.
• Exposure to extreme environmental conditions.
  
  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY (Direct & Indirect):

• None.
  
  

Trail Maintenance

Skills

• Physical dexterity.
  
  

Mental Requirements

• Ability to receive training and maintain knowledge of general trail maintenance.
• Ability to carry out assignments through oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently.
  
  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY (Direct & Indirect):

• None.
  
  

Birding Activities

Mental Requirements

• Ability to receive training and maintain knowledge of tasks performed by bird volunteers.
• Ability to perform basic math calculations
• Ability to carry out assignments through oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Ability to traverse uneven ground.
• Ability to lift up to 30 pounds.
• Ability to walk longer distances
• Exposure to extreme environmental conditions.
  
  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY (Direct & Indirect):

• None.
  
  

Education Programs

• Supports educational activities and programs at the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.
• May lead small group activities.
• May help in curriculum and activities development.
  
  

Special Event Support

• Assist in the setup, delivery, and breakdown of events. May be involved in event planning as needed.
• Supports a wide range of different activities including but not limited to: Wine Tastings, Community Events, Large scale fundraising events, Seasonal Holiday events, and weddings.
• May be asked to help move chairs and tables.
  
  

Gift Shop Support

Mental Requirements

• Ability to receive training and maintain knowledge of Gift shop duties.
• Ability to engage the public in conversation.
• Ability to work under distracting conditions.
• Ability to perform basic math calculations.
• Ability to carry out assignments through oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently.
  
  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY (Direct & Indirect):

• None.
  
  

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.