Position Purpose:
Cohort Leaders are the primary supervisors for each Outdoor Leadership Academy - Summer Youth Employment Program (OLA-SYEP) Cohort, a group of twenty 14-15-year-olds. The Cohort Leader is responsible for planning, teaching, coordinating, and carrying out activities and guiding participants in their personal growth and professional skills. Garden Cohort Leaders are the primary supervisors for gardening activities, teaching youth soft and hard skills related to gardening and professional development. Concrete Safaris operates gardens across 9-acres of NYC Housing Authority property in two public housing developments. Garden Cohort Leaders will be responsible for ensuring that Jefferson Gardens, Mad Fun Farm, and Paradise Garden -- vegetable, herb, fruit, and flower gardens -- are thriving and well-utilized, and that participants are maximizing learning and volunteerism opportunities in a safe, fun environment. Garden Cohort Leaders will work with the Jefferson Houses community and a team of cross-sector professionals and students to design and install a Streetscape of gardens along Second Avenue.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Participate in the development and implementation of project-based, service learning experiences for participants in the OLA-SYEP program within the mission and outcomes related to gardening.
Provide for a progression of activities within the framework of individual and group interests and abilities in line with garden project outcomes, including education in garden design, organic urban agriculture, ecology, and botany.
Interview, train, lead, manage, and track progress of youth, including training them to lead garden programming, sustain CS’ gardens, and work with neighbors to beautify outdoor spaces and distribute produce up to six days per week.
Design and lead garden-related field trips.
Train youth to lead camp and volunteer groups through field trips and garden volunteer sessions, held throughout the summer. From time to time, you will lead group team-building games during these events with 50 - 500 children and adults at these events. You will create and/or improve seasonal lessons incorporating grade-appropriate standards from New York City Science Scope and Sequence and New York State Common Core.
Work with parents to develop initiatives that increase parent involvement in gardening.
Evaluate gardening program in mid-term and end-of-season reports, and as necessary.

2. Ensure that OLA-SYEP staff and participants know and follow safety and educational procedures
Apply basic youth development principles in working with participants through communication, relationship development, respect for diversity, involvement, and empowerment of youth.
Assure that participants are properly supervised at all times.
Train staff for gardening activities, including rules of the gardens, streets, and tools.
Ensure participants and staff follow safety procedures.

3. Lead the care and maintenance of gardening equipment and grounds.
Maintain existing garden plots and develop new plots to maximize the garden space with youth.
Produce 3-4 tons of vegetables, herbs, and fruit.
Maintain the gardening equipment, plants, seeds, garden beds, and all other supplies.
Conduct a daily check of the area and equipment for safety, cleanliness, and good repair.
Ensure that the storage rooms are kept tidy and that supplies stay in their designated area.
Set-up related equipment for events, activities and programs as needed prior to event start.

4. Be a role model to participants and staff in your attitude and behavior.
Follow and uphold all safety and security rules and procedures.
Set a good example to participants and others in regard to general OLA-SYEP procedures and practices including sanitation, schedule, and sportsmanship.

5. Represent the organization when interacting with parents or community members.
Provide parents appropriate feedback and information as needed for their children to have a successful experience.
Follow safety and security protocols when participants are in public or in indoor facilities while presenting a positive image of the organization.

Other Job Duties:
Work with CS’ team to develop a long-term growth strategy for the gardens and help raise funds to make those plans a reality, including creating program and event budgets.
Recruit and manage assistants, interns, and volunteers.
Attend and participate in staff meetings and related activities.
Participate in outside groups and committees as assigned.
Contribute to weekly social media updates of students' work in the form of video and pictures.
Participate enthusiastically in all OLA-SYEP activities, planning and leading those as assigned. 
Participate as a member of the OLA-SYEP staff team to deliver and supervise evening programs, special events, overnights, and other all-OLA-SYEP activities and OLA-SYEP functions, as requested.
Assist in the planning of any special garden-related events.

Relationships:
Maintain excellent relationships with the OLA-SYEP’s, Cohort Leaders, Job Developer, Education Coordinator, Programs Manager, Executive Director, and all other staff and partners.

Please see full job description at: https://concretesafaris.wufoo.com/forms/p1frfc62046fby1/