Our Youth Education Steward (Y.E.S.) program is designed for youths ages 11-18 who enjoy helping others, would like to experience interacting with the public, especially children, and have an interest in learning more about our Gardens and teaching guests about plants and animals. Y.E.S. participants can sign up to volunteer in the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden and help carry out our daily educational activities, keep an eye on our play areas, and interact with guests of all ages. Youth ages 14+ can also sign up to volunteer in other areas of the Gardens, such as the Native Butterfly House and Learning Apiary. More details about each of these roles can be found below.
Why become involved in the Y.E.S. Leadership Program?
- Meet new people.
- Gain experience working with the public and with children.
- Improve communication skills.
- Build a resume.
- Explore career options.
- Learn how to care for a garden.
- Teach young children about gardening, nature, and Maine literature.
- Have fun in the beauty of the outdoors!
The Y.E.S. program begins in mid-June and continues until the end of August. Those interested in joining the Y.E.S. program are expected to fill out an application (see below) and attend a volunteer training to gain confidence, learn volunteer skills, and familiarize themselves with the Children’s Garden and Y.E.S. volunteer responsibilities. After completing training, Y.E.S. participants sign up for weekly two-hour volunteer shifts in the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden. Those interested in becoming a Youth Education Steward must commit to a minimum of six volunteer shifts throughout the summer to participate in this program. Days of the week are flexible.
Please download the application here, and see additional information about the program below. Applications must be received by the end of June to be considered for the current season.
Y.E.S. Volunteer Roles
We need your help! Y.E.S. participants can serve in a variety of roles. For some of these roles, Y.E.S. participants will receive specialized training in addition to the general Y.E.S. training. Those interested in participating in one or more of the programs below should indicate their interest on the Y.E.S. application.
Roles include:
Children’s Garden Helper – Volunteers in our Alfond Children’s Garden help to implement daily activities such as story time, puppet shows, and chicken feeding; interact with guests and answer questions; help with the upkeep of the Children’s Garden play spaces; keep an eye out for safety concerns, and help care for our Learning Garden.
Learning Garden Volunteer – Assist with the care and maintenance of the Learning Garden, a vegetable/flower patch in the Children’s Garden used for various youth programs, including field trips and summer camps. Simple garden tasks such as planting, watering, and weeding are needed to ensure a successful outdoor classroom and to keep this demonstration garden looking great for guests.
Summer Camp Helper – Do you like working with young children or want more experience working with them in a fun, educational environment? As a camp assistant, you will help the camp coordinator with daily camp activities, such as games, nature hikes, and arts-and-crafts projects, as well as group management and safety. Volunteers are needed to help with nature and gardening camps this summer.
For experienced youth stewards or older youth, ages 14+:
Older, more experienced (ages 14+) Youth Education Stewards can choose from the following volunteer roles:
Butterfly House Volunteer – Answer questions and engage guests in the wonders of the Butterfly House. If you want to learn more about our native butterflies, moths, and caterpillars, and share what you learn with visitors, this is a great job for you.
Learning Apiary Volunteer – Answer questions and engage guests as they peek into an observation hive and observe, from a distance, our beehives and beekeeper in action.
Discovery Cart Volunteer – Interact with guests as you teach them about natural history topics. Delight guests with this engaging hands-on cart.
Troll Ambassadors – A critical point of contact, answering questions and managing pedestrian flow at the exhibit. Learn about Danish artist Thomas Dambo, his art, how to see his work at the Gardens, and then share it with visitors.
Y.E.S Mentors – Returning Y.E.S. participants can sign up to mentor new Y.E.S. participants. Seasoned stewards will be paired with new stewards during volunteer shifts, helping them to become familiar and comfortable with the responsibilities of being a Youth Education Steward. This program is for returning stewards who are looking for a bit more leadership experience this summer.
What is expected of a Youth Education Steward?
- Complete an application.
- Attend a volunteer training session (training dates will be announced or scheduled on an as-needed basis for participants).
- Sign up for a weekly volunteer shift.
- Carry out Y.E.S. volunteer responsibilities in a respectful and engaging manner.
- Play an active role in making the Children’s Garden a fun and welcoming environment for Gardens guests.
Participants will be able to choose from weekly volunteer shifts depending on availability, as follows (Sunday-Saturday):
10 a.m. – noon
Noon – 2 p.m.
2 – 4 p.m.
How do I sign-up?
Complete the application and return to Bridget Vervaet at bvervaet@mainegardens.org, Youth and Family Program Educator. If you have questions about this program, please contact Bridget by phone at (207) 633-8037.
