Community Garden Program Specialist I

Description

Department: Youth & Community Wellness

Program: Community Garden - San Diego Promise Neighborhood

Status: Temporary Part Time/ 20-25 hours per week

Pay: $21.87 per hour

Location: Lauderbach Center

Schedule: Regular part-time hours to be scheduled within the time frame of Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m.-6p.m. Must be available to work weekends and evenings as needed to meet the needs of the program.

# of Openings: 1

Who we are

SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services) transforms communities to support the well-being and prosperity of children, youth, and families. For more than 50 years, we’ve worked throughout San Diego to provide safe shelter, transitional housing, intervention prevention programs, mental health support, and many other services that meet the ever-changing needs of our communities.

Our organization is dedicated to offering high-quality services and ensuring all services align with the community's needs. To best serve our communities, SBCS partners with various grassroots organizations throughout California to develop innovative strategies that enhance services, empower clients, and ensure that culturally appropriate and trauma-informed care is offered. SBCS provides a wide range of services tailored to meet each client's unique needs. At SBCS, our client-centered approach highlights the importance of respect, empathy, and compassion when interacting with all community members. 

About YOU

You are an advocate and champion of nurturing communities where families can pursue their dreams and fulfill their potential. 

You are dedicated to and energized by engaging directly with individuals and communities. 

You care deeply about the well-being and prosperity of ALL children and youth throughout San Diego.

You want to become a part of an energetic and effective team, and contribute your expertise, creativity, and insights to a unique role encompassing program management, development, and direct counseling services for at-risk children, adolescents, and families. 

About our organization

SBCS is home to a committed team of 470 dedicated employees and volunteers who diligently serve all of San Diego County. Having offered services for 52 years, SBCS is committed to providing hope and support for numerous young children, individuals, and families facing adversity. With an annual budget of $68 million, SBCS continues to be a beacon of assistance in the community. 

Competitive and Sustainable Employee Pay Package:

SBCS offers competitive pay and additional benefits for full-time employees, including generous vacation time, holidays, health, vision, dental, flexible spending accounts, an employee assistance program, discount programs, public service forgiveness loan, and an excellent retirement plan with matching contributions. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Community Engagement Program Director and in coordination with the Promotora Lead, the Community Garden Program Specialist I, will educate, train and promote the health and wellness benefits of growing and caring for fruits and vegetables in a community garden to children, youth and families. Program Specialist I will work with the team to stimulate volunteerism, strengthen community ties, and respond to the concerns and unmet needs of the community by creating more caring relationships among community members to generally improve community well-being. Services will be in keeping with the agency goals, objectives, mission, and style provided within a team framework.

Duties:

• Coordinate with City of Chula Vista facility department and ensure gardening program is in compliance with rules and regulations as it relates to the facility use of Lauderbach Center, a city-owned property operated by SBCS. 
• Supports the program director in the development of team goals and objectives to ensure that these goals and objectives are met.
• Develop a gardening plan, including overseeing watering, pruning, weeding, and the general care of the plants. which crops will be planted how they will be organized
• Organize and direct volunteers in gardening tasks, ensuring everyone understands their role. 
• Plan and facilitate garden-related skill-based workshops to community members. 
• Support community members as they engage in the gardening project. 
• Able to take a strengths-based approach when working with others.
• Organize harvest days for the distribution of cultivated fruit and vegetable products
• Monitor the inventory of tools and supplies, 
• Assist with managing the garden project budget, if necessary. 
• Assess the garden’s progress and make necessary adjustments to improve outcomes. 
• Implement eco-friendly strategies for managing pests and diseases.
• Develop PowerPoints to present to the City and funders on needs and outcomes related to the project. 
• Engage in community outreach and other projects connected to the community engagement team.
• Educate and train community members on how to develop and care for a community garden. 
• Attend all agency required meetings and trainings.
• As other duties assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED equivalent, required.
• Must have a minimum of two years of knowledge and experience with agricultural science, either through academic or work experience.
• Ability to communicate with partners and community-based organizations in a professional manner and with political acumen. 
• Experience in the areas of outreach, advocacy, community education and development.
• Knowledge and skills to grow, cultivate and maintain community gardens.
• Must have experience with computer technology, including communicating via text messaging. 
• Provides customer service to clients by providing details and information, resolving issues and building relationships via phone and in person.  
• Excellent and sensitive interpersonal, cultural sensitivity and interviewing skills to build and maintain trust with community members. 
• Bilingual – English and Spanish.
• Must have advanced skills with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and have sufficient computer skills to operate complex software.
• Ability to work with a culturally and socio-economically diverse population, possess cultural sensitivity, and maintain appropriate boundaries with clients.

Conditions of Employment

• Employment may be conditioned upon satisfactory completion of certain background clearances which may include a Department of Justice criminal background check requiring my fingerprints (Live Scan), screening through the National Sex Offender Public Website, drug test, tuberculosis (TB) test, physical exam and such additional clearances as may be required under the program.
• Candidates/employees who have received a conditional offer of employment will be required to undergo testing for controlled substances, (including THC), in accordance with the County of San Diego's drug and alcohol policy and the federal Controlled Substances Act.

Physical demands:

• Mentally and emotionally: Ability to work under deadlines, various projects and dealing with clients in crisis and difficult situations.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position during shift. 
• Moves throughout the building. 
• Moves, raises, or lowers (includes upward pulling) an object or equipment up to 50 lbs. 
• Transports an object, from 20 to 50 lbs. across the facility, for various needs.
• Ability to exert force upon an object so that the object moves away from the force. 
• Ability to exert force upon an object so that the object moves toward the force (includes jerking) 
• Ascending or descending stairs and ladders when applicable. Body agility is emphasized. 
• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when ascending, descending, traversing.  
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist, requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles. 
• Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with objects or office machinery. 
• Communicating: Expressing or exchanging ideas. Communicating is important for those activities in which workers must impart information to clients or to the public, and in those activities in which they must convey detailed or important instructions to other workers accurately, or quickly. 

The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibility and essential functions of this position but should not be considered to be an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time unless restricted by a negotiated contract.

Accessibility Accommodation

SBCS is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. 

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, parental status, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Equal Opportunity Employer/Program – Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

At-Will Employment Status

Please note that all employment with SBCS is at-will, which means your employment may be terminated at any time by you or SBCS, without cause or advance notice. The terms and conditions of any employment may also be modified.

Salary : $68