School Year Partnership Model

Purpose

The purpose of our School Year Programs is to recultivate the central role that food and land play in strengthening ourselves and our communities all while building a more just world.

Partnership Model Overview

We partner with schools all 180 days of the school year to co-create custom programs that meet the needs of our communities. From classroom visits and field trips to designing a food-growing program of your own, our Young Farmers’ Curriculum includes something for everyone.

Ø Tier 1 School Year Partnership

Our Tier 1 partnership engages youth with multiple visits to your school and our headquarters here at the Urban Farming Institute in Mattapan. This partnership includes…

1. Multiple on-site visits to your school, during which we will facilitate youth in hands-on activities from our Young Farmer’s Curriculum. These begin in the Spring and can take place in the classroom or after school.

2. Multiple farm tours at The Urban Farming Institute where you can expect to be walked through our growing spaces as we share our production process with you and engage in a farm task aligned with the growing season.

Ø Tier 2 School Year Partnership (space limited)

Our Tier 2 partnership is for a school or organization that already has an outdoor growing space or is interested in installing raised beds for their outdoor growing space. This partnership includes everything from Tier 1 plus…

1. UFI growers school year maintenance of your school’s growing space.

2. An education team member’s attendance at monthly events at your school throughout the fall season (e.g., back-to-school night, STEM night, and other school-day gatherings) where they will offer seasonal activities or program information. (up to 6 events)

3. Weekly after-school sessions at your school during the spring season (up to 12 visits). Each week one of our growers will…

a. Spend one hour maintaining your garden for you

b. Lead youth in a hands-on lesson from our Young Farmers’ Curriculum (this can take place in the classroom or after school)

Ø Tier 3 School Year Partnership (space limited)

Our Tier 3 partnership is for a school or organization looking for support in building from scratch, using design thinking, a youth-led food sovereignty program. This process is slower, requiring a bigger commitment from school staff, time for community education, community involvement in building a growing space, maintaining the space collectively, and growing food for the school community. In this partnership UFI supports with...

Everything from Tier 1 and Tier 2 plus…

1. Weekly after-school clubs starting as early as January (up to 20). We visit your school for up to two hours. Open to all students and staff. Co-facilitated by a UFI grower and at least one school-based staff in which UFI growers will facilitate both our Young Farmers’ Curriculum and a design thinking project to create a shared growing space for your school community.

2. Internship Program (high school only). To ensure that the initiatives of the after-school club remain youth-led participants in the club will have the opportunity to apply for an internship that exists within the club.

Please reach out to us for more information!

Ashley Huff (they/them)

Education Coordinator ahuff@urbanfarminginstitute.org