Assistant Grower

Camphill Village Trust; Kidderminster; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused charity in Kidderminster is seeking an Assistant Grower to help manage horticultural areas, supporting adults with learning disabilities in practical growing activities. The role involves supervising volunteers, maintaining organic practices, and helping with planning to ensure productivity. Ideal candidates possess horticultural experience, effective communication skills, and a driving license. This position promotes autonomy, inclusion, and personal growth for participants in a dynamic outdoor setting.

Benefits

Opportunities for professional development

Supportive team environment

Flexibility in working hours

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a horticultural environment is essential.
• Experience with governance and compliance in a community or charity context.
• Ability to follow health and safety procedures.

Responsibilities

• Assist with managing the horticultural areas of Croft.
• Supervise and assist local volunteers and participants.
• Ensure quality standards of crops are maintained.

Skills

Horticultural experience

Operating horticultural machinery

Good communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Ability to carry out manual labor

Education

General education with numeracy and literacy skills

Full UK Driving licence (Category B)

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Purpose:

Do you want the autonomy and freedom to enhance the lives of the People We Support?

Do you have a passion for the outdoors?

To support the Head Grower to manage the horticultural areas of Croft. Working as part of the garden team to manage the garden as a productive market garden for fruit and vegetable production.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Main responsibilities:

As an Assistant Grower your duties will include:

Everything we do at the Trust is to enable a life of opportunity for the people we support, adults with learning disabilities, autism and mental health support needs. In partnership with our NBTS colleagues, this role will be instrumental in determining and enabling the meaningful role participants in the Social Gardens can play in our food production processes.

Work closely with the regional Social Garden leads to ensure garden activities are integrated together and there are a wide range of meaningful tasks participants can be involved with on a daily basis.

Assist with planning and managing the land to meet demand and explore opportunities to enable the land to maximise viability, by increasing income and minimising wastage. Ensure that quality standards are maintained in respect to crops, reporting any concerns.

Work within the community and charity’s policies and procedures and code of conduct and actively promote the equality and diversity and the human rights of people we support to realise independence, choice, inclusion and control. In particular, making sure the group or individuals in the garden are working safely at all times.

Supervise and assist local volunteers. At times this may also include supporting other members of the team in hosting visits and other activities.

Participate in all aspects of commercial growing within a no-dig setting, to include:

• Setting plant growing activities to plan for growing activities that are consistent with planned production schedules
• Prepare space required for planned production
• Work to organic growing standards
• Monitor growing conditions
• Inspect and maintain crop conditions in line with quality standards
• Uphold and implement pest, disease and weed control practices commensurate with hygiene, health and Organic standards
• Maintain records of growing techniques and production to be used for review to identify trends and to forecast future space needs.
• Operate horticultural machinery and oversee maintenance

To work under the direction of the Head Grower in the supervision of those we support and others using the day service, apprentices and volunteers, to achieve agreed daily tasks. This may involve the instruction of new skills and the intervention and resolution of issues between clients and the reporting of any incidents.

Ensure production and sales records are kept ensuring the value of produce is logged and there is accountability of stock in line with financial processes.

Undertake training and continuous professional development in accordance with the needs of the service and the people we support.

Person Specification:

Knowledge & Experience:

• Previous experience in working in a horticultural environment is essential.
• Previous experience operating horticultural machinery.
• You’ll have a general education, good numeracy, and literacy skills to be able to complete official documentation to a professional standard.
• Full UK Driving licence category B driving licence, have not been disqualified for any period and must have held a full licence for over two years. With no more than 3 points.
• Basic computer skills – Word, Excel, Outlook etc.
• Ability to follow Health and Safety policies & procedures.
• Tractor driving experience desirable but not essential.
• Be flexible to work some weekends and attend local events.
• Ability to carry out physical work/manual labour.
• Able to understand and interpret relevant verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Good social and oral communication skills.
• Able to motivate and organise self and others.
• Flexible, with good problem-solving skills.
• Well organised, thorough and methodical.
• Resourceful and able to show own initiative.
• Effective verbal and written communication.

Key Competencies:

• You will have a good working knowledge of organic practises.
• You will have working knowledge of risk assessment, health and safety, safeguarding, equalities and human rights desirable.
• You will have a desire to promote others to do their work on the land in an inclusive way.
• You will be able to be sensitive, yet objective, about the needs of adults with learning difficulties.
• You will be able to demonstrate an interest in gardening and working on the land.
• You’ll have a supportive and encouraging natural approach.
• A sense of humour and positive attitude really helps, we don’t expect our colleagues to be stand-up comedians, but we do enjoy having fun.
• You’ll enjoy walks around the outdoors with the people we support.
• You have good verbal and non-verbal communication skills and openness towards other people’s thoughts and ideas.
• You have a positive attitude towards our model of providing care and support to vulnerable people within the setting of an intentional community.
• You have a passion for helping others live a fulfilling and interesting life.
• You have a calm and patient personality.
• You would love to be part of a unique, close-knit and dynamic team.
• You have a passion for horticulture and / or agriculture.

Camphill Village Trust is an equal opportunity employer.

Camphill Village Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all adults who use our services and as such expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant pre-employment checks including a DBS check.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a sufficient number of applications.