Food Systems Educator

Sustainability Service Corps

Food Systems Educator Fellow at Each Green Corner

--------------

How to Apply

Applications will only be accepted through the website. APPLY TODAY

https://www.sustainabilityservicecorps.org/

Visit our website for more information and to review open positions.

--------------

Title of Position: Food Systems Educator Fellow

Term: September 2024 - July 2025; 1700 hours, 11 months; 40 hours/week

Living Allowance Stipend: $2,838.91/month

Education Award: $10,000.00 upon program completion

Location: Multiple Sites in San Mateo County

Work Environment: Hybrid (Remote & On-Site) This position requires a regular schedule of on-site work within San Mateo County on four weekdays and one weekend day per week. Approximately 90% of the time is on-site, and approximately 10% of the time is remote. A car is needed.

Benefits: Free healthcare coverage (w/dental & mental health), Education Award, student loan forbearance, child care allowance, CalFresh, professional development budget, UC Climate Stewards certification, industry networking.

Personal Vehicle required? Yes

Working with minors? Yes

Eligibility

• AmeriCorps Requirements
• Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States*
• Ability to pass FBI, CA Department of Justice, out-of-state (if applicable), and National Sex Offender Public Registry background checks prior to service
• Sustainability Service Corps Requirements
• At least 18 years of age
• Test negatively for tuberculosis if working with minors
• Adhere to COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements determined by host organization
• Live in the state of California
• Commitment to the full term of service
• Capability to work in a professional office or field setting 
• Strong verbal and written communication and teamwork skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Passion for community-oriented climate change solutions and interest in launching a career in sustainability
• Experience with, or training in, climate science, sustainability, environmental justice, education, community outreach, and project management
• Past service experience (e.g., volunteering, community service, etc.)
• Associates degree or above AND/OR relevant experience
• Being local to the community where you will serve

Desired Qualifications

• Ability and enthusiasm for sustained periods of outdoor manual labor, including lifting 50+ lbs, gardening tasks, light carpentry work, shoveling, maneuvering loaded wheelbarrows, and other tasks as required, in all weather conditions;
• Experience and desire to lead classes of 24-32 students K-12 in direct instruction as well as small group hands-on garden-based activities;
• Excitement to work with and lead volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, ages, and skill levels;
• Experience working in schools, community-based (non-profit) agencies, and/or low-income communities;
• Willingness to regularly work weekends;
• Reliable access to transportation to assigned sites throughout San Mateo County, including moving between sites during the day;
• Possession of a valid driver’s license, and proof of automobile insurance.
• Positive, collaborative approach with a passion for urban agriculture, equity and food justice, education, community building, and/or environmental/sustainability issues;
• Experience and knowledge of: Climate Communications, Community Outreach, Curriculum Development, Environmental Education, Environmental Justice, Event Coordination, Gardening Best Practices, Marketing/Social Media, Multi-stakeholder collaboration, Project Management, Public Speaking/Facilitation, Volunteer Management
• Attention to professionalism and cultural competence with experience working across a diverse range of populations.
• Proficiency in Spanish is a plus.

Responsibilities

EGC seeks a full-time enthusiastic, outdoor-oriented professional passionate about teaching, leading and inspiring youth and communities to build healthier, more reliant communities through food justice and sustainable agriculture. As an EGC Food Systems Educator Fellow, you will teach and lead school-based youth as well as community volunteers in sustainable food systems by:

• Direct Curriculum Delivery & School-Based Learning (60%)
• Leading students in EGC’s Food Explorers Program curriculum, with instruction in food systems, environmental and food justice, and public health/nutrition 
• Leading student groups (e.g. school Green Teams) in mission-related activities in the garden;
• Developing educational and outreach materials (virtual and on-site) to enhance site- and program-specific goals;
• Sustainable Food-Based Garden Development & Management (20%)
• Maintaining and improving a portfolio of school- and community center-based garden sites, including weeding, planting, pruning, implementing natural pest control methods, and harvesting in the garden as well as task, inventory, and materials management (training provided);
• Documenting garden progress and community engagement via photographs, videos, and interviews;
• Collaborating with EGC operations team and agricultural advisors to create seasonal planting lists across sites and manage seedling inventories;
• Community Building & Volunteer Management (10%)
• Preparing for and leading monthly weekend volunteer work days at each assigned site (anticipated Food Systems Educator Fellow will oversee one work day per weekend);
• Program Development & Evaluation (10%)
• Collaborating with site administrators, staff, and communities to align garden-based activities and improvements with EGC & site shared goals;
• Serving as hub for site/project-specific collaborations between operations, design, communications and development teams;
• Managing data collection at assigned sites/events to measure our programs’ impacts;
• Other program-related activities as needed (e.g. special events, site installations, seedling propagation and distribution). 
• This position requires a regular schedule of on-site work within San Mateo County on four weekdays and one weekend day per week. Approximately 90% of time is on-site, and approximately 10% of time is remote.
• Typical schedule is Tuesday-Saturday; 8:30am-5pm (includes 30 minute unpaid lunch break). Occasional evening and/or Sunday work may be required for special events.

ABOUT THE HOST PARTNER

Each Green Corner (EGC) launched in 2019 as a volunteer-driven organization that empowers communities to increase food sovereignty and climate resiliency through sustainable urban agriculture. We do this by training and assisting communities in building sustainable food-producing gardens at schools, community centers, and at-risk residential areas to grow culturally-diverse fresh produce for donation to nonprofit food distribution partners and/or directly to communities in need. Simultaneously, we educate our communities about nutrition and food security, environmental justice and sustainable agriculture through volunteer training and experience, school-based curriculum, and the creation of content and resources for the general public. Through our two main programs, Residential Gardens and Living Campus (school- and community center-based gardens), we are able to tailor our training and education to adults/seniors as well as to youth, while maintaining an intergenerational focus via volunteer opportunities for all ages across all programming. Importantly and uniquely, EGC does not merely create gardens - it provides continuing support to garden site partners in the form of volunteer and garden management, curriculum development and delivery, and ongoing maintenance via public workdays, hands-on clinics, and other volunteer events. The success of our model is demonstrated not just by thousands of pounds of fresh produce EGC donates each year, but also by the hundreds of volunteers reached and thousands of students impacted by our work. EGC is a 2022 San Mateo Sustainability Award Winner.

Position Overview & Description

EGC builds environmentally-sustainable food systems within San Mateo County, including increasing garden access, urban green space, canopy coverage, and carbon sinks while decreasing water usage, urban heat islands, and food miles, all while simultaneously empowering climate-ready communities both on a site-community level and on a regional level. At the site level, EGC prioritizes building gardens in communities with high levels of food insecurity and climate impacts to bring education, food sovereignty, and climate resilience to the neighborhoods that can most benefit. 

In addition to building strength and sovereignty within individual communities, EGC’s activities also expand “community” to build a regional identity that includes all residents, addressing entrenched divisions between existing identified communities. By hosting volunteer gardening opportunities that attract volunteers from a range of backgrounds and through EGC’s Food Explorers Program curriculum and school-based garden activities to educate and engage volunteers and students on these issues, EGC builds an important bridge between historically segregated communities and builds a County-wide identity inclusive and supportive of all residents. 

Throughout the course of the fellowship term, Fellows will lead and engage with 400+ students and volunteers to drive climate action in the areas of climate resilience, food waste diversion, urban greening and building sustainable food systems. Fellows will have a significant impact on the communities they serve through garden stewardship, direct donation to non-profit food distribution partners, and youth and adult education in sustainable food systems management and community resilience. Fellows deliver these services in collaboration with multiple stakeholders. Internally, fellows collaborate with EGC’s Program Coordinator, Development team, and various subject-area interns. Externally, Fellows work closely with the site administrator (e.g. principal), staff (e.g. teachers), and broader community (e.g. PTA, parent volunteers, student clubs and groups, etc) at each assigned site in the Fellow’s portfolio. The anticipated outcome and impact of the fellowship is measured in terms of tangible impact, community engagement, and education provided. 

Fellowship Experience 

EGC recognizes its role as a stepping stone in its Fellows’ longer term career development. While each Food Systems Educator has a set framework and core responsibilities during their term with EGC, the Site Supervisor seeks to tailor when possible site portfolios and special project lists for each Fellow that reflect their longer-term goals and maximize exposure to relevant internal and external mentoring opportunities in their areas of interest. EGC Board members and core administrative volunteers come from a broad range of educational and career backgrounds, including environmental permitting, environmental law/advocacy, nonprofit finance, and public health/medicine, and are available to fellows for mentoring and career advice.

The EGC Fellowship is set up to provide fellows with a well-rounded experience in a small non-profit to enable Fellows to gain insight into what it is like to work in a small- to mid-size community-based non-profit. Fellows will be supported and supervised by EGC’s Program Coordinator, and will also have the opportunity to work directly with the CEO, core advisors, and community partners. With our extensive experience leveraging the passion and talents of interns and volunteers, EGC is well set up to provide a stellar learning and professional growth environment with both regular supervision/feedback outlets and schedules as well as encouraged access to other team members and our many outside volunteer advisors. Fellows will have access to an extensive library of guides and tools to both learn from, as well as contribute to as they develop their projects, while additionally having latitude to propose and initiate new projects that fit within EGC’s strategic goals and mission. Additionally, EGC intentionally fosters an open, supportive and professional culture, where all ideas and perspectives are encouraged and initiative is applauded and rewarded. All EGC interns, fellows, board members, officers and employees are required to acknowledge and agree to EGC’s Non-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment and Complaint Policy. Finally, EGC will reimburse fellows for mileage from site to site as well as provide reimbursement for monthly transit passes.

Fellows with Each Green Corner will join an organization committed to professional development and education, providing support for future goals and knowledge in order to help fellows evolve and grow their areas of expertise. One full week of extensive orientation training will be provided by Each Green Corner in the areas of classroom instruction and management, sustainable garden maintenance, volunteer engagement and tools and materials training. Each fellow will be CPR/First Aid certified through the Red Cross at no cost to them, and will receive additional on-the-job safety training in the areas of power tool construction and garden site hazards. EGC further provides regular professional development training in the area of sustainability through our partnership with the UC Master Gardener program. In addition to this training, EGC will provide a $250 professional development budget to each fellow to be used toward any professional development or educational courses, events, books etc. relevant to the Fellow’s work with EGC.

ABOUT US

Sustainability Service Corps (SSC) is a bridge-to-career AmeriCorps Fellowship program that delivers professional development to emerging climate protection leaders who implement projects related to sustainability, education, and community engagement for municipalities, nonprofits, schools, and disadvantaged communities across California. 

Upon completion of the term, SSC Fellows receive a Segal Education Award of up to $7,395.00 in return for your service. You can use the award to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. Fellows who complete a 1700-hour term also receive a California For All Award of $2,605.00 for educational expenses.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

Bay Area Community Resources, the administrator of Sustainability Service Corps, is an equal opportunity employer. We cultivate an environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all employees and National Service members. We are firmly committed to maintaining an atmosphere in which people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles may grow personally and professionally. Therefore, we enthusiastically accept our responsibility to make employment decisions without regard to race, religion or religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, marital status, medical condition, disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws or ordinances. Our management is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this equal opportunity policy with respect to hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, recruitment advertising, pay, and other forms of compensation, training, and general treatment during employment.