Youth and Family Programs Intern

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is hiring! 

Are you a student who is passionate about plants and our environment, loves interacting with people, and committed to supporting the Gardens’ IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) goals? We're looking for an Interpretive Exhibits Intern excited about inspiring meaningful connections among people, plants, and nature in one of the most beautiful settings in Maine. See the full listing on our website: https://www.mainegardens.org/employment/ 

The Youth Education Programs Internship provides hands-on experience supporting and implementing a wide variety of youth and family programming at the Gardens. The internship also offers the opportunity to learn the art and science of live interpretation, increase gardening knowledge, learn what it takes to maintain a children’s garden, and learn best practices in customer service.  

• Full-time, hourly, $15.75 per hour 
• Apply by emailing your resume and cover letter to ehuber@mainegardens.org.  

Qualifications: 

• Must be comfortable with and enjoy interacting with the public and with students of all ages, especially children. Experience working with children is preferred.  
• Must have an interest in plants, gardening, and nature and a desire to learn more about the role of education in a public garden setting.  
• Some coursework/experience in the field of education or the natural sciences is required. 
• Must be comfortable interacting with guests, staff, board members, and the community; strive to exceed guest and program participant expectations, and create an exceptional experience for those visiting the Gardens. 
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. 
• Commitment to working across the organization to support the integration of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) principles into CMBG’s internal operations and its relationships with visitors and guests. 

Primary Functions: 

• Welcome and orient visiting school/youth groups. 
• Assist in leading our summer nature exploration parent/child programs for ages 3-8.   
• Assist Summer Camp Coordinator and Youth and Family Programs Educator in implementing nature- and garden-based summer camp programs for ages 4-8. 
• Assist visiting art instructors as they implement youth art workshops.   
• Carry out regular informal educational activities in the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden, such as story time and nature-based puppet shows and chicken feeding. 
• Help to facilitate Discovery Carts and Nature/Garden Investigations in the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, the Native Butterfly House and the Alfond Children’s Garden. 
• Help care for the Learning Garden and greenhouse. 
• Assist with the daily upkeep of the Alfond Children’s Garden play areas.