Community Garden Mentor (Seasonal, Contract - Summer 2026)

Job Title: Community Garden Mentor

Organization: SustainEd Farms
Location: Denver, CO (NEST Neighborhoods)
Compensation: $2,200 total stipend (1099 contract)
Duration: June – August 2026 (3 months)
Time Commitment: 6–10 hours/week

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Position Overview

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SustainEd Farms is seeking Community Garden Mentors to support school-based garden sites and high school interns participating in our Summer 2026 Green Workforce Internship Program. Mentors are trusted community members who help maintain vibrant, productive garden spaces while serving as near-peer guides for youth exploring careers in sustainability and environmental fields.

 

This role is not a direct instructional or teaching position. Instead, Mentors provide consistent garden stewardship and bring relational joy and support to interns, reinforcing skills, confidence, and exposure to green career pathways. Community Garden Mentors will coordinate closely with SustainEd Farms’ Bilingual Program Coordinators throughout the program. They are the primary staff point of contact for scheduling, support, and communication

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Key Responsibilities: 

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Garden Stewardship & Maintenance

• Maintain assigned school garden site, including care for food crops, native plants, and trees

• Support seasonal tasks such as watering, weeding, harvesting, and general upkeep

• Ensure garden spaces remain safe, welcoming, and productive throughout the summer

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Youth Mentorship & Workforce Exposure

• Support 2 assigned high school interns during on-site garden work sessions

• Reinforce intern learning by modeling strong work habits, collaboration, and problem-solving

• Help interns build awareness of green workforce opportunities and career pathways

• Provide encouragement and culturally responsive mentorship that reflects and affirms student identities

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Coordination & Communication

• Coordinate regularly with SustainEd Farms Bilingual Program Coordinators

• Share observations, needs, and updates related to garden conditions and intern engagement

• Support program consistency while deferring all formal instruction and curriculum delivery to program staff

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Schedule & Structure

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• Weekly Commitment: 6–10 hours

• Typical schedule includes:

  • 4–6 hours on weekday mornings (8:00–10:00 AM, Tuesday–Thursday, while interns are on site)

  • ~2 hours on a weekend morning for garden maintenance

• Each Mentor will:

  • Support one school garden site

  • Mentor two high school interns

 

Site Placement

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Mentors will be placed at one of the following partner schools:

• Florence Crittenton High School (2 positions)

• North High School

• West High School

• Manual High School

• Summit Academy @ Castro

• George Washington High School

• Bruce Randolph High School

 

Qualifications

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Required:

• Resident of one of the following NEST neighborhoods:
  Athmar Park, Barnum, Barnum West, Clayton, College View, East Colfax, Elyria Swansea, Globeville, Kennedy, Lincoln Park, Mar Lee, Montbello, Ruby Hill, Sun Valley, Valverde, Villa Park, Westwood, or Windsor

• Ability to pass a background check

• Availability for consistent weekly engagement June–August

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Preferred:

• Experience with gardening, landscaping, urban agriculture, or environmental stewardship

• Experience working with youth and/or in community-based settings

• Interest in sustainability, food justice, or green career pathways

• Ability to connect with and support youth from historically underrepresented communities

 

Compensation Structure

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• Total stipend: $2,200

  • $700/month (June, July, August)

  • $100 completion bonus at the end of August

• Position is structured as an independent contractor (1099) role

 

About the Internship Program

Mentors support students participating in SustainEd Farms’ 10-week Green Workforce Internship, which introduces high school students to careers in agriculture, natural resources, and sustainability. Interns engage in hands-on garden work, sustainability education, leadership development, and career exploration aligned with Colorado Career & Technical Education pathways. Mentors play a critical role in grounding this experience in real-world practice by maintaining the spaces where students learn and modeling pathways into green careers.

 

Equity & Community Commitment

SustainEd Farms prioritizes hiring Mentors who reflect the identities, experiences, and communities of the students we serve. We strongly encourage applicants from historically underrepresented backgrounds in environmental and sustainability fields.