Welcome, prospective Mentors!

Do you have a background in special education, social work, therapies, OR do you have experience in gardening and a desire to support neurodivergent individuals? Are you available to work outside 7-14 hours per week, coaching up to three neurodivergent apprentices seeking to develop their job skills, self-awareness, and ability to self-advocate in future employment positions?

About Our Program

Growing Together, our mentor/apprentice program, is focused on job skills training, mentoring, and facilitating increased personal development for neurodivergent individuals ages 16+. Our core clientele includes neurodivergent individuals with autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and anxiety – neurotypes that vary from perceived norms and affect an individual’s ability to achieve employment and independence in the current job market.

We hire mentors for a variety of job contracts, structured around a clearly designed 7-step framework. Mentors provide job coaching for neurodivergent individuals to introduce work skills, help develop personal awareness, and address specific challenges each individual has experience in getting and keeping a job. This is an opportunity to give back to your community, while increasing your own skills in working with neurodiverse individuals and enjoying a calm garden environment. You do not need gardening experience! You do need patience, calm communications skills, and understanding of the executive function, self-regulation, and self-awareness challenges and gifts associated with neurodiversity.

We prioritize a mindful, relationally based work environment where communication is key to learning and self-development. We welcome challenges and set-backs as learning opportunities. We believe that a balanced, well-regulated nervous system is the first step in increasing executive function, organizational, and emotional regulation on the job.

key responsibilities

  • Work on garden projects with small teams of neurodivergent individuals ages 16+ who are engaged in educational training and paid vocational work as a bridge to independent employment

  • Review, assess, and prioritize apprentice(s)’ personal goals and skills development quarterly, ensuring clarity on progress plans in daily work

  • Create supports and materials that move apprentices along a continuum of progress and independence in job skills

  • Adjust daily tasks to garden demands (as needed) and help apprentices to clarify last-minute adjustments, changes to focus, and ability to meet deliverablesWork alongside apprentices to complete tasks that help maintain Legacy Farms gardens

  • Check in with assigned apprentice(s) on areas of challenge and strategies for success related to responsibilities

  • Participate in a 4-week online mindfulness 101 course for certification (paid by Legacy Farms)

  • Maintain professional standards of behavior and interaction that embody and set an example of an effective employee, including such qualities as: arriving to work on time and prepared, maintaining a positive attitude, managing personal emotions in regard to challenges, frustrations, etc. and speaking mindfully about personal approach to managing those feelings

  • As appropriate to experience, guide other mentors, entrepreneurial apprentices, and mentors-in-training to progress taking on leadership roles

  • Assist in periodic farmers markets to coach apprentices on products, sales, and social interaction

Other Beneficial Experience

  • A background in mindfulness practice (not required, training will be provided also by Legacy Farms)

  • Enthusiasm for growing flowers, vegetables, herbs and/or entrepreneurial and small business development

  • Understanding of issues surrounding neurodiversity empowerment

Hours

2-3 days per week, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30am-12noon (in garden); additional days/hours possible

Location

Garden hours at Temple Hall Farm Regional Park 15855 Limestone School Rd, Leesburg and/or Fabbioli Cellars, 15669 Limestone School Rd, Leesburg, VA 20176

APPLY NOW

More information for Mentors: Detailed .pdf Mentor Job Description here.