Volunteer Opportunities


Urban Farm - Gardener Assistant Volunteer

PROGRAM NAME:     Abby Urban Farm                 

POSITION TITLE:      Volunteer Gardener Assistant                                 

SCHEDULE:              Monday thru Friday, and sometimes weekends during hot                                           weather 

LOCATION:               Urban Garden  

REPORTS TO:            Urban Farm Supervisor/Crop Assistant

POSITION SUMMARY

Located behind Eco Farm in Abbotsford, you can find a small working farm producing food for local markets and programs. If you have a passion for gardening or a keen interest in learning about gardening, this role could be for you! This is an outdoor role and volunteers must be prepared for the elements. Volunteers will work with hand tools on a variety of tasks as suits their skills and availability. Much of the work in the garden and grounds involves sustained physical activity combined with an eye for detail and finish. Join our team of gardeners in nurturing locally grown produce and reducing food insecurity.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Harvesting fruit, vegetables and flowers for sale at the market
  • Construction of garden structures e.g. – fruit cages, supports
  • Division and seeding of plants
  • Watering and feeding plants, trees and shrubs
  • Hand weeding, hoeing, staking, deadheading, tying-in plants and cutting back in the flower, shrub and vegetable borders
  • Maintaining lawns – edging
  • Maintaining good access e.g. paths maintenance, signposting
  • Digging over, mulching and manuring borders
  • Interacting with visitors
  • General maintenance - litter picking and emptying bins
  • Assisting with events and activities

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience:

  • Home Gardening knowledge an asset.

Knowledge and Skill Set

  • Ability and willingness to communicate
  • Approachability and ability to listen
  • Demonstrate honesty and authenticity
  • Willingness to learn
  • Successfully complete a Criminal Record Check Vulnerable Sector
  • Minimum commitment growing season.

WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Working out of doors, prepared for rain or sun
  • Physical lifting and bending
  • Sustain periods of standing

COMMITMENT

  • Regular weekly or bi-weekly 2-hour shift for the gardening season April to October (we are flexible with vacation plans and time off)
  • Attend a garden orientation

 

 

  • Accountability and Dependability: Takes personal ownership and responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work commitments. Follows organizational guidelines, professional standards, regulations and principles. Demonstrates reliability and integrity on a daily basis.  Reliable and dependable in performing job-related tasks, finishing assigned projects, meeting deadlines and appointments.  Communicates delays in work and renegotiates deadlines in a timely manner.

  • Communication: Respectfully listens to others to gain a full understanding of issues; comprehends written material; presents information in a clear and concise manner orally and in writing to ensure others understand his/her ideas; appropriately adapts his/her message, style, and tone to accommodate a variety of audiences.  Expressing and transmitting information with consistency and clarity, using active listening techniques in order to effectively understand provided feedback, summarizing information according to the audience in order to increase understanding.

  • Ethics, Integrity, Confidentiality, and Trust: Models and promotes honesty and integrity within and with others.  Takes the right action at the right time and in a manner that complies with the processes and procedures of the organization and the law.  Demonstrates effective discretion, builds rapport with others and maintains confidentiality.  Displays honesty and transparency that exhibits the values and mission of the workplace.

  • Valuing Diversity and Inclusion: Appreciating and leveraging the capabilities, insights, and ideas of all individuals.  Working effectively with individuals of diverse style, ability, and motivation.  Seeking to be inclusive of all abilities, cultures, and backgrounds; challenging exclusionary practices. 

Professionalism: Behaves with fairness and consistency in communication, daily interactions, and decision-making.  Shares information and ideas with others in a collaborative manner.  Maintaining consistent lines of communication with manager, supervisor, team members and clients communicating deadlines, issues, status

  • Accountability and Dependability: Takes personal ownership and responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work commitments. Follows organizational guidelines, professional standards, regulations and principles. Demonstrates reliability and integrity on a daily basis.  Reliable and dependable in performing job-related tasks, finishing assigned projects, meeting deadlines and appointments.  Communicates delays in work and renegotiates deadlines in a timely manner.

  • Communication: Respectfully listens to others to gain a full understanding of issues; comprehends written material; presents information in a clear and concise manner orally and in writing to ensure others understand his/her ideas; appropriately adapts his/her message, style, and tone to accommodate a variety of audiences.  Expressing and transmitting information with consistency and clarity, using active listening techniques in order to effectively understand provided feedback, summarizing information according to the audience in order to increase understanding.

  • Ethics, Integrity, Confidentiality, and Trust: Models and promotes honesty and integrity within and with others.  Takes the right action at the right time and in a manner that complies with the processes and procedures of the organization and the law.  Demonstrates effective discretion, builds rapport with others and maintains confidentiality.  Displays honesty and transparency that exhibits the values and mission of the workplace.

  • Valuing Diversity and Inclusion: Appreciating and leveraging the capabilities, insights, and ideas of all individuals.  Working effectively with individuals of diverse style, ability, and motivation.  Seeking to be inclusive of all abilities, cultures, and backgrounds; challenging exclusionary practices. 

Professionalism: Behaves with fairness and consistency in communication, daily interactions, and decision-making.  Shares information and ideas with others in a collaborative manner.  Maintaining consistent lines of communication with manager, supervisor, team members and clients communicating deadlines, issues, status