Arcadia Farm Education Volunteer

TIMES OF DAY

Weekday Mornings

TIME COMMITMENT

A few hours per week

DURATION

Short-Term (few weeks/months)

ADDRESS

9000 Richmond Highway

Alexandria, Virginia 22309

United States

DESCRIPTION

Overview: Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture seeks Farm Education Volunteers to assist with the Arcadia Farm Field Trip Program which teaches students about the origins of healthy food. Field Trips help students in grades Pre-K-5^th make the connection that fresh food comes from the earth through hands-on, farm-based learning. Trips familiarize students with new fruits and vegetables that grow in the DC Metro area so that they will be more likely to eat those healthy foods when they see them in the cafeteria or at home.

Farm Education Volunteers help make Field Trips safe, educational and fun. They help monitor the space, provide instruction during trips, and assist with general garden maintenance.

Background: Arcadia is a non-profit organization serving the Washington, D.C. Metro area. Arcadia’s mission is to create a more equitable and sustainable local food system to improve the health of our community, increase the viability of local farmers, and preserve the environment for future generations. Arcadia has three interrelated program areas: Food Access, Farm & Nutrition Education, and Sustainable Agriculture.

Reports to: Farm Education Volunteers report directly to the Farm Education Manager.

Hours: Commitment of one day per week (Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday) from September 26 – November 1, 2019. This is a 5 hour/week minimum commitment under the guidance of our Farm Education Director. Volunteers commit to one of our three Field Trip days: either Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday from 9:00am-2:30pm (end times vary slightly-- usually we will wrap up before 2 pm).

Please note: a mandatory volunteer training (2 days) will take place before the Fall 2019 Field Trip season begins:

New Volunteer Orientation: the morning of September 13th

Volunteer Training: either September 19th or September 20th, these trainings are identical and volunteers are required to attend ONE of the two.

Location: Volunteer time will take place at Arcadia Farm, 9000 Richmond Highway in Alexandria, VA. Volunteers must provide their own transportation to and from the farm.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Teach a short interactive lesson on farm-specific topic to small groups of students during Field Trips;
• Assist with all Field Trip tasks, including set up and clean up.
• Contribute to general maintenance of the children’s educational garden.

Qualifications:

• Desire to work with children (preK-5) in an outdoor school setting
• Experience working with youth, especially in an outdoor environment
• Dynamic, energetic personality
• Desire to learn about sustainable growing practices and food education
• Creativity, enthusiasm and a sense of humor
• Must be able to work outdoors in various weather conditions and lift 50 lbs
• First Aid/CPR certification is a plus
• Must be able to pass a background check
• BONUS: Spanish speakers!

Training:

Arcadia is committed to providing quality, on-site training and learning experiences to our volunteers. Volunteers receive training in farm-based education techniques, sustainable growing techniques, and much more.

How to Apply:

Please send your resume and a note describing your interest and relevant experience. Email Farm Education Director, Ivy Mitchell, ivy@arcadiafood.org, using "Farm Education Volunteer Application" as the subject before September 6th, 2019.

Arcadia is committed to diversity in the workplace and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs.


BENEFITS

Training Provided

HOW TO APPLY

ivy@arcadiafood.org

http://www.arcadiafood.org

Arcadia is committed to diversity in the workplace and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs.