Commonwealth Corps Service Internship Regional Environmental Council Inc. School Garden Specialist

Commonwealth Corps

Service Internship Position Description

Regional Environmental Council Inc.

School Garden Specialist

The mission of the Commonwealth Corps service internship program is to engage Massachusetts residents of all ages, backgrounds, and identities in direct service to strengthen communities, address critical needs, and increase volunteerism. Through hands-on experience, Commonwealth Corps members gain professional skills and valuable knowledge while positively impacting diverse communities in our state.

The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA) is a private, nonprofit agency that oversees the program and supports host site partners and members to find success throughout the program year. The two Commonwealth Corps members with Regional Environmental Council will serve 10 months in a half-time capacity. They will join a diverse corps of members across Massachusetts who share a common desire to explore their passions and expand their network in service to their communities and the Commonwealth.

The Regional Environmental Council, Inc. (REC) is a grassroots, nonprofit, environmental and food justice organization with a SO-year history working for environmental sustainability and social justice in Central Massachusetts. REC is seeking two half-time Commonwealth Corps members to support developing and implementing farm to early childhood programming at daycare and early childhood centers throughout Worcester, as well as providing broad support to the 34 school gardens supported by REC. In addition, they will collaborate with other members to leverage 100+ volunteers that will be engaged in hands-on garden support and maintenance and urban food production for food insecure neighborhoods.

What You'll Do:

Essential Responsibilities:

• Complete a minimum of 750 hours of service, serving through June 20, 2026 .
• Attend a minimum of 6 Commonwealth Corps trainings and service events held by MSA post orientation . Participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of MSA-related activities each week. This may include filling out timesheets, completing a bi-monthly reflection or check-in, or other MSA-related tasks or activities.
• Recruit and support volunteers to assist in the care and maintenance of school garden sites .
• Provide direct support to gardens serving early childhood age, including general maintenance, watering, and harvesting as well as developing plans in partnership with the site for sustainable long-term maintenance. Deliver developmentally appropriate hands-on workshops related to gardening and healthy eating .
• Work with School Gardens Coordinator to schedule and implement "mini market" program where REC brings Mobile Market and produce for an on-site market experience for children, including a story circle and take­ home vegetables for families.
• Develop support tools and training for early childhood providers to incorporate gardening as a teaching tool. Collaborate with other Commonwealth Corps member to support members of the YouthGROW program (REC's youth development program) to provide programming and support at K-12 School Garden sites

Marginal Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with other Corps members to plan spring community events, including a city-wide Earth Day Clean Up, engaging over 1,000 volunteers and our Annual Spring Garden Festival and Plant Sale. Smaller events include our UGROW Community Garden Workshops and YouthGROW team building retreats.
• Be a part of the greater Commonwealth Corps community, including participating in cross-site learning groups, writing a short profile for the CC newsletter, connecting with other members on our online platforms, and attending optional social/service events.

Who You Are:

You must be:

• A Massachusetts resident (see guidelines here) with legal authorization to work in the U.S.
• 18 years of age at minimum (average member age range is 18- 70+ years old)
• Excited to give back to your community and interested in developing your skills and gaining new professional experiences
• Comfortable/enthusiastic about working outdoors in variable conditions
• Able to balance service internship commitments with personal commitments in a sustainable way
• Are self-motivated, detail oriented, highly organized and reliable
• Able to travel independently to sites via personal or public transportation
• Have strong people and communication skills, both written and verbal

It would also be great if you:

• Are familiar/have experience with the Worcester community, particularly the Bell Hill and Main South neighborhoods
• Have previous experience collaboratively working or volunteering with people of diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Speak a language other than English -- multilingual candidates encouraged to apply
• Have experience growing food - ranging from home gardening to farming!
• Have experience working with youth in a formal or informal setting
• Are comfortable with online collaboration tools, e.g., shared calendars, email, shared folders/files (Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Apps)

• Member assistance program, including unlimited, confidential, 24/7, phone counseling services and up to three free, in-person counseling sessions, plus a lot more;
• Completion award of up to $2000 upon successful completion of service, minus taxes and withholdings;
• Reimbursement for outside training or professional development opportunities relevant to member's service and/or goals (Up to $100; Dependent on approval from MSA) and up to $200; dependent on approval from REC
• Extensive training from MSA with a diversity, equity and inclusion focus and other professional development opportunities;
• Limited reimbursement for travel to Corps-wide MSA-sponsored activities;
• Internet reimbursement up to $SO/month while required to complete some service from home if required by site;
• $80 monthly produce stipend through REC Mobile Market
• Limited travel reimbursement from their host site for certain service-related travel away from their usual service location, according to that agency's policies;
• Mental Health/Personal Day up to 4 hours per month
• The opportunity for at least 10 days of planned absences (may include holidays, does not count towards hours requirement);

Please note that receipt of these stipends/benefits may impact an individual's eligibility for certain public benefits.