PROGRAM NAME:     Abby Urban Farm                 

 

POSITION TITLE:         Gardener Assistant Volunteer

                                       

SCHEDULE:                   Monday thru Friday, and Saturday mornings

 

LOCATION:                  Urban Garden

 

REPORTS TO:               Urban Farm Community Coordinator and/or Farm Manager

POSITION SUMMARY

 In the heart of 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 within a day or half day as suits their skills and availability. Volunteers may work under the direction of the Head Gardener, or Gardening Assistants depending on the task. 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
• Able to lift 35- 50 lb
• Sustain periods of standing
• During this growing season we will be adhering to BCCDC COVID 19 recommendations.

 

COMMITMENT

• to commit to a regular weekly or bi-weekly 4-hour shift (8 a.m. to noon Monday to Friday) for the gardening season (June to October, recognizing that vacations/other commitments may require flexing this schedule from time to time.
• Attend a garden orientation

 

CORE COMPETENCIES 

• 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 updates, and successes.  Maintaining appropriate interpersonal relationships and boundaries with staff and clients.

oducing 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 within a day or half day as suits their skills and availability. Volunteers may work under the direction of the Head Gardener, or Gardening Assistants depending on the task. 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 Skills

• 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 during the growing season.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Working out of doors, prepared for rain or sun
• Physical lifting and bending
• Able to lift 20- 50 lb
• Sustain periods of standing
• During this growing season we will be adhering to BCCDC COVID 19 recommendations.

COMMITMENT

•  to commit to a regular weekly or bi-weekly 4-hour shift (8 a.m. to noon Monday to Friday) for the gardening season (June to October, recognizing that vacations/other commitments may require flexing this schedule from time to time.
• Attend a garden orientation

CORE COMPENTENCIE

• 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