Summer 2013 Internships

We have 12 internship positions available this Summer. You can get valuable work experience as a Farming Intern, Community Organizing Intern, Education Intern, or Administration Intern. We will work with you to tailor your internship to meet your specific skills and needs. We want you to learn and grow as you contribute to the work of the organization.

Time Commitment: We require a minimum of 12 hours a week for three months.

Compensation: This is an unpaid internship.  In return for your effort, you will receive free farm produce, class credit (if applicable), and at the end of your service, job references or a letter of recommendation. These valuable experiences complement many areas of study, and prepare interns for work in the nonprofit and public relations fields.

Important Dates For All Summer Positions

Summer internship: Flexible/ June 1st- September 15th (15 wks)

Applications due date: Wednesday, May 15th 2013

Interview Notification: May 16th

Interviews: from May 21st-May23rd

Position Notifications: Friday, May 24th

Individual Orientations: no later than June 30th

Summer Internship: June 1st - September 15

Farming Internship

(6 positions available)

Farm interns have become an integral part of the Veggielution crew, and each season we bring on a small cadre of bright and motivated individuals to participate in this unique program. We want people who are ready for strenuous physical labor, who have a very strong work ethic and a passion for the work we are doing here at the farm.

Farming interns will gain valuable experience in sustainable farming techniques such as worm composting, greenhouse production, irrigation, planting, weed and fertility management. You will learn to care for many crop varieties through the process of helping to plant and maintain our fall/winter garden. You will work in a collaborative, team environment, facilitating other volunteers at the farm, and working with staff to strengthen daily farm operations. You will be responsible for helping with workday planning, record keeping, and leading small groups of volunteers during workdays.

Duties:

• Attend at least 2 workdays per week
• Attend planning meetings held 30 minutes before each workday
  
• Lead tours of the farm for individuals and groups
• Work a minimum of 12 hours a week
• Work quickly and efficiently on a variety of farm tasks including: soil preparation, composting, seeding, transplanting, weeding, fertilizing, pruning, trellising, harvesting, packing, construction, and other activities
• Facilitate  groups of 2-10 volunteers during workdays

In addition to your role as an on-farm leader working under the Farm Director, there are many projects you will be able to take leadership in. Some of these projects include

• Facilitating Spanish-speaking groups
• Farm Planning / Record Keeping / Data Entry
• Maintaining our worm composting system
• Managing Greenhouse Operations
• Helping with our onsite Farm Stand
• Facilitating donations to soup kitchens and other community groups
• Native plant propagation / Native Hedgerow expansion and maintenance
• Delivering to restaurants & working Farmer’s Markets

The ideal candidate for this position will have some of these qualities:

• Bilingual ability (Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Chinese)
• Articulate oral communication skills
• Comfort in talking to groups of people
• Enthusiasm and passion for Veggielution’s mission
• Some experience with landscaping, gardening, farming and/or construction

Want to Apply?
Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter describing why you are interested in the position to:
Mark Anthony Medeiros, Farm Director, mark@veggielution.org

DEADLINE TO APPLY – Wednesday, May 15th 2013

Community Organizer Internship

(2 positions available)

Veggielution Community Farm strives to integrate the community, especially East San José, in all farm activities, from volunteering at workdays to participating in our educational workshops. Our Outreach and Education Teams are the backbone of that effort. The Community Organizing Intern will support many crucial outreach and education priorities as an integral part of these teams.

This internship would be ideal for anyone with an interest in community organizing, public speaking, education, cooking, and sustainable farming. The intern will work closely with our staff and Silicon Valley HealthCorps members to develop an outreach strategy and identify key groups for outreach activities such as tabling and presentations.

Duties:

• Attend at least 3 workdays per month
• Work a minimum of 12 hours a week
• Table at public events and make presentations to groups, introducing people to Veggielution’s workdays, mission, and programs and recruiting volunteers
• Distribute flyers promoting Workdays, Youth Garden Activities, and other programs
• Assist in planning special events
• Help track volunteer hours in data management system
• Attend staff meetings and other meetings relevant to your duties

The ideal candidate for this position has:

• Fluency in Spanish, Tagalog, Chinese and/or Vietnamese
• Knowledge of current issues around food, health, and sustainable agriculture
• Articulate oral and written communication skills
• Comfort in talking to groups of people
• Experience planning events
• Experience with community organizing
• Enthusiasm and passion for Veggielution’s mission

Want to Apply?
Please submit your resume and a brief description of why you are interested in the position to:
Monica Benavides, Education Director, monicalisa@veggieluiton.org

DEADLINE TO APPLY – Wednesday, May 15th 2013

Education Internship

(3 available)

New to our internship program: Education Interns! Our educational programs at the farm are a key part of Veggielution’s mission. These programs include our adult Cooking Matters classes, Youth Garden family activities,  and our high school youth program. The education interns will work closely with the Education Director, Youth Education Coordinators, as well as our farm crew.

This internship would be ideal for anyone with an interest in working with youth, education, cooking, and sustainable farming. We are looking for positive individuals who work well collaborating with others. The education interns will be an instrumental part to our educational programs’ growth and development, gaining experiences in leading activities on the farm, sustainable farming practices, and community organizing.

As an education intern, you will receive free farm produce, class credit (if applicable), and at the end of your service, job references or a letter of recommendation. These valuable experiences complement studies in child and adolescent development, education, and nutrition. This internship will also prepare interns for work in the nonprofit and education fields.

Duties:

• Attend at least 5 workdays per month
• Work a minimum of 12 hours a week
• Help to maintain the Youth Garden, and lead Youth Garden family activities
• Work on special projects, e.g., writing lessons, seeking donation, organizing workshops, etc.
• Collaborate with the Outreach Team to outreach for our educational programs
• Attend staff meetings and other meetings relevant to your duties
• Assist with Cooking Matters, cooking and nutrition classes.

The ideal candidate for this position has:

• Experience with working with youth
• Bilingual ability (Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Chinese)
• Knowledge of current issues around food, health, and sustainable agriculture
• Articulate oral and written communication skills
• Comfort in talking to groups of people
• Experience in leading activities/lessons with group of up to 20
• Enthusiasm and passion for Veggielution’s mission

Want to Apply?
Please submit your resume and a brief description of why you are interested in the position to:
Monica Benavides, Education Director, monicalisa@veggielution.org
***This position requires a background check*** ( Veggielution will pay for this, if you are selected)
DEADLINE TO APPLY – Wednesday, May 15th 2013

Administrative Internship

(1 Available)

Want to get to know the backbone of what it takes to run a non-profit? Get to know the inner workings and big picture of how it all happens. This intern will work closely with the Development Manager, assisting with vital behind the scenes work like, program evaluation, donor development, event planning, and more.

This internship is ideal for someone who wants to start their own non-profit in the future, and/or wants to learn about organizational development and management.

Duties:

• Attend at least 2 workdays per month
• Become  familiar with Veggielution mission and goals
• Small writing projects like putting together our e-newsletter
• Conduct surveys with program participants
  
• Assist in planning special events
• Assist with donor and volunteer appreciation
• Help track volunteer hours in volunteer management system
• Help track donors in donor management system
• Pull data for grant reports
• Assist in planning and implementing fundraising campaigns
• Attend staff meetings and other meetings relevant to your duties
• Help the behind the scenes work happen efficiently and thoughtfully

The ideal candidate for this position has:

• Knowledge of current issues around food, health, and sustainable agriculture
• Articulate oral and written communication skills
• Capability to work independently
• Creative problem solving skills
• Organization, thoughtfulness, and a positive attitude
• Experience planning events
• Enthusiasm and passion for Veggielution’s mission

Want to Apply?
Please submit your resume and a brief description of why you are interested in the position to:
Julia Lang, Development Manager: JuliaL@veggielution.org

DEADLINE TO APPLY – Wednesday, May 15th 2013