Unity Gardens Inc.

Internship is EARN Indiana eligible

Unity Gardens Inc.

Location: South Bend, IN  46680

About

MISSION

The Mission of the Unity Gardens Inc. is to connect our community to healthy food, the natural environment and one another.  We do this through supporting ~40 open gardens, free classes, and summer wellness programs.

 

JOB DESCRIPTION

Opportunities are as endless and flexible as creativity allows! Possibilities include:

Free-Pick Garden: Interns use permaculture and ecosystem principles to care for vegetables, perennials and animals. Interns will welcome and help visitors find food to pick, share recipes and lead volunteer groups in the garden.

Garden Guide: Interns greet garden visitors, help visitors find food, share and gather recipes, and collect qualitative data for research.

Free-Pick Kids’ Garden: Interns manage Kids’ Discovery Garden to engage children in free play through tasting plants, exploring nature, handling chickens and using the Sound Station.

Counselor for Kids’ Garden Camp: Counselors help design activities, help lead and supervise groups of campers through each activity. Sr. counselor, Jr. counselor and Counselor-In-Training positions are available the 2 weeks of June 25-29 & July 16-20 8am-4pm).

Market Garden:  Interns help manage 4 hoop houses and outdoor raised beds, manage pests, harvest for CSA and Farmer’s Market, and develop marketing materials. We sell produce, plants, honey and more at the South Bend Farmer’s Market, 3-4 days/week.  A sales personality is a must!

Educational Opportunities: Each new project requires research. There may be chances to go to Purdue Extension Field Days. Teaching opportunities abound, whether it is demonstrating how to pick peppers for visitors, leading a volunteer or school group, or presenting a garden lecture to a class.

More: Interns can help manage the 1+ acre vegetable garden, native plant garden, herbal garden, food forest and mushroom cultivation. Interns can lead volunteer groups, tour visitors through the garden, take pictures for social media, develop garden signage, design and carry out environmental research projects, create art in the garden, and connect with the other neighborhood Unity Gardens.

Neighborhood Unity Gardens: Interns can work throughout the Saint Joseph County area, on-site at a variety of gardens and in libraries or other public areas in lieu of a central office. When at the gardens, it is expected that one will treat all garden contacts with respect and courtesy and non-discriminatory manner

  • Horticulture *  Event Planning        *  Fund Development              *  Children’s Programs
  • Marketing *  Sustainability           *  Education                             *  Social Justice/Outreach
  • Product Development * Composting             *  Volunteer Coordination       *  Food justice
  • Journalism *  Social Media            *  Teaching                              *  Building

DIRECT CONTACT WITH POPULATION SERVED

Interns will have direct contact with those who come to the gardens, whether they be volunteer groups, harvesters, civic leaders, or program participants.

SUPERVISION

Intern will work directly with business and horticultural staff (Manager, Assistant Manager) & Executive Director, and independently as projects are assigned.

ORIENTATION

Initial work will be in garden acclimating to the culture and organizational tempo. Interns will gain knowledge on the garden’s history, mission, visions, and goals.  Each intern has the opportunity to take a special project.

 WORKPLACE DESCRIPTION

The setting is outside work in garden farm and throughout the community, including South Bend Farmers Market.  The LaSalle Square Unity Garden is a non-for-profit urban garden which grows free-pick food for everyone to enjoy! We grow to reduce healthy food barriers, foster connection and opportunity in the community, promote the urban ecosystem of native plants, food plants, pollinators, birds, and more. This central Unity Garden supplies ~40 other Unity Gardens throughout St. Joseph County with plants, seeds, tools and know-how. The 7-acre location is designed as a garden-park with fruit trees, berries, bees, chickens, goats, and vegetable and native flower gardens. Solar panels power the electricity, mulch and compost power the plants, and hoop houses allow year-round growing in the Market Garden. The food forest, native plants, herbal garden, and companion plants are used to minimize pest damage while beautifying the garden. We are 2 miles from downtown South Bend which boasts many community events, buses and bike routes, and is an easy day-trip to Chicago. 

 DATE PREFERENCE/PREFERRED WORK SCHEDULE

May through August hours are consistently needed.  Day and evening, & weekends are all choices. Scheduling is flexible. Two weeks are Garden Camp 8 to 4pm daily. 20 to 40 hours a week in the summer internship program is typical. Additional opportunities can be designed per individual learning objectives and scheduling needs.

STUDENT QUALIFICATIONS

The Unity Gardens Intern will be expected to:

  • Utilize computers proficiently including WORD, Excel, and basic search functions
  • Communicate proficiently promptly, & professionally via phone, text, email, writing, or in public speaking venues
  • Use critical thinking skills to prioritize, make decisions, and actively inquire as needed
  • Proactively schedule, commit, and work the hours and time frames agreed upon
  • Adhere to all applicable local, state, and federal laws and guidelines

DRESS CODE: Outdoor wear, closed shoes.  Unity Gardens t-shirts may be provided as needed.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR QUESTIONS

Hannah Scrafford, Team Leader text or call 607-644-3001 or 

Sara Stewart, Executive Director text or call 574-315-4361 or GrowUnityGardens@yahoo.com or Facebook messenger “unitygardens”

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