Hortus Botanicus Haren-Groningen

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Hortus Botanicus Haren-Groningen

Volunteers

The commitment of volunteers is very important for the maintenance

In 2002, the University of Groningen established the Foundation for the Preservation of the Green Hortus, which aims to maintain the Hortus Haren. The commitment of volunteers is very important to the maintenance of the Hortus. The Hortus can only grow and flourish with the help of volunteers. New volunteers are most welcome!

The Hortus receives no funding from government agencies. The sources of revenue are admission fees, hospitality, parties and events. And the Hortus is sponsored by the Friends Association to fund a variety of projects, such as the renovation of the wild plant garden, the Laarman Garden, which was recently included in the National Plant Collection. The efforts of the more than one hundred volunteers are therefore crucial to the Hortus’ continued existence.

Register as a volunteer

We ask that you be available to work at the Hortus for at least one half-day per week. Interested in volunteering or more information? Contact us using the application form.

Working in the Hortus means

Working in a beautiful environment

  • Purposeful collaboration with enthusiastic colleagues.
  • An opportunity to gain work experience.
  • A place where you are counted on.

We can offer volunteers the following:

  • An induction period
  • The opportunity to develop yourself
  • Being part of a team

What we ask:

  • Available at least 1 half day per week
  • Keeping appointments
  • Respect for colleagues
  • Helping to preserve the Hortus Haren

Open vacancies

The following vacancies are available: garden staff, fundraiser, reception staff, technical staff, education staff, tour guide, hospitality staff. Read the description of the features below.

Register as a volunteer

I am volunteering for the following position

Garden employee

Who enjoys working outdoors in greenery in all weathers?

The Hortus in Haren is one of the largest and oldest botanical gardens in the Netherlands. Over 20 acres are home to our diverse, unusual gardens and borders. Working as a garden assistant at the Hortus Haren is varied work. In consultation with the garden boss, you will do all common garden work such as pruning, (transplanting) plants, lawn mowing as well as leaf blowing and all common garden work. Currently, we are specifically training employees to maintain the Laarman Garden.

If you are available at least 6 hours a week to work in our gardens and would like to work with others in our garden/Hortus, please contact us and we can see where and what you can do in the garden.

Receptionist

Are you hospitable and does reception work sound like you?

The Hortus Haren is open daily and the reception staff is the first introduction to the Hortus for many visitors. Receptionists: receive visitors, arrange ticket sales, provide information, answer the phone and, together with colleagues, run the Hortus Café. In addition, they perform other work such as processing applications for annual subscriptions. Can you be available for at least 6 half-days a month? Of which once a month on weekends? The Hortus is regularly in need of customer-friendly and presentable hostesses and hosts.

Are you hospitable and enjoy speaking to visitors in a friendly manner? Then working at our front desk might be for you.

Hospitality employee

Working in a hospitality facility in a beautiful location?

Our catering facility the Chinese Tea House is an official wedding venue. It also hosts regular parties and receptions. Hospitality employees are responsible for serving drinks and food and contributing to the good appearance of our catering facilities and terraces. Work is primarily during the day, but also occasionally takes place in the evenings and on weekends due to parties, meetings and room rentals. We are looking for motivated and enthusiastic hospitality workers.

If you have service experience, good communication skills and a hospitable and service-oriented attitude, you are welcome to join our team.

Technical assistant

Do you like doing jobs in an inspiring environment?

Real handymen and handy men and women who like electricity, wood, machinery or painting are welcome at the Hortus Haren Technical Department. Technical Services is responsible for all common jobs ranging from changing a light bulb and making signs in the garden to repairing machinery. The department handles carpentry and painting, electrical repair, machinery repair/maintenance and yard paving. We are looking for experienced technical employees immediately. You will of course be employed in accordance with your professional expertise.

If you would like to work in a beautiful environment and are an experienced handyman, you are welcome to join our Technical Department.

Education Officer

Do you have teaching experience and would like to transfer your knowledge about nature to children?

Then the Hortus is the place to be. The Education Department of the Hortus Haren creates teaching programs, maintains contact with schools, guides family tours, provides activities or parties for children, organizes activities during school vacations and develops new children’s activities with an educational touch on flora and fauna.

If you would like to get started as an Educator at the Hortus, we would love to meet you.

Tour guide

Do you know a lot about plants or would you like to learn more about them and share that knowledge with others?

The Hortus Haren is regularly looking for tour guides to give tours of up to an hour to groups of up to 15 people. The Hortus offers guided tours throughout the year, including the themed Hortus in a Bird’s Eye view or a tour of the Chinese Garden, the Celtic Garden or the wild plant garden (the Laarman Garden). The Hortus also offers some seasonal guided tours, such as the guided tours of steppe plants and mushrooms and the herb garden. Tours are also organized by request of visitors. The team of tour guides is currently looking for a fellow tour guide who can give tours in German and Dutch.

Fund raiser

Do you find it challenging to raise funds?

Do you like to maintain contacts with existing sponsors and organizations who care about the Hortus Haren? The Hortus could use people with fundraising experience.

We are immediately looking for a fundraiser to maintain existing contacts and raise funds for various projects, including maintenance of the unique Chinese Garden, renovations of existing gardens and construction of new gardens.