INCG is seeking to fill a vacant position on its Board of Directors for Education Chair. Alternatively, INCG is seeking committee members to move forward with the Education Chair's duties, grow the organization, and meet its mission. Optimally, this service learning project volunteer with work with all board members during and apart from its monthly meeting, the 3rd Wednesday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm, at WSU Extension, 222 North Havana. If the volunteers instead opt to serve as committee members to work on the organization's education project, they will work closely with Dr. Roisin Lally, who is also the Kids in the Garden Chair serving on the Board of Directors. Preference may be given to students or GU community in education or with a strong education interest, and second to those with a strong community gardening or local food interest.
One of the first goals of this position is to brainstorm potential topics of broad interest to the school, youth, service, and community gardening community and the local food network community - to be delivered at the Spring and Fall Special Guest Speaker meetings. The position lines up educational guest speakers for these meetings and coordinates with the board regarding speaker stipends.
The second goal of this position is to grow and maintain INCG's Speaker Bureau talks listed on the website and given by the organization's board, committee, and members. The Education Chair or Education Committee members advertise the existence of the Speaker's Bureau to the general public. Talks can often be used to engage the community and rally it around a flagging school, youth, service or other garden and draw attention to that garden in the eye of the public.
The third goal of this position is to help support the provision of the four classes given to underserved gardens in Spokane County through a partnership program. Partners consist of the Master Gardeners of Spokane County, the Spokane County Master Gardener Foundation, Gonzaga University, BECU, and gardens like Chief Garry Community Garden, the Holy Cross Nepali-Speaking Bhutanese Community Garden, Hifumi En Garden, and Fresh Start Community Garden. The four classes consist of Basic Veggies, Composting For Community Gardeners, Food Preservation, and Season Extension.
The fourth goal of this position is to support the Kids in the Garden program and help grow INCG's capacity to meet the organization's educational mission. At a minimum, the Kids in the Garden program consist of tabling at events with a lot of families such as Earth Day or the Fall Compost Fair as well as kids programs accompanying the above classes given to underserved gardens. At a maximum, the INCG Education Chair or Committee Members will compile or create curricula that support provision of independent Kids in the Garden programs as schools, Sunday schools, home schools, summer programs, or other venues.
