Current jobs related to Youth Horticulture Instructor - Queens, New York - Queens Botanical Garden Society

Queens Botanical Garden serves as a vibrant urban sanctuary where diverse communities, flora, and cultures converge through engaging gardens, innovative educational initiatives, and demonstrations of ecological responsibility.

About This Role

The Youth Programs at QBG unite children aged 2 to 18 from various backgrounds across New York City, offering them seasonal, hands-on learning and gardening experiences throughout the year. Our young participants delve into the principles of ecological balance, sustainability, and conservation as they learn to prepare soil, select seeds and plants, and nurture their own vegetables, flowers, and herbs, transforming them into healthy and tasty snacks in an educational setting. We aim to provide an immersive experience in all our programs, blending structured activities with free exploration to foster children's natural curiosity.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver QBG's environmental, artistic, sustainability, and gardening programs according to established standards, either at the Garden or within the community.
  • All programming takes place outdoors, regardless of weather conditions.
  • Target audience consists of elementary school-aged children.
  • Group sizes range from 8 to 10 students.
• Collaborate with the Education Manager and other QBG staff to design and implement interactive and engaging workshops and activities focused on gardening and environmental sustainability.
• Mentor and guide 2-4 interns/volunteers to meet program requirements.
• Create a safe and inclusive environment for all participants.
• Prepare and manage all materials necessary for scheduled programs.
• Set up and dismantle programming areas.
• Review and adjust lesson plans based on the needs of participants.
• Assist with horticultural tasks, including seeding, weeding, mulching, pruning, raking, watering, mowing, weed whacking, transplanting, and propagation.
• Support additional initiatives within the Education Department.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or two years of relevant experience in education, science, or a related field.
• Experience managing classes/groups, particularly with children.
• Background in teaching subjects such as botany, environmental studies, ethnobotany, or life sciences is advantageous.
• Experience in special education or working with neurodiverse children is a plus.
• Demonstrated interest in and experience working with diverse communities.
• Ability to engage with groups of varying sizes, including children and adults.
• Enthusiastic and collaborative approach.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Willingness to commit to two half-days of programming each week, totaling 8 hours.

Schedule:

This is a part-time seasonal position, with programming typically occurring on weekends.

Compensation: The hourly wage is $20.

Health & Safety: Proof of full Covid-19 vaccination is required for employment.

Queens Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, political affiliation, mental illness, socioeconomic status, or any other legally protected status.