Farm Discovery at Live Earth is a nonprofit organization working in the Pajaro Valley community to empower youth and families to build and sustain healthy food, farming, social and natural systems.
We believe that we can transform personal and community health and improve our impact on earth by building and sustaining collaborative agricultural, ecological and social systems. We believe that communities armed with knowledge and the skills of inquiry can transform food, farming and natural systems for the better.
* Farm Discovery offers educational programs that inspire youth and families to transform their relationship to food, farming, and nature.
* We steward our working farm and its wild spaces as an environmentally and economically viable piece of the food system and a learning space.
* We collaborate with community partners to learn from each other and extend our collective impact in the community.
Program Information Position Description
The Education Associate will co-lead the food, farming and nature education programming and support all education programs. This includes the associated outreach through promotional activities and materials.
Farming: components include co-managing the up to 1-acre Discovery Garden, Education Fields, pygmy goats and chicken flocks, as well as, coordinating with farm staff and volunteers to accomplish large seasonal projects.
Programs: We run seasonal field trips and Farm Immersions (February-June & Sept-Nov), a weekly program with Santa Cruz Montessori (Sept-June), drop in programs (year round), a partnership with Food What?! (March-Oct), a produce distribution program (year-round), field and garden volunteers (year-round).
Key Responsibilities:
Working with the Assistant Director of Education on farming and culinary curriculum creation, revision, and implementation for all programming
Co-manage educational fields & gardens (planning, propagation and greenhouse work, crop planning, planting and rotation, soil fertility, composting, perennial fruit tree and berry care, harvesting, post harvest handling, irrigation, pest and disease control)
Lead farm tours and teach organic farming/gardening skills, environmental stewardship and nutrition.
Maintain order and cleanliness of the Education Barn, Kitchen Classroom, and restroom
Help create and share outreach materials for education programs
Social media, marketing, blog entries
Desired Intern Characteristics:
Commitment to great customer service during educational programs, including volunteer engagement
Passion for building community and deep relationships through food and agriculture
Positive, creative, flexible, and takes initiative
Dependable with thorough follow through
Ability to balance multiple programs/projects at once; strong organizational skills and attention to detail
Good communication skills: verbal, written, electronic and with a variety of audiences
Desire to learn and ask questions; openness to different ideas/ways of doing things; think about what you are learning, what you do not know, observe & take notes of your observations; program debriefs
Highly competent in use of computers and necessary technology on a daily basis; additional software experience a plus (Salesforce, Google Applications, social media)
Physically fit to meet the demands of working on a farm with youth, experience/ability to dig beds by hand and the ability to lift 50lbs
Concentration: Public Health
Format of Service: In-Person Service
Type of Service: Direct Client Service
The following CHHS Competencies that the student will be exposed to:
- Collaboration
- Cross Cultural Competency
- Knowledge of Health & Human Services (SW or CH)
- Personal & Professional Communication
Please provide details about trainings/ staff meetings offered or required: Weekly 1:1 check-ins with students, participation in weekly Education Meetings, and bi-weekly staff meetings