Garden and Culinary Educator, Community Health Initiatives

NEW SETTLEMENT • New York, NY

132d • $21 - $24

About The Position

Rooted in the Bronx, New Settlement stands with community members to break systemic barriers, advance justice, promote leadership and strengthen neighborhoods. By ensuring agency around education, employment, housing, wellness and creative expression, we help cultivate an equitable society where individuals and families have the power to use their voice to create the change they wish to see. Since New Settlement’s inception in 1989 as a settlement house rooted in the Bronx, our organization has been a responsive community partner. Originally established to revitalize abandoned buildings into affordable housing, New Settlement has since evolved into a multi-generational, forward-looking organization. We support 15,000 members of the community annually by providing organizing in housing and schools, and programs in education, college access, youth development, arts, workforce development, wellness and more. EEO/AA JOB SUMMARY: The Cooking and Gardening Educator is a full or part-time year-round position that reflects our belief that food education for our children is a liberatory practice. We are looking for an energetic person to join our small but mighty team. They will teach cooking and gardening classes to children and families at the New Settlement Community Center and in our afterschool programs. This person should enjoy getting lost in the art of writing lesson plans and love building connections to learning through food. This is a hybrid position which requires an in person and remote schedule.

Requirements

• Experience working in or engaging with a low- or moderate-income, diverse, community-based setting required.
• One to three years of teaching experience, with at least one year using food as the vehicle for teaching.
• Minimum 2 years of experience (paid or volunteer) working with elementary and/or middle school age youth, preferably within afterschool program contexts.
• Ability to navigate school-based and community-based program settings.
• Strong skills writing and facilitating lessons, workshops, and/or education.
• Bilingual English/Spanish speaker strongly preferred.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and ability to work well with a wide variety of individuals, including youth and seniors.
• Demonstrated knowledge and ability to implement culturally responsive education.
• Knowledge of or enthusiasm about food justice and restoring food sovereignty to communities strongly preferred.
• Joyful, creative, and a critical thinker.
• Personal or professional knowledge of the culture, history, and languages of the Southwest Bronx.
• Undergraduate coursework or degree in relevant field a plus.

Responsibilities

• Teach children and families about food and nutrition by delivering engaging, hands-on lessons.
• Incorporate cooking and gardening into lessons.
• Engage community members in learning and reflection about the food system through age-appropriate topics.
• Adapt external curricula to New Settlement community.
• Coordinate with programs to schedule classes and locations.
• Collaborate with program Group Leaders and Assistant Group Leaders to incorporate them into teaching and lessons.
• Plant, maintain, and harvest from container gardens.
• Create and execute gardening plan in collaboration with school and community stakeholders/partners.
• Grow food with students, staff, and community members in school gardens.
• Cook culturally responsive recipes using fresh, seasonal food.
• Maintain dynamic educational settings, from cooking supplies and equipment kits to container gardens.
• Plan and facilitate events, workshops and series, as needed.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of the program and team.
• Track lessons and activities and monitor success to ensure that projected outputs and outcomes are achieved.
• Carry out administrative tasks and procedures.
• Support and enhance a culture that respects and honors diversity, invests in professional development and encourages self-care.
• Perform other duties as reasonably requested.

Benefits

• Flexible scheduling
• Professional development opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees