The Conservancy's Youth Leadership and the Green Team Programs

An employment opportunity for youth involving
environmental work in Boston’s historic parks.

See a video of the 2010 Green Team here!

• Youth Leadership Program
  
• Youth Green Team
  
• Contact Information and Application

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The 2009 Green Team Recognized at Fenway Park!

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy works with the linear, Olmsted-designed Emerald Necklace parks in Boston and Brookline. We bring people together from the public and private sectors to enrich, enliven and advocate for the Emerald Necklace parks. Our volunteer programs are dedicated to park restoration and maintenance, public education, constituency-building and park advocacy.

The Emerald Necklace Parks include the Back Bay Fens, Riverway, Olmsted Park, Jamaica Pond, the Arnold Arboretum, and Franklin Park. Working to protect, restore, maintain and promote the historic parks, the Conservancy runs volunteer programs, family events, a Maintenance Collaborative as well as the Green Team.

2010 Green Team members mulching around the Back Bay Fens Gatehouse

Our Youth Leadership program and summer Youth Green Team help address the need for continuing restoration and maintenance in the Emerald Necklace Park System, which is always in need of constant attention, as well as prepare participants in this program for real life work experiences. Through the Youth Leadership Program and Youth Green Team, the Conservancy provides a basic, foundational work experience for young people interested in pursuing careers involving land stewardship, landscape architecture and design, horticulture, and environmental studies.

If you would like more information, have any questions, or would like to apply to the Youth Leadership Program or the Youth Green Team, please email Youth Program Coordinator Julia Golomb or call her at (617) 522-2700.

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The school-year Youth Leadership Program:

This program is designed to create qualified leaders for parks-related youth work. The program enrolls 8-10 former Green Team members or other interested youth (ages 17+) and teaches personal and community leadership skills to empower these young people to help make the world around them a better place.

2009 Leadership Program members work in the Back Bay Fens Victory Gardens

The Leadership Program runs in three sessions: Fall, Winter and Spring. From Fall to Spring, students meet twice a week for two hours after school and for four hours on Saturdays. During that time they participate in environmental education days, learn about and complete park maintenance and restoration work, participate in activities aimed at improving team work and leadership skills, plan events, practice leading small groups, and learn team building skills. Participants in the Leadership Program learn a variety of landscaping skills, invasive species identification, how to use manual tools, and about the types of professional and entry-level jobs available in the field so that they are prepared to teach these skills to Green Team crew members during the summer program.

Leaders Nae and Val enjoy the Red Sox Game

The Summer Youth Green Team:

The Summer Youth Green Team completes restoration, maintenance and programming work in the Emerald Necklace park system. Students gain an understanding of the importance of the parks to the surrounding community, become familiar with the significance of a historic park system, experience operating community events, gain real job training and experience all while learning specific conservation landscaping skills that will enable them to succeed in entry level positions or serve as a step to higher jobs.

2010 Green Team members working in the Kelleher Rose Garden

To join the Green Team, youth complete a job interview and application process. Once hired, the Green Team has an orientation and training during the first week and presents a final community event showcasing their work and learning to family members and friends.

To be eligible for the Green Team, crew leaders must be 21+, assistant crew leaders must be 18+ and crew members are between the ages of 15-17. The summer experience includes kayaking, sailing, and rock-climbing, and culminates in an overnight camping trip where crew members learn additional outdoor skills while engaging in activities like cooking a meal over a campfire, pitching tents, hiking and practicing leave-no-trace outdoor ethics.

If you would like more information, have any questions, or would like to apply to the Youth Leadership Program or the Youth Green Team, please email Youth Programs Coordinator Julia Golomb or call her at (617) 522-2700.

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More Information and Application:

The Conservancy's Green Team is made up of youth eligible for funding through the Boston Youth Fund and Action for Boston Community Development.

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Boston Youth Fund

Boston residents between the ages of 15 and 17 are encouraged to sign up through Hopeline for the Boston Youth Fund's summer work program.

UPDATE: Hopeline registration is closed for the year. If you have a Hopeline registration number and are interested in joining the Green Team this summer, please email Julia Golomb at jgolomb@emeraldnecklace.org.

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Action for Boston Community Development

If you are already approved for work funds through ABCD, you can email our Youth Programs Coordinator, Julia Golomb, at jgolomb@emeraldnecklace.org or just ask your ABCD contact about the Emerald Necklace Conservancy's Green Team.

If you are not part of ABCD's summer work program and would like to be, contact contact John Nguyen at jnguyen@bostonabcd.org or (617) 348-6525 to see if you are eligible for funding.

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Application:

Interested applicants should contact Julia Golomb at jgolomb@emeraldnecklace.org.

Please see the Green Team page for more information about the program.

These are paid positions. You will be expected to work 20 hours a week and attend work every day of the program unless excused.

Please feel free to contact the Conservancy's Youth Programs Coordinator, Julia Golomb, with any questions.

Julia Golomb
125 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115
617-522-2700
jgolomb@emeraldnecklace.org