Horticulture Trainer – Bank staff (Casual)

Job details
Location: 
Share Garden, Tooting, SW17 7DJ.
Closing date: 
Tuesday, June 22, 2021 - 15:00
Start date: 
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Salary: 
£16.45 per hour (£15.06 per hour plus £1.39 in lieu of annual leave)
Contract type: 
Bank staff
Working hours: 
10am – 4pm, Monday – Friday (11am start on Tuesdays) Zero hours contract – flexible bank work “as and when”
Reports to: 
Garden Manager
Contact email address: 
valentinof@sharecommunity.org.uk
Contact telephone number: 
07566803444

The role

We are looking for an experienced gardener and trainer who could join our bank staff. We provide training courses for adults with learning disabilities, autism and ill mental health. Our horticulture training runs five days a week in our beautiful 2.5-acre walled garden in the grounds of Springfield University Hospital.

As a bank worker with us, you would be responsible for stepping in to provide cover during staff absence. Students come to the garden for educational or wellbeing progression and your main responsibilities would be to support and train our students in the full range of horticultural and craft skills needed for the appropriate external qualifications.

Work is offered on an as-needed basis once you are added to our bank staff. There is no guarantee of work; however, we are looking for people who are happy to be contacted at short notice to provide relief or can be booked for block weeks in advance.

You can find out more about our horticulture programme here: https://www.sharecommunity.org.uk/courses/horticulture

What we are looking for

We are looking for people who have a horticulture qualification or occupational competency, and have experience of delivering teaching or training. You must be a confident gardener and have a can-do attitude. All staff in the garden are expected to keep students safe within the working environment, so knowledge of health and safety within a garden would be a bonus. We also support students during their lunch hour. The job will also require driving students to our other sites for work, or to pick up supplies so a driving licence would be helpful.

Main responsibilities:

  • To support learning, encourage and supervise adults with learning disabilities, autism and ill mental health in horticulture and craft activities which will assist the development of skills, experience, confidence and independence, and ultimately lead them to getting qualifications
  • To support the work of our social enterprise, which completes job off site occasionally
  • To support learning in an inclusive way, encouraging students to work at their best, to stay motivated and engaged with the task at hand
  • To ensure that you know where students are within the garden, abiding by good health and safety practice
  • To support with pastoral or behavioural issues as much as possible, ensuring referral to the manager if appropriate
  • To work always in a spirit of positivity and encouragement and in a way that values diversity
  • To undertake any other tasks that may be reasonably required.

Essential experience and qualifications:

  • Qualification in horticulture or relevant occupational competency in gardening
  • A teaching or training qualification
  • Experience of working with disabled people who have sensory or communication needs

Essential skills:

  • Able to explain tasks and procedures clearly and simply.
  • Ability to follow guidelines of activities set out by City and Guilds, and to make the activities accessible for students with diverse needs.
  • Passionate about horticulture, and an enjoyment of working outdoors in all weathers
  • Reliable, punctual, caring, hardworking and able to use your own initiative
  • Excellent problem solving skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to relate positively and in a non-discriminatory way to disabled people from a range of backgrounds and communities.
  • Good understanding of and ability to practice effective health and safety in a horticultural working environment.
  • Excellent organisational skills and proven ability to work as part of a small team.
  • The ability to inspire and motivate others

Desirable experience and qualifications:

  • Good craft skills such as floristry or wood work
  • Clean driving license
  • First aid trained

How to apply

Please send your CV with a covering note detailing your availability to our HR department at hradmin@sharecommunity.org.uk or contact us to discuss the role in more detail on 0207 801 9829.

 This job is subject to two satisfactory references, evidence of qualifications, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring 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 us on 0207 801 9829.

We are very much looking forward to receiving your application.