Helping youth help themselves.
At Toronto Urban Farm, young people 15 to 22 work from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. planting, weeding and eventually harvesting.
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There's nothing more satisfying than seeing the fruits - or in this case the vegetables - of your labour.
Each year, about 12 youth from the Jane and Finch community get an opportunity to work on a sprawling eight-acre farm located right in their own backyards.
The Toronto Urban Farm, a collaboration between the Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) and the community gardens program run by The City of Toronto, parks, forestry and recreation, was a project first launched by the TRCA in 2002.
Sonia Dhir, project manager for the TRCA's urban agriculture projects, said their goal was to take the unused land near the southeast corner of Jane Street and Steeles Avenue at Black Creek Pioneer Village and make it a positive focus in the community.
"We wanted to develop the urban farm with the focus on the youth development and leadership, and also to build the community capacity to address the local food security issues because the Jane and Finch area is one of the priority neighbourhoods in Toronto," Dhir said.
Because of their success in running the community gardens program, the TRCA turned the site over to the city in 2004 and the city has been running the program ever since, employing teens ages 15 to 22 for the summer.
Kevin Bowser, manager of parks, City of Toronto, oversees this program and said Toronto Urban Farm, where the youth plant, take care of, harvest, then share the vegetables they've grown, is a great opportunity for both employment and education.
"They're learning about food production and growing, and some of this will also spill off into their own personal life...We've heard some success stories where some kids have gone home and started a little garden in their backyard so they can reap some benefits with their family each year," he said.
This is ideally what the TRCA hopes the youth take away from the program, specifically, Dhir said, to take what they know back into their lives and communities and increase awareness about environmental issues and the importance of growing food locally.
"We hope the kids working on the farm are proud of their accomplishments and the contribution they made to their community and that they've gained knowledge and acquired skills that are going to help them in their future," Dhir said.
Bowser said students learn about food nutrition in the historic Braeburn House, which is located on the farm, and is also used as the program's office and meeting area. He said Toronto Urban Farm is not all about growing organic vegetables, but teaching youth the foods they're growing is much healthier than processed foods many kids enjoy.
Youth's training begins at the Rockcliffe Demonstration and Teaching Garden nearby where youth cultivate and develop the seedlings that are then transplanted into the farm.
Another important component is teaching youth life and employment skills training, Bowser said.
Bowser said youth learn about proper work behaviour including being on time and work ethnic. The students work from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.
"Because it's so hot we try to get them started earlier in the morning because they are doing labour work, they're in the open field weeding and watering and planting so there are long hot days," he said.
The youth do everything manually - there is no machinery to help them out - and in late August, Bowser said there is a harvest party where students not only show off their hard work but also get the opportunity to share it with members of their community.
"There are so many vegetables so they are given to food banks, soup kitchens, community events," Bowser said, adding it's a great way to learn the value in giving and contributing to your community.
Overall, the program has been a huge success and Bowser said it's evident youth enjoy working on the farm by the number of repeat employees applying for the job each year.
"They enjoy coming to work, they work together and have a good time working there and really, why wouldn't you enjoy being outdoors in the summer time?" Bowser said. "It's hard work, but...they get the benefit of saying 'I actually grew this' so there's also some pride and accomplishment that comes with it."