Horticulture Trainer, Assessor and Deputy Manager

The role

We are looking for a creative and skilled trainer and assessor who can work alongside our Horticulture Training Manager to deliver horticulture training, support the work of our gardening social enterprise and fulfil assessor duties for all of our accredited training courses. You’ll work closely with other members of the team to ensure that we deliver an all-round service that meets people’s needs. You’ll also deputise for the Horticulture Training Manager as and when required.

Our horticulture training is fully accredited, and leads to nationally recognised qualifications. When qualified, some students move to take up work experience and then paid work with Share Gardening, our social enterprise, which provides gardening services to the public.

About Share

At Share, we’re passionate about supporting disabled people to set their own goals for learning and life, and helping them to achieve their aspirations.  The majority of our students are people with learning disabilities and/or autism. We also work with people with long-term mental health needs or physical disabilities. We offer a range of training, employment, personal development, and leisure opportunities, and our horticulture programme, set within a beautiful 2.5 acre walled garden in Tooting, has been a popular project for over 20 years.

Share students come to us in order to learn work related skills, build their confidence, develop social skills, make friends, and have new experiences.  For some, gaining the nationally recognised qualifications we offer is important.  We support and encourage people to speak up about what’s important to them, make connections with other services and organisations, increase understanding of the world, get more involved in community life and understand their responsibilities.

We’re entering an exciting phase in our development as we aim to modernise our training programmes, reach more young people, and develop robust pathways into independent living and employment for our students.  We’ve been developing some exciting horticultural projects with the Deaf community and with children with hearing, speech, language and communication needs at a local school. These projects are set to grow over the next couple of years.

You can find out more about that it's like to work for Share here.

Main Responsibilities

• To support learning, encourage and supervise disabled adults, or those with long-term health conditions, and those who have experienced mental health problems in activities which will assist the development of skills, experience and qualifications in horticulture.  To provide Horticulture training in QCF approved qualifications including - Level 1 and 2 Work based Horticulture, NPTC Skills for Life Entry level qualifications, and ASDAN PSD Entry levels 2 and 3.
• To support the work of our social enterprise, working closely with the Senior Gardener and Horticulture Training Manager.
• To deputise for the Horticulture Training Manager when required.
• To assess new applicants for the training programme, develop individual learning plans with new students, and provide them with comprehensive risk assessment and health and safety guidance.
• Provide information to Share’s Wellbeing team on student development, based around the Student Star Outcomes measuring tool.
• To fulfil assessor responsibilities for all accredited training programmes in Horticulture. This may also include on-site assessments at work placements.
• To support the development of and maintain training plans for delivery of all accredited programmes.
• To support the Horticulture Training Manager in the preparation and presentation of portfolios for internal and external verification. Update and manage evidence of student attendance, progression and qualification achievement.
• To be a proficient user of the Microsoft Office - mainly Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Able to use databases and the internet.
• To work with the Horticulture Training Manager and Digital Inclusion Manager to make use of appropriate technologies within the project to develop Horticulture and Independent work skills.
• To maintain student records of progress using the Share management information system. Information to include training, qualification, personal development, monitoring, progression and exit information.
• To work closely with other members of the team, to ensure that students receive an all-round service that meets their needs. This includes working closely with other staff and volunteers, as well as with external stakeholders (e.g. Transition Town Tooting; the Mental Health Trust; Action on Hearing Loss, Oak Lodge School).
• To ensure adherence to all policies within Share with respect to students’ activities and wellbeing and to communicate any concerns or issues to the Horticulture Training Manager promptly.
• To monitor and maintain occupational competency through training and development as required.
• To attend and participate in regular staff meetings and any other meetings as required by the organisation. 
• To undertake any other tasks that may be reasonably required and to support occasional weekend and evening events.

Person Specification

Educational Qualifications

1. Relevant assessor qualification (A1-A2)
2. CTLLS/DTLLS or equivalent teaching qualification
3. Proven occupational competence in Horticulture, qualified to Level 3 or above
4. A qualification in horticultural therapy would be an advantage

Essential Experience

1. Experience of providing work-based training leading to NVQ  and other qualifications and of developing individual learning plans, planning and preparing for teaching sessions, assessing students’ work, building and developing portfolios, and submitting work for accreditation.
2. Experience of working within a therapeutic environment, using horticulture as a tool to aid recovery and wellbeing.
3. Experience of managing a busy and varied workload.
4. Experience of working within a diverse community, including delivering training to disabled adults, and of implementing equal opportunities policies.
5. Experience of contributing positively to the work of a team.

Essential Skills

1. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to relate positively and in a non-discriminatory way to people from a range of backgrounds and communities, and especially to disabled people.
2. The proven ability to develop differentiated training resources and tutorials that meet a wide range of needs, and that takes into account students’ different learning styles.
3. Excellent ICT skills and full competence in use of the internet, and a management information system to record and track student progress.
4. Good written English skills and the proven ability to write reports.
5. Good numeracy skills.
6. Excellent organisational skills, including the proven ability to manage day to day administration and keep the paperwork relating to students’ portfolio development up to date.
7. Proven ability to explain tasks and procedures clearly and simply, breaking tasks down where needed.
8. The ability to drive, and possession of a clean driving licence.

Essential Knowledge

1. A good grounding in the principles of horticultural therapy.
2. Knowledge of current best practice in the delivery and assessment of vocational qualifications.
3. Knowledge about autism and different aspects of learning disability would be an advantage.

Personal Qualities

1. A strong commitment to the inclusion of disabled people from a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds in all aspects of life, including employment.
2. Personal flexibility and the ability to work in a way that is adaptable and focused on the needs of each individual student.
3. A strong interest in developing your own personal and professional skills. The confidence to stretch yourself, and also to ask for help and guidance.
4. The ability to solve problems creatively and manage stressful situations.

How to apply:

Please complete our application form and equal opportunities form and return both as word documents by midnight on Monday 27th February to hradmin@sharecommunity.org.uk. 

If you would like to have chat about the role before applying, please contact Leanne Wood on leannew@sharecommunity.org.uk or on 0207 801 9825. Share welcomes applications from everyone.  We focus on ability and believe people work best when they feel valued, safe and happy. We do all that we can to make sure that Share is friendly and welcoming to everyone.

This job is subject to two satisfactory references, evidence of qualifications, an enhanced DBS check and providing evidence of right to work in the UK. If you have a disability and would like to discuss other ways of submitting your application, please call Leanne on 0207 801 9825.

We are very much looking forward to receiving your application.