Garden Coordinator

Description

Camp Mendocino is a residential summer camp located in Northern California, four hours north of San Francisco and spread over 2,000 acres. We provide transportation between San Francisco and Camp at the start and end of the summer. All Camp employees are expected to live, sleep and work  a program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco (BGCSF), we are dedicated to providing children and teens with safe, fun places to learn and grow, with professional staff to offer support and guidance, serving as caring mentors and role models.

We’re not just a summer camp—we’re a community. We provide a safe, transformative outdoor experience for youth from diverse backgrounds including youth from some of San Francisco’s least resourced neighborhoods; grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and joy. Our staff culture values growth, teamwork, professionalism, and fun.

You are a youth-centered role model with strong emotional intelligence, integrity, and a love for the outdoors. You collaborate well, bring creativity and patience, and are eager to learn, grow, and support a diverse community of campers and staff.

The Garden Coordinator leads the garden program, including adapting lesson plans and teaching youth the day-to-day operations and maintenance of a teaching garden and promotes healthy lifestyles. Provides instructional programming to connect all aspects of tending gardening, including food preparation, serving, and eating.

• Teach engaging garden classes
• Ensure safety of all campers, including setting clear safety expectations, observing and engaging campers while in their care, assessing the appropriateness of camper behaviors
• Increase participant knowledge of food cycle, interest in growing fresh fruits and vegetables, and willingness to try new fruits and vegetables
• Collaborate with Environmental Education Specialist to integrate nutrition and garden education Camp-wide, as well as leading the effort for Camp compositing program
• Work with Camp’s Green Team to ensure that environmental sustainability is included through daily life at Camp Mendocino for both staff and campers.
• Connect garden program to the dining hall by coordinating tastings, leading daily meal discussions with small groups of campers, and working with youth to promote vegetables of the day at meals
• Maintain garden, greenhouse, and equipment
• Foster character development consistent with BGCSF philosophy
• Run activities with youth including but not limited to: wellness activities, team building, outdoor education, hiking, and overnight camping
• Engage campers with a positive attitude.
• Other duties as specified by direct supervisor

• Experience working with youth in a garden setting
• Extensive experience with plants, gardening and composting
• Gardening experience, including planting, cultivation, harvesting and maintenance of an organic raised bed garden and small greenhouse
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with coworkers, and campers
• Ability to handle difficult or stressful situations in a professional manner
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

• Experience working with youth in an overnight camp setting
• Experience working with youth from disadvantaged circumstances
• Background in the green movement

• Must be able to lift 50lbs.
• Must be able to walk on uneven terrain for at least 3 miles.
• Must be able to stand for 8 hours (with breaks).
• Must be able to work in temperatures ranging from 30° to 100°.

• Temporary/Seasonal Summer position.
• Applicants should be available June 9
  - August 6, 2026 to work & live on-site at our Camp location in Northern California (Mendocino County).
• Staff members work 40‑56 hours/week depending on position with two days off per week. Days off vary per session.

Lodging is provided for all staff on site. The Garden Coordinator will not be required to stay in a cabin with youth on a regular basis, but will be assigned bunk-style indoor housing that may be shared with up to 3 other staff members.

• Onsite lodging is provided…