Garden Volunteer and projects Coordinator

Integrated Care System; Lewisham; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Lewisham seeks a part-time Garden Volunteer and Projects Coordinator. The successful candidate will manage a team of garden volunteers, oversee garden maintenance, and help promote community wellbeing. Applicants should have experience in practical gardening and volunteer coordination, with strong communication skills. This fixed-term role offers a salary of £27,485 to £30,162 pro rata.

Qualifications

• Significant demonstrable plant knowledge/experience in practical garden maintenance.
• Sound understanding of plant pest and disease management.
• Experience of coordinating and supervising volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the weekly gardening club and support volunteers with garden upkeep.
• Give advice on planting and maintenance to volunteers.
• Work with LGT Voluntary Services to manage a group of regular volunteers.

Skills

Plant knowledge

Community gardening experience

Volunteer coordination

Excellent communication skills

Organizational skills

Education

Good standard of secondary education including GCE/GCSE English

NVQ level 4 in Practical Horticulture or equivalent

Job description

Garden Volunteer and projects Coordinator

The University Hospital Lewisham (UHL) Wellbeing Garden was conceptualised during the COVID19 pandemic in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and now serves as a sanctuary for reflection, recovery and remembrance. It aims to provide a tranquil space, to support the wellbeing of the staff, patients and the wider community.

We are seeking a dedicated part time Garden Coordinator to support the garden volunteers and oversee the ongoing maintenance of the garden.

Please refer to the attached Job Description for a full description of duties, tasks and responsibilities as well as person specification.

Main duties of the job

Main Tasks, Duties and Responsibilities

Garden management and maintenance:

Oversee the weekly gardening club at University Hospital Lewisham and support volunteers with the upkeep of the garden, including plant care, reporting of site safety and general maintenance issues and accessibility.

Give advice on planting and maintenance to volunteers - supporting / oversight role. Source seeds, equipment and other resources. Provide advice to other Trust gardening developments

Work with LGT Voluntary Services to register, train and manage a group of regular volunteers to assist with the gardening activities. Work alongside the already established gardening club to support and build on their existing skills.

Coordinate demonstrations to Garden volunteers, to help them develop the appropriate skills, methods and techniques in gardening.

About us

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

• Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
• Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
• Improving the experience of staff with disability
• Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
• Making equalities mainstream

Job responsibilities

Main Tasks, Duties and Responsibilities

Garden management and maintenance:

Oversee the weekly gardening club and support volunteers with the upkeep of the garden, including plant care, reporting of site safety and general maintenance issues and accessibility.

Give advice on planting and maintenance to volunteers - supporting / oversight role. Source seeds, equipment and other resources. Provide advice to other Trust gardening developments.

Work with LGT Voluntary Services to register, train and manage a group of regular volunteers to assist with the gardening activities. Work alongside the already established gardening club to support and build on their existing skills.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• Good standard of secondary education including GCE/GCSE English or equivalent
• NVQ level 4 or equivalent experience (E.g Practical Horticultural qualification such as RHS plus relevant experience)

Experience

• Significant demonstrable plant knowledge/experience in practical garden maintenance.
• A sound understanding of plant pest and disease management.
• Experience of Community Gardening.
• Experience of co-ordinating and supervising volunteers.
• Experience of successful project co-ordination.
• Able to work independently and as a member of a team.
• Experience of working building positive and effective relationships with colleagues at all levels, peers and volunteers.
• Significant experience of engaging with a wide range of key stakeholders both within and external to an organisation

Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent communication skills Proven ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines
• Methodical and well organised with excellent attention to detail
• Highly motivated self-starter, willing and able to act on own initiative, as well as work within a team
• Excellent interpersonal skills: rapport building, active listening.
• Leadership: able to collaborate with, motivate and influence others and direct them towards achieving objectives.
• Flexible and creative: able to modify approach and come up with innovative solutions to achieve objectives and improve the environment to meet the needs of the users
• Sound judgment: able to identify relevant information and make good decisions.
• Planning and organisation: able to identify, plan and implement appropriate actions
• Organisational skills and the ability to manage own time
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with a diverse range of people
• Ability to motivate volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds
• Conflict resolution skills and the ability and willingness to offer pastoral support to volunteers

Personal Qualities and Skills

• Friendly, enthusiastic outgoing personality
• Reliable and ability to use own initiative
• Flexible and adaptable to changing situations
• Good team worker
• Highly motivated, Willingness to develop skills and knowledge
• Highly organised and able to prioritise a varied workload
• Experience of working building positive and effective relationships with colleagues at all levels, peers and volunteers.
• Ability to motivate volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Lewisham, Wellbeing Garden

£27,485 to £30,162 a yearper annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

197-RF7161

Job locations

University Hospital Lewisham, Wellbeing Garden