Garden Apprentice

Description

Garden Apprentice (GA) (15-20 hours a week, Part-time, Seasonal 10 weeks) Non-Exempt 

Tuesdays and Wednesdays from Noon-5pm and Thursdays 2pm-8pm with some Saturdays  

BUILD, Inc. (Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development) is presently seeking a committed, self-motivated, and innovative individual to join our team. BUILD is a nationally respected gang intervention, violence prevention, and youth development organization based on Chicago’s West Side. Since 1969, BUILD has worked to save lives and mentor young people who live in the city’s most challenged neighborhoods. When you work at BUILD you make an important difference to the thousands of youths and families we serve.  

Our Core Values: Empathy, Passion, Persistence, and Innovation.    

The Garden Apprentice (GA) will work alongside the Austin Grown Manager and Coordinator to support with farm tasks, One Summer Chicago youth programing and BUILD Family Nights. The (GA) will be presented with both routine tasks and tasks designed to challenge them and promote critical thinking and help develop new skills. The (GA) will work alongside the program manager and coordinator to help maintain the farm grounds and help with youth and outreach programming. The (GA) reports directly to the Austin Grown Manager. 

Responsibilities are but not limited to: 

• Supporting the Austin Grown Coordinator and Manager with youth programming. Duties might include the following:
• Making copies 
• Assistance with set up and clean up 
• Completing farm tasks alongside youth participants 
• Acting as a liaison between youth and program staff to help incorporate youth voice and feedback into the curriculum 
• Facilitating small cooking demos during BUILD Family Nights on Thursdays.  
• Support the maintenance of farm grounds and food production on the farm 
• Develop soft skills such as time management, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. 
• Learn to use basic office tools (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Suite) and other job-specific software. 
• Demonstrate an ability to follow instructions, complete tasks, and meet deadlines. 
• Participate in regular one-on-one meetings with a mentor to discuss progress, challenges, and personal development goals. 
• Seek and act on feedback to improve job performance and skill development. 
• Actively engage in learning opportunities and expand knowledge about the non-profit sector. 
• Foster self-confidence and resilience to overcome personal and professional challenges. 

Physical Demands 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions. 

• Outdoor Work: Frequent work in outdoor environments, including community gardens and other urban farm sites, in varying weather conditions (heat, cold, rain). 
• Standing/Walking: Ability to stand, walk, bend, and move for extended periods, often on uneven surfaces or in confined garden areas. 
• Lifting/Carrying: Regularly required to lift, carry, or move materials such as soil bags, compost, tools, and plants weighing up to 50 pounds. 
• Manual Dexterity: Use of hands and arms for planting, weeding, harvesting, tool handling, and operating small agricultural equipment. 
• Reaching/Stooping: Frequent reaching, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling to perform gardening tasks or maintain planting areas. 
• Tool Use: Comfortable using basic landscaping/agricultural tools (e.g., hoes, shovels, rakes, pruners) and minor mechanical equipment (e.g., wheelbarrows, compost tumblers, irrigation systems). 
• Transportation: May require travel between urban farm sites, requiring the ability to safely drive or otherwise commute as needed. 

Requirements

• Young individuals (ages 18-24)  
• High school diploma/GED 
• Ability to follow instructions and complete tasks independently. 
• Willingness to try new things and learn new skills 
• The ability to be on your feet for 2-3 hours at a time 
• The ability to lift 50 pounds 
• Willingness to learn and grow in a supportive and structured environment. 
• Good communication skills and ability to collaborate with a team. 
• Positive attitude and commitment to completing the full apprenticeship program. 
• Must be able to pass background check 

BUILD, Inc., does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, medical status, military status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ancestry, or any legally protected status. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits and training. 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically prohibit employment. Rather, BUILD Inc., considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement: External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled, must be able to perform the essential job specific functions (listed within each job responsibility) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by the organization on a case-by-case basis.  

This organization reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment