How to run an efficient and effective Green Teens session at Munstead

There will be a minimum of four adult volunteers running each garden session and up to eight teenagers attending. It is the Garden Leader’s (GL) responsibility to ensure the following is completed and the session runs smoothly. The Garden Assistant(s) role is to assist!

Note: All the standard principles apply the same as Milford & Hydons.

Your arrival:

  1. Arrive at main house front door at 12.15
  2. Sign in and meet with Clare/other from National Trust (NT)
  3. Collect drinking water and head to cottage

Pre-session duties:

  1. Move picnic tables on to the grass
  2. GL to agree activities for the session
  3. GL to assign cottage monitor – this person is responsible for unlocking/locking bolted door to cottage, holding the key to the cottage and moving stragglers out at the end of the session
  4. Unbolt the door on to the road (fire safety reasons)

Note: Emergency teen info is in secure lock box in cottage – Code: 7890

Teen Arrival duties:

  1. GL to confirm number of teens expected
  2. Unlock gate: padlock code is 5560
  3. By 12.45, put out traffic cones beyond 2nd lamp post
  4. 2 AV’s wearing Hi-Viz jackets wait on pavement
  5. 2 AV’s by gate on Brighton Road
  6. Collect teens from drop off point
  7. Escort teens across Brighton Road
  8. Take head count of teens who have arrived
  9. Telephone parents for any no shows before leaving road side.
  10. If a teen is running late, one AV to remain by the road until have full confirmation teen will not be attending
  11. Lock the gate after all teens on site

Start/During Session:

  1. Teens boot up, pick up lanyards and leave bags in the lockers in cottage
  2. GL brief teens on plan for the session
  3. Reminder about drinking water (tap water in cottage is NOT drinkable)
  4. Reminder about ticks
  5. GL to allocate teens in groups to individual AV’s
  6. Collect tools and move to GH area
  7. Re-lock cottage door
  8. GL to mark out specific areas to work on during sessions
  9. Break for drink/time-out
  10. Craft activity
  11. Second work session
  12. 2:50 return to cottage

End of session:

  1. Count back tools etc and put away
  2. Check for wet gloves and put where they have chance to dry
  3. Tidy and clean
  4. Teens change out of boots, collect belongings

Teen Departures:

  1. Departure, escorting teens back to collection point
  2. Same as arrival in reverse
  3. 2 AV’s at collection point to remain with any teens awaiting collection
  4. Note that some parents wait/park in the cul de sac opposite the drop off point
  5. Lock gate

Final Duties of AV session:

  1. AV’s return to cottage
  2. Bring back traffic cones
  3. Move tables back on to hard standing
  4. Re-bolt the door
  5. AV’s de-brief with NT team
  6. Check with NT that they are happy for GH team to depart
  7. Cottage Monitor return key to NT team