Location: New York,NY, USA
10-Week Full Time position | Staten Island, New York
**Who We Are**
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (Snug Harbor) offers dynamic programming in the arts, horticulture, agriculture, education and recreation for diverse cultures and all ages, on a historic, welcoming campus that is a unique oasis in New York City. We envision being a nationally visible yet locally impactful cultural organization beloved by all who visit. We value artistic vibrancy, stewardship, conservation, inclusion, community, communication and discovery. Located less than 1.5 miles from the Staten Island Ferry and easily accessible by public transportation, Snug Harbor welcomes nearly 500,000 visitors each year to explore our gardens, grounds and galleries. Our 83-acre campus features 26 architecturally significant buildings and 14 distinctive gardens, including a traditional Chinese garden and a Tuscan garden. A vibrant cultural hub, Snug Harbor is also home to several non-profit institutions, artists studios and small businesses. Founded in the 19th century as a charitable rest home for sailors, today Snug Harbor is a growing, must-see destination.
The NYC Compost Project Hosted by Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden was created by the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) in 1993. The NYC Compost Project works to reduce waste in NYC and rebuild NYCs soil by providing New Yorkers with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities they need to produce and use compost locally. NYC Compost Project programs and staff are funded through the DSNY Bureau of Recycling and Sustainability in partnership with host institutions.
The VISTA Summer Associates Program helps city agencies and nonprofits continue to provide services for low-income and vulnerable New Yorkers over the summer. Summer Associates are committed individuals who are passionate about service and interested in social justice issues. These individuals spend ten weeks making a major impact on communities in New York City. Summer Associates come from all walks of life. Members address poverty and advance equity across NYC by building program capacity. NYC Vista is administered through NYC Service, a division of the Mayors Office.For more information about the NYC VISTA program and available positions, please visit .
**The Position:**
NYC Compost Project Outreach Associates build a support network for food-scrap drop-off and composting sites throughout Staten Island. Associates provide an overview of community needs and resources by creating a database of resources and contacts, and activate that network to identify community stakeholders. As the boroughs largest cultural organization, only botanical garden, and one of NYCs largest farms, Snug Harbor is the center of sustainability. An intentional, strategic network of community members committed to sustainability will increase efficiencies, intellectual capital, and community resiliency. Community resiliency and social capital are cornerstones of economic vibrancy.
**Responsibilities:**
* Develop familiarity with Staten Islands current and potential growing spaces, and the thought leaders in the borough in addressing land access and productive landscapes
* Draft a data collection schema that can apply to each site and stakeholder and create a comprehensive survey mechanism to support the collection of clean data that will be easily used by community stakeholders
* Develop an outreach plan
* Plan and host resource partner meetings to comprehensively identify stakeholders and establish a community contract around network activation
* Identify persistent needs of each growing space and identify community assets that can be leveraged to address those needs
* Synthesize findings in a concise, action-oriented brief articulating logistics and challenges
* Develop a database that reflects public growing spaces across Staten Island, resulting in a resource map of both physical resources, community stakeholders, and expertise. This work will solidify community partnerships around hyper-local food systems and growing spaces, and clarify what kinds of investments are needed by the City, by community groups, and by individuals to reduce the thresholds to participation in green initiatives and access to fresh produce
* Collaboratively plan a peer learning program to introduce efficiencies and build intellectual capital
* Plan a targeted engagement campaign to broaden community support
**Qualifications:**
* Experience writing technical briefs as well as skilled in persuasive language
* Strong understanding of database construction
* Strong interest in community organization and education
* Commitment to developing leadership skills
* Able to travel throughout Staten Island
* English required, Spanish strongly preferred
* Capable of lifting at least 50 pounds regularly
* Strong commitment to national service and the mission of the host agency
* Desire to work in the government sector
* Desire to serve with diverse communities
* Excellent organizational and communication skills
* Ability to conduct community outreach and make presentations to community groups
* Willingness to take initiative to achieve goals
* Strong project management/multi-tasking abilities
* A clear plan for living on the AmeriCorps stipend in New York City
* Availability to lead and/or attend events during evening and weekend hours if required by position (frequency varies by position)
* Minimum high school diploma or equivalency
* Ability to pass a criminal background check
* Must be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, Lawful Permanent Resident, or person legally residing in a state that has the following legal residency classifications: refugee, asylum or asylee, temporary protected status or deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) status. (By law, only VISTA members who are either: U.S. Citizens; U.S. Nationals; or Lawful Permanent Resident Aliens (sometimes referred to as Lawful Permanent Residents), are eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Segal Education Award in lieu of a cash stipend.)
**TO APPLY**
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to ...@snug-harbor.org with the subject line Change Agent [Your Name]. Complete the employee application form by visiting . Snug Harbor celebrates and commits to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion. We value and seek the strengths of human variety across communities, in programming, with staff, the Board of Directors, volunteers, artists and visitors. Snug Harbor strives to build a culture of diversity of voice and representation, authentically inclusive spaces and equity for all. Snug Harbor is an Equal Opportunity Employer.