NEW GARDENING LEAVE PROJECTS
Gardening Leave is a charity which provides Horticultural Therapy for ex-Service personnel, in walled gardens.
The pilot project in Ayrshire has been researched by Jacqueline Atkinson, Professor of Mental Health Policy at Glasgow University (See the Executive Summary of her research on our website) and Anna Baker Cresswell, Gardening Leave’s founder has been asked to set up two new Gardening Leave projects at the Royal Hospital Chelsea (RHC), home of the Chelsea Pensioners and Erskine Hospital, Bishopton. Both of these projects have now started.
We are now looking to recruit an Assistant Horticultural Therapist to be based at Erskine project. Full details of this position are shown below.
Job purpose: To support the Horticultural Therapist, who has responsibility for delivering nine and a half sessions of Horticultural Therapy a week to veterans, Monday to Friday throughout the year.
The Assistant Horticultural Therapist will be required to work alongside the Horticultural Therapist and volunteers, to provide continuity as the project develops. Normal hours of work will be 16 hours per week to be worked over 4 days, Monday to Thursday. In addition, the Assistant will be required to provide holiday cover for the Horticultural Therapist and during these times (25 days per year) the former will have day-to-day responsibility for the project. A daily rate equivalent to the Horticultural Therapist’s salary will be paid for days when the Assistant is deputising for the HT.
The project is being externally evaluated by the Mental Health Foundation and the Assistant will be required to provide additional support to the veterans to ensure the smooth running of the Evaluation.
Essential Criteria:
Relevant experience of working in a related health/social care discipline with Level 3 SVQ or equivalent in Health & Social Care.
Horticultural qualification at HND level or equivalent
Knowledge and experience of indoor and outdoor gardening
Excellent inter-personal communication skills
Experience of working with volunteers
Self motivated team player with a sense of humour.
A Disclosure Check will be required for this position and as it will involve travel, a Driving Licence is essential.
Salary: £16,000 to £18,000 pro rata according to experience.
For further details, please contact Anna Baker Cresswell, Chief Executive. info@gardeningleave.org or call 01292 521 444.
Closing date: 17th September, 2010.
