An Investigation of Bestpractices for the Establishment and Effectiveness of Youth Garden Programs
Abstract
An Investigation of Best-practices for the Establishment and Effectiveness of Youth
Garden Programs
By
Gemma Cooper
Urbanization and technological advancement has caused communities at large to reduce
their exposure to the natural environment, contributing to a rise in lifestyle related
disorders associated with inadequate nutrition and physical exercise. In an attempt
to reverse this pattern, the establishment of youth gardening programs is gaining
popularity throughout communities in the US. There currently is a great deal of momentum
promoting the importance of the natural environment and physical activity – there
are youth gardening programs being set up in locations such as local schools and local
churches in an effort to help to educate the younger generation about the importance
of the sustainability of natural resources and the food cycle to the continuing prosperity
of Society.
This master’s project examines the factors related to the establishment and effective
operation of youth gardening programs. Open-ended interviews were conducted with administrators,
founders and coordinators of 7 gardening programs in North Carolina and Utah that
have a focus on the youth and/or community. All but one of the interviews was conducted
face to face and each interview lasted between 1-2 hours. Key ideas and patterns from
the interviews were identified through a standard qualitative data analysis method
of classification and coding and categorizing the data. Principal themes from the
interviews were recorded and cross-referenced with findings from the literature.
Results highlight that gardening programs targeted at the youth population are important
in promoting environmental sustainability. Program structures range from an association
with a school through to entrepreneurial initiatives targeting the teen population.
Funding, staffing considerations, bureaucracy, establishing community partnerships
and using appropriate engagement strategies are the main challenges limiting the success
of programs. These issues can be addressed through appropriate planning, community
engagement and ‘learning’ through accessing publicly available resources. There is
definitely a place for youth gardening programs within Society and at the end of the
day the success of these programs is due to the underlying enthusiasm and passion
of the coordinators and all stakeholders associated with the project.
Type
Master's projectSubject
Youth Gardening ProgramsPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/2857Citation
Cooper, Gemma (2010). An Investigation of Bestpractices for the Establishment and Effectiveness of Youth Garden Programs
. Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/2857.Collections
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