My name is Saleem Hue Penny of the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, WI. I am a Congressional Hunger Fellow from Washington, DC, stationed in Milwaukee, WI for 6 months developing a youth-employment/job-training model for the Fondy Farmers' Market. Myself and my supervisor, Karen Harris, hope that this model can be adapted to suit other Milwaukee-area Farmers' Markets in the near future.
During my last 4 weeks in Milwaukee, I have explored a number of options for youth recruitment, community organization partnerships, and curriculum development for this project. Basically, I am in the early stages of designing a program where youth from the Fond du Lac community are given a series of workshops (hands-on training) to develop skill sets ranging from basic planting to customer communication to produce identification to marketing. With this skill set, they will work 30 hrs/wk (paid employment) at both a neighborhood garden plot and the Fondy Farmers' Market, performing a variety of tasks, and receiving mentoring from the program facilitators, farmers, and vendors participating in the program. The third and final component of the program seeks to offer continuing agricultural education experiences, during the school year, such as weekend trips to environmental education centers and after-school greenhouse opportunities. I am writing to this listserv to inquire if anyone has undertaken similar projects and can offer any advice as I continue planning. I welcome all suggestions. Thank you for your time and energy. -Saleem Hue Penny Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee 414-777-0483 ext 122 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
