Urban Environmental Steward & Youth Mentor

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 park based maintenance and environmental stewardship. Groups are also tasked with leading community and corporate stewardship events in Bronx parks. The Mentor’s role is to educate volunteers and PLACE students, coordinate park project logistics, and lead groups in physical tasks designed to protect local environmental resources. PLACE has three stages:

• PLACE Mentors participate in a month-long environmental stewardship and project management training to successfully lead groups of Bronx high school and college students.
• Each Mentor is assigned to a single Bronx park, where they lead a team of 7-8 PLACE students. During this stage, Mentors work diligently, teaching garden maintenance, tree stewardship, invasive species removal, and the benefits of green infrastructure and ecological rehabilitation to their group members. 
• The Mentors prepare their groups to lead volunteers, running restoration and planting projects that improve their parks. Mentors are expected to provide opportunity for student leadership and provide feedback to participants as they take on new roles and responsibilities. 

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
• Lift and maneuver up to 50 lbs
• 1 year of college completed 

Preferred:

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

Time Commitment: Full Time June 1 through August 14. 32-35 hrs/wk. 5 days per week. 

Salary: $18/hr

To Apply: https://forms.gle/YrLysaEuTGxg7wBn6

BiB strives to be a safe, inclusive, and encouraging workplace for people of all backgrounds. We strongly encourage members of marginalized or underrepresented  groups in the horticulture and environmental sector to apply.