Extension > Family > Cooking Matters® Minnesota > Volunteer > Volunteer Position: Class Manager
Volunteer with Cooking Matters® Minnesota
Volunteer Position: Class Manager
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Cooking Matters® is a cooking-based nutrition education course designed to teach low-income families how to prepare healthy, tasty meals on a limited budget. Professional chefs and nutrition educators volunteer their time and expertise to lead hands-on courses that show adults, teens, and kids how to purchase and prepare nutritious foods in healthful, safe, and tasty ways. This can mean the difference between feeding families for just one night and making sure they have the knowledge, skills, and resources to prepare healthy meals for a lifetime.
The Class Manager is responsible for overall class management and will work to facilitate each course by communicating with team to ensure that each class runs smoothly so that participants receive the highest quality learning experience.
Responsibilities
- Arrive 60 minutes before class is scheduled to begin.
- Prepare materials and space for class including food, take-home groceries, cooking equipment and arrangement of space.
- Facilitate course management including introductions, welcome and background regarding Cooking Matters, monitor time management, and assist in class as needed.
- Administer necessary documents including participant evaluations, liability waivers, and attendance.
- Manage volunteers including Culinary Instructor, Nutrition Educator, and Class Assistants.
- Assist chef and nutrition educator throughout class as needed with activities, visual aids, and cooking including assistance in supervising participants in the kitchen ensuring a safe environment.
- Clean up and break down the classroom before leaving.
- Communicate necessary information to Cooking Matters Staff as needed and act as liaison between Host Agency and Cooking Matters Staff as needed.
Skills/Experience Preferred
- Excellent communication skills and able to facilitate small to medium sized group discussion (average class size is 12-15 participants).
- Interest and comfort in working with low-income individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to work well with a team.
- Ability to travel to class location.
- Willingness to be trained on Cooking Matters® curricula, to work as a team with University of Minnesota Extension staff and volunteers, and to adhere to program policies and team decisions.
Time Commitment
- At least 1 hour for training and orientation with Cooking Matters®.
- Approximately 3 hours per week for lesson preparation, travel time, class time, set-up and clean-up.
- Must commit to all six weeks of the course.
