Company description

King Conservation District is a non-regulatory natural resource agency that supports sustainable uses of natural resources through voluntary stewardship. Conservation Districts support communities in their local area by providing education, technical assistance, & financial support.

This is a Washington Service Corps Individual Placement position. This position will run from 9/2023-7/2024 and is supported by AmeriCorps

Internship description

King Conservation District provides expertise and resources to community-based agriculture projects to promote and support the voluntary stewardship of natural resources and expand the ability of communities to grow and distribute their own food. Community Agriculture services include educational events and workshops, outreach and engagement opportunities, access to free resources such as compost and cover crop seeds, technical support, and “Seed Money” grants. We are committed to focusing our resources on historically underserved areas throughout King County to combat food insecurity and historic inequities.

The Community Agriculture Specialist will improve the ability of King County urban residents to grow, distribute, and access nourishing food by connecting them to education, financial, and technical assistance offered by King Conservation District. This position will support the installation of community gardens and implementation of sustainable agriculture practices, facilitate volunteer events, represent KCD at outreach events, and develop resources and deliver trainings for community members to promote best practices and natural resource stewardship.

The ideal candidate for this position is well-organized, self-motivated, and committed to improving food access for adults and youth of all backgrounds, including historically underrepresented communities. They should possess strong written and verbal communication skills (including public speaking), have experience or basic understanding of farming and/or gardening, have experience or interest in planning and facilitating events, easily and meaningfully engage others, embrace diversity and equity, and collaborate across teams of staff, partners, and volunteers to achieve goals and objectives. This is an AmeriCorps national service position and includes service requirements all Washington Service Corps members are required to complete.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Community Agriculture Program (45%)

• Participate as an active member of the KCD Farm Services Program, working as a team to develop and implement programming and attending weekly staff meetings, trainings, and various events.
• Support in the planning, design, implementation, and monitoring of new community agriculture projects.
• Help in the installation of agricultural best practices at partner sites, such as raised garden beds, pollinator gardens, fruit orchards, drip irrigation, etc.
• Coordinate the distribution of free resources to community gardens, including cover crop seeds, compost, and culturally relevant seed starts.
• Assist with special projects to support community agriculture throughout King County, such as the creation of a community garden map tool.

Outreach and Education (40%)

• Help facilitate educational events, such as tours, workshops, webinars, and more.
• Build outreach and instructional materials to support community agriculture projects.
• Represent KCD at outreach events to recruit community agriculture partners, including some weekends and evenings.
• Coordinate volunteer events in support of community agriculture projects.
• Utilize social media, direct outreach, and print media to market community agriculture services, with a focus on outreach to underserved communities.
• Strengthen partnerships with non-profits, agencies, and community groups to advance common goals of improving food security.

AmeriCorps Program (15%)

• Complete national service program requirements including community service projects based around National Days of Service.
• Provide environmental education and training to participants across the NW Region.
• Complete required member trainings focused on cultural awareness, effective communication, leadership, and more!
• Complete quarterly stories of service.
• Correspond regularly with site staff and WSC Coordinator.

SALARY & BENEFITS

Monthly living allowance of $3,352.38 ($35,199/year). The hours for this position will be tracked and will not exceed 40 hours per week. This position comes with basic health insurance coverage. Service Members will receive AmeriCorps Education Award at the end of a successful term.

SCHEDULE

KCD currently supports a hybrid work environment with 2 days required in office each week. This position is full-time, with a flexible schedule around program needs. Some weekday evening & weekend days are required each month for events. We allow for flexible schedule to accommodate for occasional evening & weekend work (e.g., If we host a Saturday event, you may opt for a Tuesday – Saturday work week & Sunday/Monday weekend).

Compensation

this position is: salaried, $15-20/hr

Application instructions

Deadline

June 23, 2023