Urban Environmental Steward & Educator

About the Organization

The Bronx is Blooming is a non-profit environmental organization which seeks to inspire a culture of environmental stewardship and community advocacy by engaging Bronx residents and youth as leaders in the revitalization of local parks. Grow, Revitalize, Engage, Educate, Nurture (GREEN), one of our core programs, provides hands-on environmental workshops to schools, civic groups, and volunteer groups, and community members through which participants learn about local ecology while restoring neighborhood park ecosystems to support the environmental and public health of their communities. Our Program for Leaders Advancing our Community’s Environment (PLACE) focuses on equipping high school and college-age participants with the skills they need to become leaders in environmental stewardship, environmental justice, and their professional future. BiB’s Bridge Program bridges the gap between PLACE and GREEN to provide pathways to direct employment for youth program participants within our organization. 

Job Description

The PLACE Mentor will work alongside BiB’s PLACE Program and Environmental Program Managers to facilitate the Summer PLACE Program. As primary duties, the Mentor leads a team of 7-8 high school to college aged participants in community and corporate service events in Bronx parks. The Mentor’s role is to educate and mentor volunteers and PLACE students, coordinate park project logistics, and lead hands-on environmental stewardship. 

PLACE has three stages:

• PLACE Mentors are trained in horticultural and project management skills to successfully lead a group of Bronx high school and college aged PLACE participants.
• Mentors will be assigned to a single Bronx park, where they will lead a team of 8-12 PLACE participants. During this stage, Mentors work diligently, teaching planting techniques, tree stewardship, invasive species removal, and the benefits of our work to their group members.
• Towards the end of the summer, the Mentors prepare their groups to lead volunteers, running restoration and planting projects that improve their parks. Mentors are expected to facilitate and provide feedback to participants as they take on more responsibility.

Depending on the mentor’s individual skills, they may also be asked to assist in grant writing, data analysis, newsletter creation, and other tasks as determined with the Director of The Bronx is Blooming.

Qualifications

Required:
Willingness and ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions
Interest in the environment and youth development
Ability to work independently and to be self-motivated

Preferred:
Academic background in Environmental Studies or related field
Experience with mentorship
Leadership experience
Horticultural knowledge

Time Commitment
Full Time: June 2 through August 16. 32-35 hrs/wk. 4-5 days per week. May continue part time through the fall if interested.

Pay
$17-18 per hour