Throughout summer break we engage students in school gardens and kitchens. The program introduces interested students to career possibilities in regenerative agriculture and food systems sustainability while supporting the cultivation and care of large, biodiverse school gardens.

Grow and preserve your own food. Connect with other youth who share an interest in sustainability. Spend summer outside, in beautiful gardens.

Our volunteer program is youth-led and designed to support youth leadership in our school gardens and kitchens. Youth mentors will support you in caring for and cooking with diverse plants, with a focus on: vegetables, berries, fruits, fungi and Indigenous plants. Mentors encourage participants to explore their interests and pursue projects related to these interests.

Youth are welcome to volunteer for a few hours or a few days each week of summer break. Volunteer work will primarily take place in the following school gardens:

• Royal Bay Secondary

• Belmont Secondary

• Edward Milne Community School

• Reynolds Secondary

• Spectrum Community School

We will share a detailed schedule, and youth are invited to volunteer as much as they are able. Orientation, training, supervision and LOTS OF FOOD provided. High school aged youth who complete 100 hours of volunteer work are eligible for a full course credit.

Additional volunteer opportunities may be provided at:

• Metchosin Farm

• PEXSISEN Elementary

• Colwood Elementary

• Wishart Elementary

• David Cameron Elementary

• Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre

Below are the steps youth must take to enroll and participate in the work experience program. Students who just want to volunteer are welcome to! Please sign up to get involved.

1. Register your interest in volunteering by filling out this short form: https://forms.gle/P4vXiEvpZfGQNz4q9
2. We'll be in touch to welcome you to the program and let you know details of our summer schedule.

3. If you're interested in getting a full course credit, we'll put you in touch with your school's career centre. The career centre will help interested students enroll in WEX 12A or 12B and fill out appropriate paperwork to ensure they can get credit for participation in this work experience program.

4. Program runs through 8 weeks in July and August, with students participating actively in school gardens each week. Come when you can!

Students are responsible for getting to and from school garden sites.