The document describes the Greening Youth Foundation (GYF), a non-profit organization that engages youth in environmental stewardship programs. GYF's two main programs are the Public Schools Initiative, which involves over 30,000 students in environmental lessons and activities, and the Youth Conservation Corps which has introduced over 100 youth to conservation careers through internships and service crews with the National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and US Forest Service. The presentation advocates for expanding these programs to provide job and training opportunities for at-risk youth in Atlanta through a proposed Atlanta Youth Corps.

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GREENING YOUTH FOUNDATION
How engaging youth/young adults can be
a solution to preserving local parks and
greenspaces
Presentation to:
Park Pride Conference
March 31, 2014

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MISSION
Greening Youth Foundation (www.gyfoundation.org) is a non-profit
organization whose mission is to nurture enthusiastic and
responsible environmental stewardship among underserved and
disconnected children and young adults.
GYF does this through its two main programs:
-the Public Schools Initiative
- the Youth Conservation Corps

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PUBLIC SCHOOL INITIATIVE (PSI)
In the last six years, GYF has engaged over 30,000 students in the metro-Atlanta
area as well as its international program in lessons and activities that generate
environmental stewardship, notably through:
- the C.L.E.A.N. Program® (Children Living Energetically Advancing Nature)
- the Eco-Force Club®, a student-run environmental club
- the Green Speaker Series ®, which introduces environmental professionals to
the students, and
- the STEM Program, which introduces high school students to environmental
careers

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SCHOOL INTERNS IN ACTION
Giving conservation lessons

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GREEN SPEAKER® SERIES

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STEM ACTIVITIES
Energy & Water Conservation Audits at a partner High School

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GYF ECO-FORCERS® IN SUMMER INTERNSHIPS
Kennesaw Mountain NBP Junior Ranger Internship

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GYF’S GHANA INITIATIVE
Imparting Environmental Programming in 3 Public Schools

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Through our cooperative agreements with the National Park
Service in 2009, and subsequently with the US Fish and Wildlife
Service and US Forest Service, GYF has introduced over 100
diverse youth to careers in conservation through internships and
service crews.
GYF’S
YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS (YCC)

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These interns have worked in areas such as biological and cultural
research, interpretive and visitor services, accounting and financial
internships, museum and curatorial research, facility energy auditing and
retrofitting, sustainable trail building and maintenance, and invasive
species control.
YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS
CONT.

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9 HBCU students from Hampton University and Tuskegee
University were placed at nearby African American
centered NPS sites in summer internships in an effort to
link HBCU’s with NPS sites and units with a focus on the
African American experience and culture.
PROJECT EXAMPLES
HBCUI PROJECT

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16 diverse and at-risk youth were trained, certified, and
employed in energy auditing and retrofitting of 10 national
park sites (including the Grand Canyon) in Colorado, Arizona,
and New Mexico
PROJECT EXAMPLES –
G.R.E.E.N. PROJECT

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Southeast Regional Office, NPS - Accounting, Budgeting & Finance, Partnerships
Everglades NP - Biological Research, Interpretation
MLK Jr. NHS - Interpretation & Visitor Services, Curatorial.
Kennesaw Mountain NBP - Technology, Junior Ranger
US FWS – Internships in FL, SC, and LA
US Forest Service – Internships in Milwaukee, Tuskegee; Service Crews in GA
OTHER SAMPLE PROJECTS

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SUCCESS STORIES
• GYF Interns transitioning into permanent NPS positions at
Everglades and Great Smoky Mountains
• GYF G.R.E.E.N. Interns in Colorado pursuing sustainable
careers
• GYF high school students transitioning into paid NPS
summer internships
• PSI GreenCorps intern transitioning into paid internship
with NPS, and then into GYF Recruiting partner
• Partner organization for the Department of Interior’s 21st
Century Conservation Service Corps

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OPPORTUNITIES
-Deferred maintenance and resource improvement
opportunities nationally (about $1.446 million in SE Region)
-Untapped federal partnerships (Department of Defense,
Department of Labor, Bureau of Land Management, Geological
Survey, etc.)
- High profile “Youth” and “Diversity” mandates

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EXPOSING DIVERSE YOUTH TO
CONSERVATION CAREERS
…ONE PROJECT AT A TIME

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THE PROBLEM
• City of Atlanta owns & maintains 350 parks & green spaces & 28 recreation
centers
• Due to budget & city population growth, many are neglected or under-
maintained
• African-American youth in Atlanta between 16 and 24
• Face an unemployment rate of close to 45%
• Lack necessary skills to obtain gainful employment

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THE SOLUTION
The Atlanta Youth Corps
• Assembles crews of 6 members ages 17-24
• Assigns crews to special projects throughout Atlanta
• Assists with ongoing maintenance of Atlanta parks and recreation centers and
other designated projects
• Provides services such as
• Garden installation
• Tree planting
• Landscaping
• Painting
• Light construction
• Trail restoration
• & More

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THE CREWS
• Crew members are a part of the program for one year
• Each crew has
• One team leader (over 21) –paid $13/hour
• 5 crew members (17-24) – paid $11/hour

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AYC SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
• Financial Literacy
• Entrepreneurship Training
• Continuing Education –GED, H.S. Diploma, Certifications, etc.
• Cultural Awareness
• Community Service

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QUESTIONS?