I am a supervisor of a juvenile community garden where teens work off their fines for non-violent offenses--like traffic tickets or shoplifting (instead of having their parents pull out their checkbook to pay the fine for them). I'm always wanting ideas from other gardeners to SPARK the kids' interest in gardening. After all they will be the future caretakers of our earth. All of our vegetables that are harvested go to a local food bank. It's a great program, but my city and just ONE other city in the big state of TX have this juvenile community garden program. Remember that these kids don't want to be there in the first place!
Also, I'd like everyone who reads this message to find out if this program would work in your own city. And if not, why?
Make it into a market, so they grow and sell vegetables, and they can use the money to improve the community centre, buy a pool table, build a skateboard park, something like that. Once they have bought a pool table (eg) they can use it when they want. Tell them and show them that good homegrown veggies are gonna make them healthier and stronger than that stuff you get from Maccas or the supermarket. And let them taste tomatoes or peas straight from the vine, hmmmmmmm.... yum....Boys like to show off and be strong, let them do the digging and hard work, Girls will like to nurture little seedlings and grow them up to be strong (that is sexist, but it does make sense to the kids) Smart kids can help with the accounting, and working out what prices to charge and how much profit can be made... so #1 have a goal #2 make plans to meet that goal, using whatever skills the kids have #3 work thru your plan until they start to see their goals being reached Then they will understand the whole system and hopefully help you work towards it.
Lettuce links in Seattle is a similar program. You might check out their website (http://www.cityfarmer.org/lettucelink.html) or call them for inspiration. -ccc
