Volunteer at the KPU Farm

About the Program

The KPU Farm is a certified organic farm that highlights diversified, sustainable, regenerative, and organic production practices adjacent to the population center of downtown Richmond. This farm is where KPU students' study while working toward their Bachelor of Applied Science in Sustainable Agriculture. It is located at the Garden City Lands which is 136 acres of municipally owned land in the Agricultural Land Reserve and is just 200 meters east of the KPU Richmond campus. KPU's Department of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems leases 20 acres of the site for teaching and research. 

At the KPU Farm we also have a Learning Garden. The garden is an educational space that highlights many of the same practices that we use on the farm, but in the garden these concepts are on a smaller scale to provide a safe space for people of all ages and abilities to interact with sustainable practices.

Our mission with the KPU Farm Volunteer Program is to give participants the benefit of spending time in nature while interacting with common flowers and agricultural crops. Volunteers will also have the chance to connect with the community in various workshops and events. The two roles to be filled by volunteers are listed below.

Volunteer Roles

Garden Assistant (4 spots available)

  • Description: The garden assistants support harvesting, seeding, transplanting, weeding, pruning, clean-up activities, shoveling compost, and more. This work will require you to have no physical restraints and be comfortable working outdoors and doing hands-on activities.
  • Dates: Starting April 8th this group will meet every Monday from 9:00am – 12:00 pm.
  • Commitment: you would be a good fit for this role if you could commit to the weekly scheduled shifts for at least 3 months from your start date.
  • Training: The training for this role will be in-person on April 8th.
  • Deadline: The application deadline for the April 8th intake is March 25th. If you missed this deadline but are still interested in participating, please still apply. If we need additional garden assistants, we will contact previous applicants in the order in which the applications were submitted.
     

Community Leader (8 spots available)

  • Description: Supervised by the Outreach Coordinator, the community leaders will assist in community-faced outreach workshops and events. The nature-based educational workshops will host a diverse array of groups including K-12 students. Workshops will cover many topics such as bouquet making, parts of the plant, soil science, scavenger hunts, and much more. Events will also include many activities and pending topics, such as a harvest festival and an earth day celebration.
  • Dates: Many events and workshops are one-offs and therefore do not have consistent dates throughout the season. 
  • Commitment: You are a good fit for this role if you have a flexible schedule and weekend availability. Once volunteers complete the training, they will be put on an email list where they will receive callouts for specific events and workshops.
  • Training: the training for this role will be in-person in April.
  • Deadline: The application deadline for the April 8th intake is March 25th. If you missed this deadline but are still interested in participating, please still apply. If we need additional community leaders, we will contact previous applicants in the order in which the applications were submitted.
     

Note: if you are interested in both roles, please select both when applying! Preference will be given to those applicants who are interested in committing to both roles.

Locations

The KPU Farm at the Garden City Lands in Richmond, B.C. (5500 Garden City Lands Rd).

What You Will Gain

  • Access to free organic produce.
  • The opportunity to develop and enhance the following skills: time management, classroom management, patience, learning to work in teams, communication, leadership, problem solving, adaptability, conflict management, and developing confidence.
  • You will have the chance to spend time with faculty, staff, students, and make a direct positive impact on the surrounding community in Richmond by helping strengthen their appreciation for the natural world.
  • Gardening skills - further improve your skills through practical experience.
  • A reference or reference letter (after 30 hours of volunteering).
     

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email the Outreach Coordinator Alex Bisset at kpufarm@kpu.ca.

To apply this this program, please fill out the questionnaire below.