G4H Educator & Leader Training

Gardens 4 Humanity (G4H) is recruiting parents, teachers, students and all interested community members to become Gardens4Humanity educators and garden leaders. As a G4H trainee, you will receive a 20-hour garden hands-on training on topics including gardening basics, perennial plantings, effectively teaching gardening to kids and adults in and out of the classroom setting, building community through gardening, permaculture, building healthy soil, raised bed construction, and garden and food related activities. After the training, you will be able to shadow experienced G4H staff and volunteers in a classroom, after-school or community setting. G4H volunteers wil be assigned to school, after-school and community garden sites, and will assist G4H staff with events, organizational capacity building and other behind the scenes activities. Gardens 4 Humanity asks for 20 hours of volunteer time. No prior gardening or teaching experience is required. Training is also open to the general public on a space-available basis.

Training Program Objectives

• To assist schools and communities with garden creation, management, and engaging kids on garden topics;
• To have more effective garden educators and leaders in our community;
• To enable school and community garden sites to be used on a year round basis by the teachers, students and community members;
• To assist the community in growing more healthy produce for children and community members;
• To use sustainable practices in the upkeep and maintenance of the sites;
• To increase community ownership and involvement in the sites.

How To Register

You must fill out an  application (97kb PDF) if you plan to attend the full 20 hour course. Download an application here and bring it with you to the training, or drop it off at Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue. Applications also may be picked up at CCE-Tompkins or GIAC. Applications will be reviewed to evaluate your level of interest and commitment. (Note: no prior experience is required). Upon enrollment in the program, participants may be required to get a background check if working with children.

• Training participants must be able to attend 20 hours of trainings between April 2012 and March 2013.
• Training sessions may be open to the public for drop-in students if the session is not full.
• Trainings will be offered on a sliding scale of $5-$25 for each session. Scholarships are also available.
• Previous G4H volunteer trainees will be eligible for 2 free classes.
• NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS!!!

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Last updated April 8, 2015