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2021 Farm Specialist - Yes Farm

About EarthCorps

EarthCorps is a Seattle-based nonprofit organization with a mission of developing leaders to strengthen community and restore the health of our environment. EarthCorps' Corps Program is an intensive year-long training and service opportunity that unites young adults (age 18 and above) from across the United States to learn skills in leadership, habitat restoration, and community building. EarthCorps is working to build a network that is invested in young environmental leaders, celebrates variety in leadership styles, and supports each other.  As an organization, EarthCorps is historically white led and is currently working toward racial equity in our systems and structures.  

Position Summary

The Farm Specialist is an AmeriCorps position with EarthCorps, based at YES Farm.

This position offers a mix of office work, hands-on farm work, outreach, and farm volunteer event leadership. Office tasks include using online tools to attract and track community volunteers, designing outreach materials and implementing outreach plans, and targeted recruitment for community volunteer events. Field work includes onsite leadership of volunteers of all ages, invasive plant removal, native plant installation, urban farm development, and maintaining tools and equipment.

This position is supervised by EarthCorps and YesFarm, candidate will work closely with the Black Farmers Collective Managing Director and Yes Farm Manager, who will be the lead on training and day to day tasks. The position is offered through AmeriCorps. As such, all applicants must meet the requirements to become an AmeriCorps member and abide by AmeriCorps policies.

Duties & Responsibilities

Time in this position will be split approximately 90% Yes Farm work and volunteer management and 10% training and education. 

Yes Farm Project Support:

·        Lead high quality, safe, and educational volunteer events to complete projects on the farm. Projects may include invasive weed removal; soil remediation; and building farm and garden infrastructure.

·        Work with the BFC managing Director to implement targeted outreach to deepen engagement with and increase participation of Seattle’s Black community. 

·        Develop and maintain relationships with volunteers and groups interested in volunteering at Yes Farm.

·        Represent Yes Farm at various tabling events and similar outreach opportunities.

·        Support and attend regular BFC leadership meetings.

·        Prepare oral and written reports, including photos of volunteer events, work project summaries, equipment use and maintenance logs, and incident reports.

Other Outreach & Communication Support:

·        Strive for professional, clear, timely, and open communication amongst EarthCorps and BFC partners.

·        Work with the EarthCorps Outreach Manager to maintain consistent external messaging about the organization, volunteer program, and crew program.

Habitat restoration and urban farm maintenance is physically demanding service. Each year new members consistently underestimate the physical and mental requirements. The Outreach Specialist must both have the capacity to perform restoration tasks in challenging physical situations and ability to motivate others. Service regularly involves:

·        Long days of repetitively shoveling, digging, and swinging heavy tools.

·        Heavy lifting up to 50 lbs. and bending.

·        Working in the outdoors in all weather conditions, including heat/cold/rain.

·        Walking on steep or uneven terrain up to 8 mi. (13 km) while carrying 40 lbs. (18 kg) of weight.

Required Qualifications

• Capacity to take initiative, stay motivated in an office setting, and work independently. 

• Lived experience or demonstrated professional skills working with racially and economically diverse individuals and communities, including working-class, immigrant/refugees, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ populations in outdoor public settings. 

• Capacity to delegate, manage time, multitask, stay organized, and be responsive.

• Commitment and ability to serve for the full AmeriCorps term

Desired Qualifications

Interest in food justice and environmental justice issues. 

• Experience leading others in outdoor activities. 

• Experience in community outreach or organizing. 

• Effective cross-cultural communication including sensitivity to and awareness of cultural differences and a commitment to working in an inclusive environment.

Ability to build strong relationships with community partners, young people, and work towards coalition building and a collective vision, especially with the Black community in Seattle. 

• Experience leading and facilitating in a team setting.

• Proficient writer, editor, and communicator.

• Ability to bring positivity, humor, and optimism to challenging situations.

• Ability to be flexible and navigate ambiguity

• Ability to commit to self-care in a highly social office and program environment. 

• Experience in a customer service setting.

• Valid driver’s license and comfort driving 12 passenger vans and large trucks.

Corps Member Terms of Service

• PERIOD OF SERVICE: February 2nd to December 11th, 2021 

• RATE OF PAY: Stipend of $1,896/month

• STATUS: Temporary, enrolled through AmeriCorps

• TYPICAL HOURS OF SERVICE: 7:20 a.m. – 5:10 p.m. Tues-Saturday, alternating Tuesdays off, some evenings and Saturdays required.

(1/2 hour lunch does not count towards AmeriCorps hours)

AmeriCorps members must abide by policies set by CNCS and complete 1,700 hours of service, including mandatory trainings. 

• Criminal history checks conducted to fulfill AmeriCorps requirements.

Benefits

·        AmeriCorps education award of $6,195 upon successful completion of a minimum of 1,700 hours and all EarthCorps program activities.

·        Education & Training

·        Days off & holidays permissible as designated by EarthCorps (6 personal days, as standard)

·        Medical Insurance

·        Subsidized ORCA Pass for bus transportation.

·        Boots, pants, t-shirt, rain gear, and safety equipment provided.

 ·       Receive a food box and fresh vegetables from the farm

Deadlines and Start Dates

Deadline extended: Priority consideration will be given to completed applications received by January 24, 2021.  

To ensure your materials are considered, please submit your completed application early as you are able. After this priority date, new applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. 

We encourage applicants from all racial, ethnic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities to apply, especially those from historically marginalized communities.

To Apply

Click the 'Apply Now' button below to begin your application. You will be asked to submit basic personal information, a current resume, a few short essay answers, and provide contact information for two references.