Application Pack
Flemington House – F3
110 Flemington Street
Springburn, Glasgow, G21 4BF
Tel 0141 558 2500
Office Mobile: 07432 465681
Email:
www.ngcfi.org.uk
Charity No SCO36842
Company Reg No 290958
July 2015
Dear Applicant,
Vacancy: Community Gardener (Milton)
Thank you for your interest in this posts and North Glasgow Community Food Initiative (NGCFI).
You should have received the following papers with the email / web site download:
· Application Pack (Advert page 3, Job Description and Person Specification: page 4
and Background to the organisation: page 7)
· Application Form and Equal opportunities monitoring form
Salary and Hours are set out in the advert and Job Description.
There maybe some evening and occasional evening and weekend work for which a TOIL system is in place. We require individuals to be flexible in their working hours to suit the needs of the organisation and our service users.
Contract
A contract of employment will be offered to the successful candidate in line with dates set out in the advert.
Application Procedure
Please complete the enclosed application form, taking care to demonstrate how your experiences and skills meet the essential and desirable criteria for the post as listed in the person specification. All applicants must complete an application form as CVs will not be accepted.
Deadline for application forms: 12 noon Monday 10th August 2015
If posting an application, it is recommended mail reach us by first post on the working day before the deadline. Forms may be emailed as above, indicating in the email subject line: Application and the post you are applying for. Please also complete the Equal Opportunities monitoring form which will not be used for selection purposes.
Applicants will be short listed soon after the closing time with successful candidates invited for interview on: Thursday 13th August 2015
If you have not heard by then you may assume that on this occasion you have not been successful in being invited for interview. Those invited for interview will be sent a Self Declaration Form – as these posts are Protected Adult and work with Children positions.
Equal Opportunities
As an organisation we are committed to equal opportunities and encourage applications
from all sectors of the community. Please call the office if you would like a copy of our
equal opportunities policy.
Disabilities
Any applicant with a relevant disability, who cannot submit an application on standard
print, should contact me as soon as possible to arrange an application in another format.
We guarantee an interview to anyone who meets the minimum requirements.
Please don’t hesitate to contact our office should you require further information.
Best Wishes
Martha Wardrop
Chairperson of the Board of Directors
ADVERTNorth Glasgow Community Food Initiative is a key voluntary sector organisation delivering practical healthy lifestyle activities within our Food Hub areas.
Community Gardener
To lead on the management, development and delivery of gardening operations at Milton Community Garden and Milton Memorial Garden
Salary: £ 14,651 (£20,930 pro rata) Average 24.5 hours per week
25 days annual leave, 12 public holidays pro rata and a 6% pension contribution.
Closing Date: 12 noon Monday 10th August 2015
Interviews: Thurs 13th August 2015
For full details of posts, application pack and form go to:
www.goodmoves.org.uk
We also have vacancies for sessional cooks - see our web site.
‘Practical Solutions to Healthier Living’
Job Description
Job Title: Community Gardener /
Employer: North Glasgow Community Food Initiative’s Board of Directors
Fixed term post funded to March 2015 (funder: Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund)
Salary: £14,651 (£20,930 pro rata per annum) Plus 6% pension contribution, 25 days annual leave and 12 public holidays pro rata.
Hours: 24.5 hours per week (plus possible Sessional Hours as appropriate)
Responsible to: the Milton CRUNCH Project Co-ordinator
Job Purpose
To lead for NGCFI on the management, development and delivery of gardening operations at Milton Community Garden as a demonstration garden in line with Milton CRUNCH* 2 project. To share horticultural knowledge. To support volunteers in role and community engagement.
*community-recycling-upcycling-nutritious food- composting-health
Job Description
The main duties are:
1. To plan and co-ordinate activities at Milton Community Garden and Milton Memorial Garden
Including:
· To produce a seasonal and year forward plan for the community garden, including maintenance jobs, and good practice guide. Prioritisation of work.
· To plan the content and activities of sessions consistent with the year and seasonal plan.
· To deliver gardening sessions with volunteers.
· To plan and deliver gardening workshops as required, including how to compost.
· To design and deliver sessions, including training, edible hedge planting and grow your own chips n’ peas project. Support for construction and other infrastructure as required.
· To support / oversee the CRUNCH Community Comporting and Food Waste Projects.
· To train local people in and support forest gardening techniques.
· Create and maintain a bio-diverse garden pond and bog garden.
· To ensure other garden outputs are delivered according to CCF Project Plan, including evening and weekend sessions.
· To manage and support sessional workers and volunteer leaders to deliver sessions.
· Liaise with staff or volunteers from partnership agencies to ensure a co-ordinated approach to developing the garden.
· Ensure resources are in place, including volunteers to maintain Milton Memorial Garden to a high standard. To produce a maintenance schedule.
· To help support a friends of Milton Memorial Garden group.
· In Liaison with the CRUNCH Co-ordinator, support participation in the Milton Food Hub Group of local people with links to the NGCFI Board.
· Support incremental development of the Milton site, with partners including Love Milton, as funding permits.
· To be responsible for the health and safety and wellbeing of volunteers and undertake a risk assessment of all activities. Respond to and manage problems and incidents as and when they arise.
· To maintain efficient administrative and monitoring systems are in place which capture baseline and end point data for evaluation purposes for use by NGCFI and funders. To provide CRUNCH Project Co-ordinator with monthly progress reports on Outcomes and Outputs.
· To calculate carbon reductions from garden output. To include weighing produce and food waste.
· Experience of overseeing and supporting landscaping and construction work with volunteers and staff.
· To produce and maintain an equipment and stock inventory, ensuring items are all insured.
· To ensure gardens and equipment are secure and locked when not in use.
· Ensure garden toilet and maintained and kept clean.
· To drive the NGCFI van if required to. Clean driving license (up to 3 points).
2. Line management, support and supervision of Milton CRUNCH staff : Youth Gardiner, Master Composter and Building, Landscaping and Gardening trainee, sessional staff and others as required. With the Project Co-ordinator, organising work schedules. Ensure recording time spent against tasks is implemented and staff compliance with procedure. Providing training as appropriate. To recruitment sessional workers. Attention to child protection, PVG and health and safety issues.
3. Provide support to a diverse range of volunteers working at the community garden
Including:
· Support and supervise volunteers in liaison with Volunteer Co-ordinator.
· Respond to the individual support and training needs of volunteers.
· To encourage volunteers to develop leadership roles in liaison with the Volunteer Support Worker.
· Ensure volunteers are involved in decision-making and encouraged to take ownership of the community garden projects and feed into the year plan.
· Oversee and pay volunteer expenses.
4. To develop links with local schools, community groups, Housing Associations and organisations to encourage use of the community garden sites, environmental, climate challenge awareness, gardening skills and food waste reduction.
Including:
· Produce and distribute materials to advertise the community garden to groups, organisations and individuals
· To develop supporting local residents and groups to engage in community gardening activities, in partnership with other organisations as appropriate.
· To encourage growing food at home.
· Having a joined up approach with the Food Hub Activator and sessional staff, minimise food waste and maximise budgets.
5. To co-ordinate and/or deliver sessions and activities with local groups at their locations as appropriate and where time/funding permits
6. To share knowledge and experience
· Design and deliver gardening skills workshops / courses suited to local people and / or those paying for same as part of our income generation work.
· To collate and develop resources to support community gardening activities and environmental awareness, for use by individuals and groups.
· Undertake activities which promote healthy eating, healthy living, cultural awareness and integration in the local community including supporting refugees and asylum seekers, including participating in community events.
· Within NGCFI in relation to developing Milton Community Garden, including soil enhancement.
7. To undertake other duties appropriate to the post in support of the North Glasgow Community Food Initiative’s aims
Including:
· Keep receipts for all expenditure and submit them according to NGCFI financial procedures and ensure other staff do so.
· Assist with fundraising applications
· Co-operating with the introduction of new procedures and/or new equipment
· Working within current Health and Safety at work legislation and adhere to all NGCFI policies and procedures
· Maintain and develop relevant content on the NGCFI website and Facebook consistent with policies.
· Participate in on-going monitoring and evaluation of the project
· To work co-operatively with other members of NGCFI’s team to deliver agreed objectives.
· Attend external meetings on behalf of the organisation as appropriate
8. To account for work undertaken to the Milton CRUNCH Project Co-ordinator. NGCFI Manager and Board as required.
Including:
· Participating in supervision, appraisal and on-going training
· Oral and written reporting. Attending meetings.
These duties should not be regarded as exhaustive and will be subject to review from time to time, particularly if hours increase with additional funding. The post-holder may be required to undertake such other duties, as required.
The successful candidate will be required to undergo a PVG check. This Job Description is not contractual and will not form part of your Employment Contract.
Person specification: Community Gardener
Personal Attributes / skills / Essential / Desirable
Minimum of three years proficient gardening related experience / ·
Horticultural HND or related qualification / ·
Self-motivated, very well organised and excellent time management skills / ·
Ability to cope with a physically demanding job / ·
Excellent verbal communication skills and ability to manage strong community personalities / volunteers / ·
Ability and desire to build a rapport with people from varied backgrounds, including asylum seekers / ·
A commitment to healthy diet and living and an interest in and desire to work towards the aims on NGCFI. / ·
Work/life Experience
Experience of working with groups / ·
Experience of planning horticulture activities / ·
Experience of managing and supporting staff, volunteers and participants / ·
Experience of design and delivery of gardening courses / ·
Experience of working with children and adults from deprived communities / ·
Understanding of child protection and vulnerable adults issues / ●
Experience of working with referral agencies and workers / ·
Experience of supporting people with higher support needs eg: those with learning difficulties or mental health issues / ·
Other
Ability to account for work undertaken in verbal and written
form / ·
Reporting to a Line Manager and ability to ensure tracking of all outcomes and measure / calculate carbon reductions / ·
Use of Microsoft Office / ·
Willingness to undergo a PVG / disclosure check / ·
First Aid Certificate and health & safety training / ·
Able to work flexible hours including weekends and evenings / ·
Drivers licence (upto 3 points) and access to a car. Drive van. / ·
Competent in use of Web Sites and Social media / ·
July 2015
North Glasgow Community Food Initiative
Background Information
History
North Glasgow Community Food Initiative (NGCFI) started as non-profit making organisation in June 2001. It was initially established by students from Student Action for Refugees (STAR) at Glasgow University, under the name ofthe North Glasgow Food Co-op to respond to the needs of the then new asylum seeking community.
In the firstyear the project was run entirely by volunteers and in September 2002 the project received funding to take on staff to support and develop activities. The organisation then changed its name to the 'North Glasgow Community Food Initiative' and broadened its focus to include expanded sales of fruit and vegetable, a delivery service,an allotment project and cookery activities. It has been growing ever since!
We have also been developing the structure of the organisation and in September 2005 we became a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status. (Company No 290958)
In 2006, we were one of only two organisations to win the prestigious Dame Sheila McKechnie Award for Community Food Initiatives, administered by the Food Standards Agency in London.
In October 2009, NGCFI and Milton Food Project merged. We work working in partnership to improve greater co-operation between food projects in Glasgow and Scotland. In March 2010 we were benefited from a Third Sector Enterprise Fund grant from the Scottish Government. In 2011 we began ground works at our community garden in Milton, soon wining an award for sustainable working. In June 2012 we launched our Healthier Eating Royston Experience funded by the Big Lottery Fund. This year we were successful with our Climate Challenge Fund application, to enhance and develop our work in Milton with our Milton CRUNCH (community-recycling-upcycling-nutritious food- composting-health) project. In 2014 new Big Lottery Funding will enable us to develop a quality Memorial Garden in Milton. With Funding from Esmee Fairbairn we will soon commence our Springburn Food Hub.
The area of North Glasgow within which we work has a population of 100,000. There are indicators of poverty which rank some of the communities in the North as being amongst the most socially and economically deprived in the UK, if not Western Europe. Administratively, Glasgow is now divided into three areas, with NGCFI operating within parts of the North East and North West, however our funding does not permit us to cover the whole area. Our gardens are all in the north west.