Growing Places Indy Summer Apprenticeship 2016

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2016 Growing Places Indy Summer Apprenticeship Program

Application Deadline: March 15, 2016

Growing Places Indy is a nonprofit organization committed to providing people with skills, resources and experiences to Be Well – vibrant, healthy and thriving – through urban agriculture, food access and awareness, and practices for sustainable living. Their apprenticeship empowers participants to understand what it means to Grow well, Eat well and Live well in order to Be well, and both challenges and encourages them to be the change they want to see in the world.

Mandatory Program Orientation: Thursday June 2, Time TBD

Mandatory Program Dates: June 6 to August 4, 2016 (8 weeks)

* There is a break from July 4-7, 2016

Weekly Schedule:

• Mondays – 8:00am to 1:00pm
• Tuesdays – 9:00am to 2:00pm
• Wednesdays – 8:30am to 6:30pm (time is built in for lunch)
• Thursdays – 8:30am to 12:00pm and 3:00pm to 6:30pm

* Schedule variations may occur

Location: Primary weekly programming takes place at the following Growing Places Indy sites:

• Chase Near Eastside Legacy Center
• White River State Park
• The Eskenazi Health Sky Farm at Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital
• The Platform at City Market
• Additional field trips occur weekly

Hours per week: Approximately 25-30

In addition to the regular schedule, participation in and attendance at additional events, networking opportunities and enrichment activities are encouraged. Growing Places Indy will facilitate these opportunities throughout the program, and participants are encouraged to seek out others.

Compensation: $500 stipend, a weekly share of vegetables and yoga classes.

Program Description:

The Summer Apprenticeship Program immerses participants in the work of Growing Places Indy, from hands-on farm work to community engagement, fundraising, youth education, personal development and more. Participants are challenged to consider what change they want to see in the world and are trained in skills they can employ to take personal action.

Participants build a strong team relationship within their cohort and have the opportunity to meet many leaders and entrepreneurs doing transformational work in the Indianapolis area.

Apprentices will:

• Learn about urban agriculture through hands-on experiences and educational lessons, obtaining information and skills to teach others. This includes general farming activities (planning, planting, transplanting, cultivation, weeding, etc.) and sales/marketing/distribution activities (CSA, farm stands and restaurant sales). Physical work is a major part of the program, with daily outdoor tasks on Growing Places Indy farm sites and farms, gardens and organizations across the Indianapolis area.
• Engage in the Indianapolis area food system as producers, consumers, advocates and educators, connecting into a network of relationships and opportunities. This may include attending presentations and leading workshops, speaking engagements and tours for community members.
• Explore and apply practices for personal empowerment, including yoga, self-study, cooking, gardening and mindfulness activities. Participants enjoy a daily yoga practice and explore how to apply the philosophy of yoga in day-to-day life and work.
• Develop an integrated understanding of how food access and awareness, agricultural systems and individual and collective lifestyles (or lifestyle choices) impact personal and community wellness, as well as economic and environmental sustainability.
• Investigate how community-based food systems support community development. This will include site visits and guest lectures, as well as recommended readings.
• Explore leadership and teamwork concepts by working as part of a small team of apprentices and program leaders to accomplish daily, weekly and season-long tasks and goals.
• Learn to comfortably and safely navigate Indianapolis by bicycle. Bicycling is the primary mode of group transit between farm sites, restaurant deliveries and visits to downtown area locations.
• Each apprentice will have an additional role he or she will play to accomplish their collective goals and gain valuable experience. Examples include, but are not limited to, farm stand manager, social media assistant, photographer, CSA/veggie share leader, after school program leader, restaurant harvest coordinator and fundraising project coordinator.

Application Eligibility:

Eligible applicants must be 18 years or older and have at least one year of continuing education or work experience post-high school. To be accepted, a candidate must be able to fully commit to the weekly schedule for the entire eight-week program, be willing to work hard, have a sincere interest in the subject matter and activities, desire to take on leadership roles and to grow personally. Strongest candidates will be able to articulate a sense of purpose for applying, as well as thoughtful ideas on ways in which they can contribute to the 2016 cohort experience, Growing Places Indy and potential ways they will pay forward the experience. Prior experience in gardening, farm product sales, educational programming and/or the practice of yoga is not required.

Application Process for the Growing Places Indy 2016 Summer Apprenticeship:

• Submit your application by March 15, 2016, to Sarah Adams at

saraha@growingplacesindy.org.

• After an initial application review, candidates will be contacted for an interview by March 31, 2016.
• Interviews will take place between April 1 – April 15, 2016.
• Applicants will be alerted of a final decision on their application by April 30, 2016.

Previous apprenticeship schedules and alumni testimonials can be found at:

https://www.growingplacesindy.org/apprenticeship-program

2016 Growing Places Indy Summer Apprenticeship Program

Application Deadline: March 15, 2016

Applicant Information

Name:

Email:

Mobile Phone:

Date of Birth:

Emergency Contact Information

Name:

Relationship:

Email:

Mobile Phone:

We use bicycles as our primary mode of transportation between garden locations, site visits and produce delivery. They require that apprentices provide their own bicycle.

• Do you have a bicycle? Yes or No
• Do you have a bicycle helmet? Yes or No
• How comfortable are you riding a bicycle?

Very Somewhat Not Really Don’t know how

Are you available to meet in Indianapolis for an interview during the period of

April 1-15?

___ YES ___ NO

If you are not available to meet in Indianapolis, please check which interview method would be possible for you and provide contact details:

___ Phone Call – #___________________________________

___ Skype Voice Call – Skype ID___________________________________

___ Skype Video Call – Skype ID___________________________________

___ FaceTime Call – #___________________________________

___ Other: __________________________________________________

Application Materials for the Growing Places Indy 2016 Summer Apprenticeship:

1. Current copy of your resume (one page maximum)

2. One letter of reference (letters from family members will not be accepted)

3. Personal essay: In a separate document, provide an essay of no more than 600 words addressing the following:

• What is your primary motivation for applying to participate in this program?
• What skills/talents/ideas do you hope to bring to the apprenticeship?
• What do you hope to get out of this experience? Tell us about your goals and aspirations.
• What previous gardening, farming, food system, yoga, personal development or other program-related experience do you have?

* Essays longer than 600 words will not be considered.

I certify that the information given in this application is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Signature:

Date:

Please submit your application for the 2016 Growing Places Indy Summer Aprenticeship by e-mail to Sarah Adams, program

coordinator, saraha@growingplacesindy.org by March 15, 2016.