Gardener Project Officer for Young Marketeers Newcastle

Job Title:                              Gardener Project Officer for Young Marketeers Newcastle

Position Type:                     Freelance

Reports to:                          Development Manager

Based at:                              Home-working and at schools in Newcastle

Working Hours:                 14 days @ £165 per day from March – July (£2310); 8 x school gardening sessions at £110 per session plus 1 day planning @ £220 (£1100). Total budget £3,410 + expenses

Contract:                             Temporary 

Job Purpose

·         To manage the delivery of Young Marketeers in Newcastle in four primary schools

Background to School Food Matters

School Food Matters (SFM) exists to teach children about food and to improve children’s access to healthy, sustainable food during their time at school. We provide fully funded food education programmes to schools. Our experience delivering these programmes informs and strengthens our campaigns, bringing the voices of children, parents and teachers to government policy.

Young Marketeers

This much-loved programme was started in London in 2012. It is now running in 12 cities across England and is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund for three years.  The programme provides hands-on opportunities for children from primary schools to grow fruit and veg from seed to sell at their local market. Young Marketeers is also a platform for School Food Matters to promote food education to schools and communities as a way to support children to live happy and healthy lives.  Children learn the art of growing veg from seed, and market traders will share their secrets on how to create a winning market stall.  Primary schools will be visited by our gardener in March/April and then again in May/June and receive further tips on how to ensure a bumper crop. And in July, they head to the market to sell their produce, and to meet the mayor!

Key Tasks include:

·         Recruit four schools to take part in Young Marketeers

·         Build and maintain relationships with teachers, teaching assistants and senior leaders to ensure the smooth running of the project

·         Build and support relationships with contacts in partner organisations

·         Schedule, organise and deliver

o   One assembly in each school

o   Two food growing sessions in each school

o   One market trader training session in each school

o   Market Day in the city centre in July for four schools

·         Maintain accurate records relating to the programme

• Complete monitoring and evaluation forms in accordance with instructions from our Evaluation team
• Take photos of workshops and events where possible
• Keep Development Manager fully updated on progress

·         Keep up to date with safeguarding requirements and reporting procedures

• Maintain the ethos of the charity and positively promote our work at all times

Person specification

Essential  

·         Experience of delivering food growing sessions to children

·         Knowledge of fruit and vegetable growing

·         Excellent administrative and organisational skills with great attention to detail  

·         Excellent IT skills including excel, word and email  

·         Experience of building relationships with partner organisations and individuals 

·         Ability to work in a team, and seek help when needed  

·         Self-motivated and optimistic with a can-do attitude  

Desirable  

·         Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation  

·         Experience of working in primary schools and engaging children