Naturally Cultivating Success

1
Naturally Cultivating Success

• The RCE Youth Farmstand Program
• Lydia B. Blalock, Ph.D.
• Youth Development Specialist
• Linda Strieter
• 4-H Agent, Gloucester County
• Ellen Williams
• 4-H Agent, Monmouth County

2
Introduction

• Who we are
• Agenda
• Program Overview
• Gloucester County
• Monmouth County
• Questions

3
Program Overview

• Program Development
• Curriculum
• Evaluation
• 2005 Impacts

4
Program Development Work Readiness

• Paid work developmental task of youth
• socialization to world of work
• eases transition into adulthood
• At-risk youth reap additional benefits
• positive identity formation
• social conformity
• sense of personal efficacy
• school engagement achievement
• improved chances for short long term employment

5
Program Development Delivery Mode

• Industry specific work readiness program can
  provide youth tools need to be self-sufficient
  adults
• Multi-billion dollar agriculture industry hook
  for encouraging youth to think about employment
  and career opportunities
• Youth Farmstands had potential to impact 3
  critical audiences
• Youth
• Farmers
• Communities

6
RCE Youth Farmstand Program

• Youth will increase
• Workforce readiness and life skills
• Knowledge of agriculture food systems
• Awareness of careers available in ag
• Local farmers will
• Open new markets increase sales
• Identify specialty or niche markets within
  local communities
• Have pool of farmstand workers
• Communities will
• Have access to affordable, quality produce
• Increase redemption of WIC Senior Farmers
  Market Vouchers
• Expand work ready labor pool

7
How Can One Program Do So Much?

• Synergy!
• Youth farmstands program centerpiece
• Framework for youth, farmer community success
• Each needs the other to grow prosper
• Everyone wins!

8
Major Youth Education Components

• Pre-Season Training
• Farmstand Operations
• Weekly Educational Activities and Experiences

9
Pre-Season Training
1 week training prior to farmstand opening

• Customer service
• Cash register operation
• Produce identification
• Produce preparation
• WIC Senior Farmers Market voucher handling
• Team building

• Making change
• Marketing
• Nutrition
• Weights and measures
• Farmstand safety
• Workplace expectations
• Purchasing inventory

10
Farmstand Operations

• Youth operate stands throughout summer for wages
  (in most cases), and/or
• Profit-sharing at seasons end
• Youth primarily responsible for operating
  decisions (purchasing, pricing, display, etc.)
• Operations overseen by adult supervisors who
  serve as mentors and instructors

11
Educational Activities and Experiences

• Weekly Education
• Food systems
• Farmers Markets
• Character education
• Goal-setting
• Decision-making
• Career planning
• Resume writing
• Interviewing

• Field Trips
• Commercial greenhouses
• Produce farms orchards
• Liberty Science Center
• County Fair
• Rutgers Eco-Complex
• NJ Cook Off

12
Curriculum Operating Materials

• Youth Farmstand Guidebook
• Supervisor Training Curriculum
• Youth Training Curriculum
• Daily Operations Manual
• Youth Employee Manual
• Evaluation Protocol

13
Evaluation

• Youth
• SCANS Supervisor Checklist
• The SCANS Skills and Competencies Checklist An
  Assessment Tool for Youth Work Readiness
  Programs. Journal of Youth Development Bridging
  Research and Practice (March 2006 )
• Skillathon
• The Skillathon Program Evaluation Can Be Fun!
  (accepted for publication in JOE)
• Exit Interviews
• Focus Groups
• Community
• Farmers
• Stakeholders
• Customers

14
2005 Impacts

• 8 Youth Farmstand Projects
• City of Trenton 3 farmstands
• Paulsboro, Glassboro, Woodbury (Gloucester
  County)
• Atlantic City, Pleasantville (Atlantic County)
• 73 youth
• 300 hours educational activities
• 22,000 wages
• 3,000 profit distributed to youth workers

• 14,000 local produce
• 3300 customers in economically disadvantaged
  areas purchased 22,000 in produce
• Redeemed 370 WIC/Senior FMNP vouchers
• Up to 80 of customers low income and/or seniors
• Over 33 had no other outlet for voucher
  redemption

15
Naturally Cultivating Success

• Linda Strieter
• Seeds to Success
• Gloucester County

16
Naturally Cultivating Success

• Ellen Williams
• Monmouth County

17
Questions