Position summary: Either individually or in teams of two, Gardening Class Instructors will teach Oregon Food Bank's Seed to Supper Basic Gardening series to inmates at Inverness Jail, located at 11540 NE Inverness Drive in Portland. This 5-part course is designed to give inmates the opportunity to learn basic gardening skills that they can apply and use upon reentry. We ask that Gardening Class Instructors commit to teaching the full class, though the duration of the class may vary. The class will begin in March 2013, with trainings provide by the Oregon Food Bank and Inverness Jail in February 2013.
Responsibilities:
- Teach five (5) classes on basic gardening skills to a class of 10-15 inmates
- Cover all information presented in Oregon Food Bank's Seed to Supper curriculum
- Pick up course materials from OFB before class series starts and return them when the series ends
- Distribute and collect course evaluations from students for each class
- Complete a weekly report and end of series evaluation to send to County Staff and the Oregon Food Bank
Qualifications:
- Experience working with inmates is preferred but not required
- Strong verbal communication skills
- Experience working with communities from diverse racial, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds
- A strong interest in sustainable agriculture
- Gardening, agricultural, or nutrition education experience. Gardening and agricultural experience in the Pacific Northwest preferred.
Commitments:
- Four (4) hours of volunteer training with Inverness Jail, plus a full background check
- Four (4) hours of volunteer training and orientation with the Oregon Food Bank
- Two and half (2.5) hours per a class; one and half (1.5) hours instruction, half (0.5) hour set-up, half (0.5) hour clean-up, not including transportation to/from Inverness Jail
Resources Provided:
- Oregon Food Bank and Inverness Jail provide trainings on curriculum and working with inmate populations, respectively.
- OFB provides ongoing mentoring, supervision, and training as necessary through the Learning Gardens Program Coordinator, Lisa Waugh (lwaugh@oregonfoodbank.org)
- All course materials are provided
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About Seed to Supper
Seed to Supper is a comprehensive, five-part beginning gardening course that gives novice, adult gardeners the tools they need to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget.
Seed to Supper Garden Educator volunteers teach classes that are held at agencies that serve low-income adults throughout Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas and Clark Counties. Seed to Supper is a joint effort of Oregon Food Bank and the Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener™ Program.
Classes are taught with a PowerPoint presentation and participant manual. Garden Educator volunteers should have a working knowledge of the topic and be able to answer participants' questions.
For more information about becoming a Seed to Supper Garden Educator Volunteer, please read our Volunteer Information Packet.
