Summary

The Urban Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the organization’s volunteer urban bed planting program including ensuring that volunteers are properly trained and supported. They work closely with volunteers and collaborating greenhouses as well as County staff. They help plan and implement community events and engage with community members to promote the organization’s goals.

Key Responsibilities

Attend monthly Board meeting and provide updates
Volunteer management:
Liaise with Bed Coordinators to identify volunteer requirements.
Recruit volunteers using various communication methods when needed to fulfill bed requirements
Recruit volunteers for various activities such as Canada Day Bed planting, participating in Canada Day Parade, Arbor Day, etc
Assign volunteers to designated flower beds / planters.
Participate in Newsletter by adding content
Review yearly budget to beds to see if they need to be adjusted
Maintain volunteer records (contact information,volunteer in which bed, year started, etc.)

Coordinate Bed Coordinators meetings for spring planting and yearly review of upcoming responsibilities

• Arrange and book meeting space if having an in person meeting. A license or contract may be involved, check with our county liaison
• Arrange for AV equipment if needed
• Provide bottled water. Keep receipt for reimbursement from treasurer if venue doesn’t provide
• Have t-shirts, masks if needed, to hand out for new members
• Have copies of ROWCAP to hand out if they are needed

Coordinate Strathcona in Bloom Purchase Order forms for greenhouses

• email to Urban Bed Coordinators and cc the treasurer
• Purchase Orders are sent to bed coordinators with the bed budget, preferred greenhouse they have selected from the Preferred Greenhouse list that was previously emailed to them by you, their name and contact info, their assigned bed as well as an invoice number that changes yearly. Send only one invoice at a time out. If the bed coordinator needs to go to another greenhouse repeat the procedure as mentioned with what is remaining of their budget. This will require the bed coordinator to keep track of their expenditures and communicate the remaining budget to you
• Email the Rural Coordinator a blank Purchase order that she can edit and send out for rural halls
• Liaise with Agricultural Services(AS), Urban Ag contact for the Broadmoor Lake Edible Planters
• Separate PO for this, comes from the AS Urban Ag contact
• Seperate file for this labeled SIB/TAS
• Budget for the planters comes from AS Urban Ag contact
• There is a Plant selection guideline from the AS Urban Ag contact

Preferred Greenhouse List Coordination

• Contact Preferred Greenhouse to confirm they want to be on the Preferred Greenhouse List for the year ( list will be in files)
• Thank them for their past support
• Confirm their discount amount ( all are at 20% discount at this time Jan 2022)
• Ask if there is any concerns we need to address
• There may be new greenhouses that need to be contacted. No box stores or establishments outside of Strathcona County are allowed on the preferred list
• Email the Rural Bed Coordinator with an update Preferred Greenhouse list
• Update the list and email to bed coordinators in advance of planting date
• Remind Bed coordinators not to ask greenhouse to hold plants or deliver plants
• There are some beds that the County orders flowers for. You will need to liaise with the county Horticultural Liaison with these beds for delivery on planting day.These beds are in the spreadsheet
• Liaise with Bed Coordinators to ensure that flower beds/planters are kept weeded,deadheaded and maintained through the season.
• Communicate with Strathcona County ( usually the Horticultural liaison) to advise;/
• If pre emergents are being used, which beds, and when safe to enter
• Planting dates for individual beds
• when individual beds have been planted and if there is plant pots to pick up for reuse
• watering requirements
• supplies required such as bags for clean up , signage for SIB and bed sponsorship signs
• Clean up date for individual beds
• When individual beds have been cleaned up and if the county has debris( compostables) to take away
• Coordinate if signage is needed for bed/containers,either SIB or Sponsors

Coordinate invitations and RSVPs for the Volunteer Appreciation Get together

• Liaise with County Rep if there will be one and if so where,when,and time
• Coordinate invitations and send out to all volunteers
• Keep track of RSVPs
• Have a “Thank You” speech
• If no in person event – purchase thank you cards, stamps, and gift card or whatever the board decides on and write thanks and mail out. There is a mailing list in files and you can check with the Communications Coordinator as well. You may be purchasing for the Front Yards and Outdoor Spaces . Check with them. Keep receipts and submit to the Treasurer for reimbursement
• You may be involved in other events and fundraisers as the board directs.
• You may want to arrange for social get togethers/events if public health edicts allow
• Arrange for the gift certificate for the Museum from Salisbury greenhouse. $500.00 at this time and provide the bed coordinator with a $50.00 PO for the preferred greenhouse.
• Contact previous SIB sponsors and see if they will be sponsoring again this year ( list in files)

Volunteer Hours

2 year term
Time commitment varies depending on time of year. Allow more time to coordinate activities in spring. I spend about 4 hours a week in March/May organizing mostly because of not being proficient in Microsoft Suite or Google Docs. And then again in the fall arranging year end wrap up.