One of the first steps to starting an urban garden is choosing the group of volunteers that you'll be working alongside. Here are a few suggestions:

• When you're first starting out, we suggest starting small - with somewhere between 6 and 9 people. More than that and you'll run into challenges organizing everyone.
• Recruit volunteers that not only have an interest in getting involved, but also have the time to commit.
• Keep in mind community gardens don't have to be an adult-only activity! Think about how to incorporate kids into the planning and maintenance of the garden. They'll benefit from the bonding of the team and the responsibility it takes to work and grow something of their own.

Just for Kids!

Here are some great ways to integrate kids:

• Create a section just for kids and have them create their own team and schedule - that will make for good training and community building!
• Set up a buddy system. Partner kids with adults and have them work on tasks as a team.
• Make it fun!
• Hold a kid-friendly event centered around the garden to make them feel like they're part of the team. For example, have kids dress up like bees and then share a quick lesson on the role that bees play in every garden.
• Play with worms!

Dividing Up the Work

Divide up the work based on what people like to do and what they're good at. Be a leader, not a boss. If someone really doesn't like to water plants, don't make them the one responsible for watering! Give volunteers something to do that they can enjoy, and that they'll take ownership of - just make sure all the necessary roles are accounted for.

When you're starting out, your group will be small enough that you won't need to assign formal titles to each member. As your group (and your garden) grows, you might want to consider having someone take on specific roles to keep things organized. Think about having one member of the group act as treasurer, and another as a communications coordinator, organizing your group's social media account or newsletter. Be creative!

Nominate a Leader or Coordinator

While not mandatory, having someone act as head of the garden community will make organizing tasks and work days a lot simpler. Anyone who's ever volunteered before can tell you that it all runs a lot smoother if someone steps into a leadership role.

Keep in mind, this doesn't necessarily have to be you, even if it was your idea to start the garden! If being a leader is something you're not suited for, pass the role on to another team member.

As with all tasks/roles within the group, pick a leader based on who wants it most, and who has the time to own that responsibility. Consider rotating the person who holds the position every year.

Below is a suggested list of roles that you might need for your garden. While we suggest some "titles", feel free to have fun and make your own titles (example: "Chief Waterer" could be "Chief Rainmaker"). All that's important is that everyone knows what's expected of them.