Horticultural Therapist Job Description

Horticultural Therapist Duties and Responsibilities

Horticultural Therapist job description should contain a variety of functions and roles including:

• Assisting individuals to improve their social and practical horticulture skills;
• Encouraging individuals to gain pleasure from land use;
• Liaising with external statutory and voluntary services to provide a multidisciplinary, person-centred approach;
• Maintaining daily records, including job sheets, time sheets and individual portfolios of evidence of work;
• Advising on equipment and techniques to enable disabled people to access horticulture;
• Designing and implementing person-centred horticultural programmes for people of all ages with disabilities;
• Ensuring activities match the content of nationally recognised awards;
• Planning each day’s work with individuals;
• Adjusting activities to make them more effective;
• Taking part in discussions with other professionals, such as social workers and psychologists;
• Setting tasks according to the physical and mental needs/abilities of individuals;
• Teaching individuals horticultural tasks such as sowing seeds, setting out plants, planting out, lawn mowing, soil preparation and pruning;
• Interacting with individuals to develop confidence and self-esteem through their work;
• Closely observing individuals to monitor their progress;
• Assessing the effectiveness of individual programmes;
• Carrying out research on the effectiveness of horticultural therapy, often in cooperation with academics;
• Managing staff and volunteers;
• Devising and coordinating activity programmes and monitoring budgets;
• Using assessment methods and outcome measurement in order to record, monitor and evaluate individual achievements, which may include making initial assessments, planning daily tasks and supporting individuals often using a diary system;
• Carrying out regular one-to-one appraisals, updates and reviews;
• Raising funds and drawing up detailed proposals for developing projects;
• Promoting gardening and horticulture to the general public.
• Educating clients to use tools and materials safely;
• Helping individuals record their activities and achievements by writing simple summaries or drawing pictures;

Horticultural Therapist Requirements / Skills / Qualifications

Horticultural Therapist job description should include these common skills and qualifications:

• A degree in plant science/biology, education, horticulture, landscape architecture/design, occupational therapy, social work, psychology.
• A strong interest in and aptitude for horticulture
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Patience, understanding, tolerance and the ability to work with a range of people
• Analytical skills and the ability to make accurate assessments
• The ability to motivate and encourage others
• The capacity to use your initiative and work independently
• Good organisational skills
• An aptitude for leadership and also for collaborative working.

As a hiring manager, recruiting an ideal Horticultural Therapist starts with crafting a good job description. Use this Horticultural Therapist job description template to save yourself time and help you attract the most qualified candidates. Feel free to revise it to meet your specific needs.

Job seekers interviewing for the role of a Horticultural Therapist may also reference it in preparation for the interview.