The Food Project: Youth. Food. Community.

Youth Washing PeppersThe Internship Program is the next step for youth ages 15 to 18 who have completed our summer and/or academic year programs. Youth interns partner closely with staff and enhance The Food Project’s mission in nearly all areas of our work. Interns apply the knowledge and skills acquired during their time with The Food Project to make an impact on their communities by taking on projects that address sustainable agriculture and food insecurity. Interns continue to develop their innate talents, learn the importance of civic engagement, and tackle serious environmental and social issues, all under the mentorship of caring adults.  

During the academic year, interns work to develop skills in teaching and facilitating in order to mobilize community members around food justice and food systems change. They deliver workshops to partner organizations and their fellow youth in the Academic Year Program that address the causes and social impacts of food access inequity. They lead volunteer groups on our urban and suburban farmland. They build raised-bed gardens for families in low-income communities. They cultivate crops in the Dudley Greenhouse and market those crops to local restaurants to support the community-based activities that take place in the greenhouse.

During the summer, interns continue to practice their skills in teaching and facilitating while also specializing their expertise in sustainable agriculture. Interns run farmers’ markets, manage farm share distribution and drop-off points, work in the fields, and serve as peer leaders by helping to support and educate youth in the Summer Youth Program. 

By deepening their involvement with The Food Project, interns become an integral part of the workings of the organization. They both support TFP’s capacity to run our programs and extend our external influence through work within their communities and participation at national conferences. Interns build job-readiness skills, develop leadership and facilitation skills, enhance their knowledge of and skills in farming and food justice issues, and contribute meaningfully to the organization.

For more information about the Internship Program, please contact interns@thefoodproject.org.