Summer Youth Program Team Leader

Details

Who We Are
The Food Project is a nationally recognized youth and community development organization in Lincoln, Roxbury, Lynn and Beverly MA. For 16 years, The Food Project has been bringing young people from the city and the suburbs together to make a difference in the lives of people in the Greater Boston and North Shore areas. Each year, a diverse group of ninety youth, ages 14-17, enter The Food Project¹s Summer Youth Program (SYP) and work to grow and distribute thousands of pounds of organic produce for people in need. For many, it is a first job. Working in crews of eight to eleven, the youth gain invaluable skills of leadership, teamwork, civic participation, and communication.

During the seven and a half weeks, SYP teens:
• Manage rural farmland and reclaimed urban land in either the Greater Boston or North Shore areas.
• Sell produce through farmers' markets and/or a Community Supported Agriculture program.
• Prepare and serve lunches in local Hunger Relief Organizations.
• Help some of Boston's top chefs prepare community lunches, where neighbors, youth, staff, and visitors come together to share the harvest.
• Are led in workshops focused on a wide array of social issues ranging from diversity and gender awareness to hunger and homelessness. Potential candidates for the SYP Team Leader position can choose to apply at the following sites (you can apply for both):
• Roxbury and Lincoln Site
• North Shore Site based in Lynn and Beverly

Primary Responsibilities
Each SYP Team Leader heads a diverse group of urban and suburban teenagers who work together throughout the summer. SYP Team Leaders work with their crew on rural farms, on farm lots in the city, in hunger relief organizations, at our Farmers’ Markets, and during social curriculum workshops throughout the summer. During all activities, including group activities and fieldwork, SYP Team Leaders are responsible for the safety and well being of the crew in all settings. The Food Project staff trains SYP Team Leaders for a week prior to the beginning of the Summer Youth Program. SYP Team Leaders also receive weekly feedback from the Site Supervisors as well as informal daily guidance from the supervisors and other Team Leaders.

Required Skills
The SYP Team Leader applicant must have:
• Prior experience working with teenagers
• Interest in community service, the environment, and multicultural teambuilding
• Ability to motivate a group of young people while fostering their potential
• Openness to one’s own personal growth
• The capability to uphold the high standards set by the community
• Ability to work in a team as well as independently
• Be dependable, organized, flexible, and have a sense of humor
• Background and experiences that reflect the rich diversity of the young people who participate in the program
• Ability to perform demanding physical labor
• A high school diploma and must be 20 years of age by June 24, 2008
• At least one year of college (preferred)

Commitment/Stipend
This is a job you will never forget and requires a substantial commitment of time and energy. SYP Team Leaders must be available from June 13 to August 15, 2008, including two Saturdays and some evening requirements. The stipend is $520.00 per week. Both the Lincoln/Roxbury and North Shore sites are accessible by public transportation, the cost of which is paid by The Food Project.