Horticultural Facilitator

Location: Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 2ES
Contract Type: Self-Employed or Fixed-Term Part-Time

**Salary**: £16.80 per hour
Hours: Currently 20 hours a week but may extend. Regular essential hours Tuesday 09:00 -17:00, Thursday
09:00 - 13:00, additional flexible hours during the week
Closing date: Friday 12 May, interview week of the 15 May

**About Wilderness Foundation UK**

Established in South Africa in 1956, the Wilderness Foundation has taken 40,000 people into the wild. Based at Chatham Green in Essex, the Wilderness Foundation reaches in the region of over 5000 children, young people and adults per year.

The purpose of the Foundation is to prepare and educate for the future. We believe that nature and wild spaces are of incalculable value not just to maintain biodiversity and wildlife but for human wellbeing. All our projects and programmes have the same basis - to connect people to nature for wellbeing benefits, mental, spiritual and physical - and to teach people in turn to care for nature into the future by teaching Leave no Trace Ethics, respect and understanding of our impact on a web of life.

Registered Charity No: 1118493 (England and Wales) SC041697 (Scotland)

**About the role of Horticultural Facilitator**

As a group oriented horticulture practitioner, you will use gardening, plants and horticulture to help individuals develop personally and socially, gaining confidence, independence and a sense of wellbeing. You will work with people of different age from different background and with different ability.

**Role Specification**:

- Work outdoor at our sites in Chelmsford, mainly at the 6 plots of community allotments in Melbourne Estate.
- Work with small groups or with individuals to support their mental health via therapeutic horticulture programmes.
- Help groups or individuals to develop across physical, cognitive, social and emotional spectrums.
- Promote health and wellbeing by providing outdoor activity and physical exercise in a supportive atmosphere.
- Introduce horticultural tasks such as sowing seeds, setting out plants, planting out, lawn mowing, soil preparation and pruning to improve individuals’ social and practical horticulture skills.
- Interact with individuals to develop confidence and self-esteem in their work.
- Liaise with external statutory and voluntary services to provide a multidisciplinary, person-centred approach to support individuals mental health.
- Liaise with other professionals, such as social workers and psychologists.
- Monitor individuals’ achievements, evaluate and report the effectiveness of horticultural therapy.
- Promote gardening and horticulture to the public, as part of Green Care, the conceptual framework of using other natural mediums for therapy.
- Design and develop activity programmes within budgets
- Assist in fund raising and bid writing to grow and develop the project.

**Preferred Person Specification**:

- Experience in working with vulnerable people including SEND
- Background in a horticulture discipline or extensive voluntary experience in horticultural activities.
- Degree or HND in plant science/biology, education, horticulture, landscape architecture/design, occupational therapy, social work or psychology etc. preferred
- Strong interest in and aptitude for horticulture.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and organisational skills
- Aptitude for leadership and for collaborative working.
- Ability to motivate and encourage others.
- Patience, understanding, tolerance and the ability to work with a range of people.
- Analytical skills and the ability to make accurate assessments.
- Capacity to use your initiative and work independently.
- Love nature and believe in the same ethos as the Charity’s.
- Passionate about supporting vulnerable people and the environment.

A full driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential for this role.

**Job Types**: Part-time, Fixed term contract, Freelance
Contract length: 12 months
Part-time hours: 20 per week

**Salary**: £16.80 per hour

**Benefits**:

- On-site parking

Schedule:

- Day shift

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 12/05/2023
Expected start date: 23/05/2023