Youth Ag Training Programs

DO YOU WANT TO CREATE A BETTER FOOD SYSTEM?
Join other youth in growing food and community on our urban agriculture site at 500 Hoke Street in Raleigh!

YOUNG FARMER LEADERSHIP TEAM

The Young Farmer Leadership Team is open to any youth who has completed the Food Force Summer Youth Program or has equivalent experience farming or gardening. The Leadership Team is a place where young folks can refine their skills growing food and take on more responsibility through leadership and teaching opportunities. It is more like a job than the summer program. There are 5 main areas of focus:

1.Sustainable Urban & Rural Agriculture

• Through work on the farm, young farmers will be able to specialize in an area of focus (To Be Determined). All youth will be trained in all areas, but will ultimately be responsible for leading one area.
• Young farmers will have the opportunity to work in both urban and rural settings using a variety of tools and equipment

2. Youth Empowerment

• Young Farmers will have the opportunity to build their leadership skills through trainings, popular education, and peer to peer discussions
• Youth will be trained to lead classes for the Food Force Summer Youth Program
• Youth will engage in meaningful conversations around social justice, movement building and community investment

3. Critical Analysis of the Food System

• Young Farmers will engage in conversations about inequities in the food system and use the food system as a lens to view and understand other social injustices 
• Youth will have the opportunity to learn about the history of agriculture in the United States as well as locally in North Carolina

4. Elder Mentorship

• Each Young Farmer will be matched with a mentor who works in the food system (farmer, restaurant owner, activist, etc.)
• Youth will be responsible for interviewing their mentors and writing reflection pieces on time spent with their mentor

5. Self-Guided Learning

• Young Farmers will have the opportunity to choose a topic for deeper inquiry and exploration
• This focused learning will result in a final project, presentation or personal reflection

PROGRAM DETAILS

The program has six paid positions. 4 of the positions are reserved for residents of Southeast Raleigh and the neighborhood where our Urban Ag Training Center is located. The other 2 positions are open to any youth in Wake County.

Youth will be paid an hourly rate of $7.75 with room for raises as they complete trainings. 

The program runs from March 11 - November 23, 2013 

Spring and Fall requires 8 hours of work per week. 5 of these hours will be in person at the farm and will be split into two 2.5 hour work days. The other three hours are for the young farmer to work on their self guided learning project as well as spend time with their mentor. Youth are responsible for documenting their hours during this time.

Summer requires 22 hours of work per week and is 4 days per week (Tues-Fri)

Participants of this program are eligible to apply for scholarships for classes, conferences, workshops or other training that supports continued education in the field of sustainable agriculture, local food systems, nutrition, leadership and other related topics.

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE OR APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM?

Email Ricky Bratz at Ricky@FoodShuttle.org or call her at 919.524.8360

Please email or call Ricky for an application, or download it here.

FOOD FORCE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM

The IFFS Food Force Summer Youth Program is an opportunity for youth to begin to learn about the food system, grow food, grow their leadership and critical thinking skills and to build community with other youth who have similar interests.

*Program Begins Summer 2014*