Vera Street Community Garden

Ways to help out

We're always looking for people who are keen on giving something back to the community through the Vera Street Community Garden. We all try to chip in and help with general garden jobs during our monthly working bees, but we also have jobs for people who can offer a little more time or some specialist expertise.
Here are some of the things that you might like to consider helping with. However, don't let this limit you! If you have skills or talents that you'd like to share, please let us know- we'd love to have you!

Role descriptions (this list is constantly being added to)
- Convener
- Vice Convener
- Secretary
- Membership Secretary
- Treasurer
- CAS Volunteer
- Seed raiser
- Cook
- Entertainer
- Photographer
- Website coordinator

Convener

The Convener is responsible for leading the Community Garden and attending to its day-to-day administration. A typical week might involve spending some time down at the garden welcoming new people and chatting to local residents, discussing issues with executive committee members over email, talking to media about the Community Garden and perhaps checking a rule of Incorporation.
The Convener is also responsible for running all Garden meetings, and communicating with the general public about the garden.

Skills needed
- A friendly, welcoming personality
- Excellent communication skills
- Some interest and experience in permaculture gardening and communities
- Leadership and problem-solving skills
- Experience in chairing and/or attending board meetings

Estimate of time committments
Prepare for and chair all meetings
- Annual General Meeting once a year - 8 hours
- General Meetings 4 times a year - 16 hours
- Executive Meetings 4 times a year - 16 hours
Attend to general business for the garden, mostly by email 1 hour a week - 52 hours
Plan and participate in working bees 10 times a year - 40 hours
Spend time down at the garden at other times, telling people about the garden - 20 hours
Represent the Community Garden when dealing with media, elected representatives, other organisations etc - 16 hours
Plan and participate in special projects and/or events, as required - avg 20 hours
Self education to read and understand the rules of Incorporation and the Model Rules - 4 hours
Total: 190 hours

Secretary

Involves:
- organising committee, general and annual general meetings, and taking minutes
- maintaining documents relating to our incorporated status,and appointing the auditor every year
- managing incoming and outgoing correspondence
Time commitment: 4 hours per week on average, sometimes more, sometimes less.

Membership Secretary

Involves:
- Recruiting and interacting with members:
    * Take enquiries from potential new members (email or phone contact available on website, presence at meetings and working bees)
    * Collect annual fees and membership forms including recording of receipts
    * Sight Blue Cards and note expiry dates or Organise applications for Blue Cards if not already a holder (ie sight relevant identification and fill out appropriate sections of forms)

- Communication with and for members
    * Act as a moderator for the Yahoo groups email group for Vera St Community Garden Inc.
    * put new members on
    * remove members when no longer active or upon request
    * keep track of who is a member
    * advise new members of group etiquette – ie use of email group for garden and related information/queries only
    * Advise members when renewal of annual membership due

- Membership records
    * Deposit membership fees into VSCG Commonwealth Bank Account with advice to Treasurer of details of monies collected (ie amount, receipt number, what money is for)
    * Keep Blue Card approval forms sent from Children’s Commission
    * Keep an accurate list of members and provide annual copy for auditor
    * Advise general meetings of new members and renewals for endorsement

- Other
    * Participate in executive and support other executive members as able.

CAS Volunteers

Involves:
- Working with local high school students on projects within the garden.
- Ensuring that students work safely.
- Arranging materials/resources needed for the students.
Time commitment: 4 hours per week, mainly on Friday mornings
Talk to: Ruth Brown

Seed raisers

Involves:
- Planting and caring for seeds and seedlings to keep the garden well supplied with plants.
- Ordering seeds on behalf of the garden.
- Establishing a well-organised seed collection for the garden.
Time commitment: A few minutes a day at home, one hour a week to plant seeds.

Cooks

Involves:
- Preparing tasty food and drinks for our monthly working bee, and occasional stalls/special events.
Time commitment: A few hours once a month, plus the occasional special event.

Entertainer

Musicians,fire twirlers, entertainers, magicians etc
Involves:
- Entertaining guests at the community garden for special events, such as harvest feasts, open days etc.
Time commitment: Whatever you can offer!

Photographer

Involves:
- attending Garden events and taking photos for the website and other garden publications.
- uploading photos to our website
Time commitment: Attend occasional events, a couple of hours per month.

Website coordinator

Our website is our main way of attracting new members and communicating with the general public. The website coordinator is responsible for keeping our website up-to-date and interesting.

Skills needed
- Great written communication skills
- Experience in writing content for the Internet, e.g. writing a blog, editing a website
- Previous experience in using, and preferably creating, web content, such as Facebook, Google Maps, Flickr etc.

Time committment
- Minor updates to the website each month - 12 hours
- Respond to website enquiries - 2 hours
- Undertake major upgrades, addition of new content twice a year - 16 hours
Total: 30 hours