New Roots Food & Land Access Intern

Please note: This is an unpaid internship position. No financial compensation, including compensation for relocation, is available.

In addition to completing this application, interested applicants should email a resume, cover letter, and two letters of recommendation to VolunteerSLC@Rescue.org with “Food & Land Access Intern” in the subject line.

BACKGROUND: Founded in 1933, the IRC is a leading nonsectarian, voluntary organization providing relief, protection and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. In the U.S., the IRC resettles approximately 11,000 refugees per year and provides numerous program services to assist the refugee from their arrival through citizenship. The IRC in Salt Lake City opened it office in 1994, and provides resettlement services through extended case management to newly arrived refugees for up to 24-months as well as over twenty different programs to educate and empower refugees.

SCOPE OF INTERN WORK: New Roots brings refugees together to share their agricultural skills and connect with their new home and community by placing families in community garden and farm sites across Salt Lake Valley. In addition to creating the opportunity to produce supplementary food, community gardens and farms can also act as access points for health, nutrition, and other educational services. The Food & Land Access Intern will work across New Roots garden sites to assist with community engagement programming and promote food access opportunities.

COMMITMENT: 12-16 weeks starting in January 2022 with option to extend, 15-20 hours per week, flexible schedule including some evenings and Saturdays.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Assist with development of materials and curriculum and facilitate logistics for garden orientations that cover season rules, gardening basics, and seed distributions.

• Assist in garden outreach and gathering of applications from interested clients.

• Assist in gardener and farmer communications, trainings, and meetings.

• Assist in development and management of garden and farm infrastructure.

• Assist with Emergency Food Assistance box packing, logistics, and deliveries.

• Attend garden and farm workdays to assist in infrastructure projects and spring land preparation.

• Fulfill clients’ needs and support requests through research of community resources, food pantries, and supply deliveries.

• Collect information on local community needs and evaluate effectiveness of programming on increasing healthy food access, engaging neighborhood residents, and changing food consumption behavior.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• By the end of the internship, May 2022, the Intern will demonstrate knowledge about the benefits of community gardening, farming, and related programming for refugee and New American populations.

• By May 2022, the Intern will demonstrate an ability to communicate with limited English speakers and people from different cultures.

• By May 2022, the Intern will show an increased knowledge of best gardening and farming practices including irrigation systems, planting and plant health, and soil preparation.

• By May 2022, the Intern will demonstrate knowledge of New Roots and how best to promote the program to potential new clients.

• By May 2022, the Intern will demonstrate knowledge of community food systems in Salt Lake City.