Athens Community Council on Aging is seeking a Volunteer Garden Manager
Volunteer Garden Manager Position Description Purpose: The Athens Community Council on Aging (ACCA) Garden is maintained by volunteers with the Master Gardener program, UGA Horticultural students, and community volunteers. The Volunteer Garden Manager (VGM) acts as the liaison between volunteer gardeners and ACCA staff. The VGM will help support the garden to grow vibrant produce for our seniors and community. The VGM will be responsible for planning the gardens, including what crops will be planted and when. This is done in coordination with UGArden and UGA Extension Office, and with input from the Senior Center program clients. The VGM will decide what to plant based on their expertise, and historical info on what has grown well in the garden. The VGM will provide produce donations to staff, maintain education opportunities for new gardeners, and encourage community involvement. They will play a critical role in fostering a sense of community in the garden and helping students and volunteers incorporate gardening into their skillset while reducing hunger among seniors.
Recruitment/term: The Volunteer Garden Manager would have a strong background in gardening and/or have completed training as a Master Gardener. The VGM is encouraged to commit to one full garden season and each fall will have the option of continuing onto the following year or assisting in recruiting a replacement.
Time Commitment: Approximately 3-6 hours a week. 13-25 hours/month
Roles and Responsibilities Policies and Procedures:
- Orient new gardeners to the site
- Communicate any schedule changes with garden volunteers
- Supervise beginning Horticultural students (1-7 students) in monthly Garden Work Days
- Determine what supplies & equipment are needed & submit order request to staff (tools, mulch, etc)
- Notify program staff of critical maintenance needs (e.g., broken lock, leaky faucet, etc.)
- Ensure garden volunteers are accurately recording their hours on necessary logs
- Correspond with garden volunteers and ACCA staff to notify any updates, workdays, or activities
- Maintain effective communication and organization with UGArden and UGA’s Extension Office for needed resources
- Work with ACCA staff, students, and volunteers to ensure policies are upheld at the garden
- Be knowledgeable of Athens Community Council on Aging’s efforts to reduce senior hunger and promote best practices at garden:
http://www.accaging.org/seniorhunger/ http://www.accaging.org/accagarden/ - Encourage direct communication and problem-solving among garden volunteers and refer conflict situations to program office for resolution when needed
If interested or have questions, please contact Sarah Kruse at skruse@accaging.org or 706-549-4850