Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Participating partner organizations serve young people from communities plagued by poverty, violence, and historically racist systems and policies. Each organization recruited 15youth between the ages of 14 and 17, who were employed to provide leadership and participate in the Growing Connections program for 20 hours per week. Program Coordinators identify and recruit youth that need additional resources, supportive relationships and opportunity, as well as those that demonstrate leadership skills that can be nurtured and developed through the Growing Connections program. 31 youth participated in the Growing Connections program in the summer of 2024, and youth from other programs within the organizations benefited from the program's resources and garden spaces. Changes/Problems:Year 1-program initiation was delayed by late release of fund and then direct youth programming was cut short by the pandemic as a Safer at Home order was in effect. Yr 2-School year program was disrupted by Milwaukee schools remaining virtual for the majority of the year. Youth were reluctant to show up for and engage in programming over Zoom, given virtual fatigue and focus on the health crisis. Yr 4-One of the Growing Connections partners withdrew from the program due to staff vacancies and capacity challenges at the agency. Escuela Verde joined Growing Connections as a new school partner in late spring 2023. The other partner, Milwaukee Christian Center, went through an organizational change process and hired new program staff. Both partners were able to hire and train youth employees and implement consistent summer programming. An exceptionally hot and dry summer also created challenging conditions for garden production. Yr 5- Fortunately, no major changes or problems occurred in 2024. As a result of our transformation of a neglected community garden, Extension, Milwaukee Christian Center and Growing Connections have heightened visibility in the community which has led to new connections and opportunities. The parking lot adjacent to the garden is a source of illegal dumping, illicit activities and loitering which has a persistent challenge to our work in the gardens. In 2024, the Common Council approved $1 million in funding to transform the lot into a community skate park and youth have been at the table with local stakeholders and planners to present their ideas for the skate park and building connections between the park and garden. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Year 1-Extension and partner staff were trained on evaluation strategies to collect required data and developed a plan for additional evaluation to meet program and partner needs. Yr 2-Program staff engaged in training related to virtual meetings and team engagement. Yr 3-Program staff learned about career development programming, youth-adult partnerships, and civic engagement at the CYFAR professional development event. Professional evaluators provided educational opportunities to connect programming impacts to the larger community. Yr 4-Extension evaluators led an evaluation workshop with youth participants. Once data had been gathered by youth and staff, the evaluator led a session to teach staff to analyze and code qualitative data. Yr 5-Partner staff and Extension educators continued to expand their learning and participate in evaluation efforts. Program staff and youth participants participated in a multi-session placemaking workshop. Staff from MCC and Extension co-created and presented a workshop on developmental and participatory evaluation at the 2024 CYFAR Professional Development Event. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Yr 3-The community program director presented "From Isolation to Innovation - Crowing Community with Youth in Gardens" at the 2022 National Urban Extension Conference in Camden, New Jersey Yr 4-For UW-Madison's 175th anniversary celebration, a community event was hosted in one of the youth-developed garden spaces and was attended by UW-Alumni Association staff, Extension's Dean, local elected officials, and community partners. Yr 5- Extension Educators are working with a local videographer to develop a short video on the Growing Connections program, which includes youth and staff interviews as well as images and video of garden work. The video will be an important tool in communicating the value of the program to elected officials, funders, community stakeholders and program participants and their families. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In 5 years of Growing Connections,168 youth were engaged in intensive work, leadership and personal growth experiences. Youth participants indirectly benefited residents of two neighborhoods through their community leadership work and contributed to their families and other youth in the community. Youth-led gardening Year 1-Youth from both partner sites designed gardens and worked at Kohl Farm, planting seedlings, tasting produce, and taking seedlings home to families. Yr 2-The pandemic prevented transporting youth to the program hub so the program pivoted to community-based gardens. One community garden space had become a dumping ground. Youth removed rubbish, cleared overgrowth, prepped, planted, and maintained a new garden. They harvested and shared numerous fresh vegetables with their families and built skills in preparing fresh food through participating in a virtual Teen Cuisine program. They demonstrated increased skill and interest in gardening and eating new foods. Yr 3-At the MCC site, youth built ten raised garden beds that produced vegetables and flowers during the growing season. At the Running Rebels site, youth made infrastructure improvements and beautified existing gardening sites. Program youth worked alongside other youth from throughout Milwaukee to explore new garden spaces and share meals made from garden produce. Youth met at Kohl Farm to explore historical and cultural practices and developed the garden space-from experimenting with weed suppression techniques to creating garden art projects. Yr 4-17 youth were employed through the summer to develop and maintain garden spaces at Kohl Farm and in each of the partner agencies' communities. They learned gardening techniques and harvested and cooked food they grew. They continued community-based garden development to create spaces that connected to nature and to families and community members through sharing food and beautifying a blighted area. New partner site Escuela Verde manages a cafe and youth grew food for the kitchen and experimented with recipes for food then sold in the cafe. Yr 5-31 youth were employed during the summer months and worked in three different gardens across the city. They built five raised bed gardens, which are now available for family and community use. They planted, maintained and harvested fruits and vegetables, and planted the first three trees in the new Growing Connections food forest. Youth harvested herbs and created Growing Connections tea, which was given as a gift at the harvest event in the Beehive garden. Youth and local stakeholders participated in a Community Design charette process to build vision for garden and multi-use space. Youth Leadership Year 1- Youth were engaged in planning and visioning for garden development and summer program planning. Yr 2-Community stakeholders engaged program participants in neighborhood developments such as a redesign of freeway underpass space near the community garden youth were developing. Youth met community leaders, learned about career pathways, and made suggestions including developing a skate park, which has support of a local elected official. Yr 3-Evaluation professionals worked with youth from both sites, guiding them in learning the importance of evaluation and engaging them in evaluation implementation and data analysis. Students documented their work and developed storytelling skills so they could disseminate knowledge about the garden. Students led younger participants in regular community cleanups and collaborated with police officers and community members to plan a peace walk in response to community violence. Yr 4-Youth at Milwaukee Christian Center learned about the history of Milwaukee neighborhoods and systems that created challenges faced today. They created a historical timeline that included social movements and added goals for the community's future. Youth worked in teams to present their learning to adults and foster discussions on social and political topics. They demonstrated improved communication skills and stronger understanding of themselves in community contexts. Escuela Verde youth organized night markets for the community where youth program participants provided food, plants they had propagated, and other products they had created alongside local vendors they recruited. Yr 5-Youth at MCC planned and implemented the 2nd harvest event in the Beehive garden. Over 100 neighbors, local stakeholders, youth and families attended the event, with youth leading activities and tours in the garden. Youth at Escuela Verde built, planted and maintained raised bed gardens at their school site. They decided what to grow and how to use it in the cafe, often creating new recipes with cafe staff. Youth at both sites participated in design charettes; they created and delivered presentations to community members and local stakeholders on the history of Growing Connections and the sites that were being redeveloped. In a design day, youth worked with professional architects and designers to process the data from the listening sessions into professional drawings that encompassed their dreams and ideas.Evaluation results indicated strong opportunities for youth leadership, contributing to 65% of youth demonstrating improved decision-making and 58% improved communication skills. Personal and Workforce Development Yr 2-A local documentarian and historian led youth at both sites through workshops related to place and community history that helped youth understand economic and social systems that shaped current segregation and neighborhood conditions. Youth worked with local artists to design and create murals for the garden space that reinforce their sense of ownership. Youth developed work skills in garden development, building and decorating seating from tree stumps to create a gathering space, and other practical work experiences. Yr 3-Youth engaged in goal-setting and reflection activities and explored post-high school opportunities.Youth participated in professional development sessions about hiring processes, how to build resumes and the importance of soft skills. Work teams worked through conflicts and received training on nonviolent communication and conflict resolution. Evaluation surveys showed youth strengthened cooperation skills and 80% said they had a lot of opportunities to develop job skills. Yr 4-Five of the 10 participants at MCC returned from year 3 and led recruitment and oriented new youth members. They drew connections between their knowledge of Milwaukee history and their work to improve and beautify a community space. Youth at both sites worked in the cafe, gardens, and in the community and developed skills in food preparation, communication, customer service, event planning, and teamwork. Yr 5-Youth worked on teams at garden sites: weeding, planting, constructing garden beds, hauling soil and filling garden beds, harvesting, and preparing food with garden harvests. As a result of the design charette, a student at Escuela Verde identified evaluation as a spark and worked with an Extension Educator to design and carry out evaluation efforts throughout the summer. Youth at both sites identified strong communication and a sense of community as positive elements of the program. Partnership Yr 4-Organizations were able to hire alumni into supervisory and leadership positions.. Extension programs benefited from youth partnership with the Community Gardens Outreach Specialist to create and replicate soil restoration educational opportunities with new school partners. Yr 5-Extension continued to partner with Milwaukee Christian Center and Escuela Verde, with youth from both sites meeting together in gardens twice weekly in summer. Youth enjoyed working with youth from other sites and developed new relationships. Extension educators also delivered school year programming, including workshops on community placemaking, STEM education and garden planning.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Participating partner organizations serve young people from communities plagued by poverty, violence, and historically racist systems and policies. Each organization recruited 7-10 youth between the ages of 14 and 17, and are employed in the Growing Connections program for 20 hours per week. Program Coordinators identify and recruit youth that need additional resources, supportive relationships and opportunity, as well as those that demonstrate leadership skills that can be nurtured and developed through the Growing Connections program. Seventeen youth participated in the Growing Connections program in the summer of 2023, and youth from other programs within the organizations benefited from the program's resources and garden spaces. Changes/Problems:Program goals were updated in the project renewal process to reflect program adaptation. The goals below better reflect program objectives and accomplishments than those listed in the "Accomplishment" section of this report. Short-term Youth will demonstrate gardening skills successfully and complete garden tasks, harvest and taste food, and share with their families. Youth will increase their sense of agency, empowerment, and sense of community through training, community placemaking activities, mentoring, leadership roles and seasonal employment. Youth will increase community leadership skills, including goal setting and teamwork. Long-term Youth will promote community health through educating other youth and leading projects including growing food, and based on issues and needs they identify in their communities. Youth will increase their capacity to develop relationships and organizational supports that sustain their overall wellness and pursuit of goals. Youth will progress toward their goals through mentorship, experiences, and reflection. The Growing Connections program lost one community partner in the fall of 2023 due to vacancies and staff capacity challenges at the agency. Extension leaders spent time leveraging existing relationships to identify a new partner with shared programmatic vision, staff capacity, and the infrastructure needed to engage in community-based gardening and outreach activities. Additionally, Milwaukee Christian Center paused all youth programming during the winter to engage in strategic planning and reimagine their youth development work to accommodate trends, challenges and post-pandemic realities such as staff shortages, funding and youth retention. Escuela Verde joined Growing Connections as a new school partner in late spring of 2023, and Milwaukee Christian Center hired a new Program Coordinator and re-booted youth programming around the same time. While the program was fully staffed and partners were engaged and ready to go, this left minimal time for collaborative and intentional planning and scheduling. Both partners did, however, hire and train youth employees, and programming was consistent and impactful throughout the entire summer; most youth indicated they had a positive experience and want to return in 2024. It was an exceptionally hot and dry summer, which brought unprecedented challenges to the gardens, the program and its staff and participants. Activities were often adapted to accommodate the heat, resulting in reduced lessons and experiences in the gardens. We will continue to improve the program infrastructure and equipment to make the work more sustainable and productive for participants. The lack of rain prevented plants and their fruits from thriving, resulting in a delayed and reduced harvest. While developing shade shelters at all gardens is a goal, Extension staff encountered administrative hurdles in their construction which had a negative impact on programming in the heat and sun. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The tight timeline for program implementation left little room for staff training or professional development opportunities, and Extension looks forward to providing more opportunities for program participants and partner organizations in the future. Program staff did indicate that through their participation in the program and work with youth they also learned in the garden and developed gardening skills. Extension evaluators worked closely with partner organizations and youth to collect both qualitative and quantitative data throughout the summer, and led an evaluation workshop with youth participants. Once data had been gathered, the evaluator led a data jam and taught program staff how to analyze and code qualitative data. Extension staff also provided curriculum and frameworks to partner staff whenever possible. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Program evaluation efforts continue, including interviews with youth and program staff that were directly engaged in programming during the 2023 growing season, data analysis and reporting. This information will be disseminated to program partners and serve as a foundation for program planning moving forward. Additionally, data will be shared with local elected officials and Extension leadership, and will support fund development efforts and sustainability plans beyond the terms of the grant. As part of UW-Madison's 175th anniversary celebration, a community event was hosted in one of the program-developed community garden spaces. UW-Madison Alumni Association, the Dean of the Division of Extension, local elected officials, and community partners learned about the youth-led development of the space through the Growing Connections program. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?While youth at both sites participated in a variety of activities, events, workshops and work throughout the summer, the Growing Connections team will continue to streamline and integrate all aspects of programming into a scaffolded curriculum and timeline. While youth worked together weekly at Kohl Farm, additional teambuilding activities and experiences together will deepen relationships across the sites, and build a stronger foundation for community work and learning in the future. The Growing Connections team, including both state and local staff and partner organizations, will continue to meet monthly to share organizational updates, best practices, reflect on evaluation and data, and plan for future programming. Additionally, the Growing Connections program director and educational director will meet with each partner separately twice monthly to continue to develop program scopes, timelines, and scaffolded curriculum maps for the upcoming employment season. Extension staff will collaborate with colleagues in Community Development to design infrastructure improvements that will be executed in collaboration with youth during spring work days. The Division of Extension in Wisconsin benefits from a Design Charrette team that travels across the state engaging communities in discovering a shared vision for the future while generating the energy needed to pursue that vision. This team will work with each community partner to engage relevant community stakeholders, program staff and youth in re-imagining and designing community spaces near their program centers that meet the unique needs of the community.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Youth-led gardening Extension's partner organizations,Milwaukee Christian Center (MCC) and Escuela Verde (EV), employed 17 youth through the summer to developand maintain educational garden spaces at Kohl Farm and in their respective communities. Lessonsincluded companion planting, pollinators, the elements of healthy soil, composting and soil regeneration, weed suppression techniques, plant propagation, garden design, annuals and perennials. Through continual garden maintenance, youth learned to use light equipment such as string trimmers, rototillers and basic hand tools. Youth planted, nurtured and harvested a variety of vegetables, herbs and flowers across all garden sites. They made pickles and learned about food preservation. They harvested and cooked the food they grew in the garden, and drew connections between growing food, personal wellness and the well-being of the land. Youth used flowers grown in the garden to make natural dyes for t-shirts and made bouquets to take home to their families. At MCC, youth continued community-based garden development with the goal of reclaiming a toxic urban field. They planted perennials including rose bushes, raspberries, strawberries, native bee balm, sage, peppermint and service berries. Youth worked together to create and maintain a Zuni rain garden. Through this work, youth deepened their connections to the land, surrounding community and each other and continued their beautification efforts of a blighted area. EVmanages an adjacent cafe and youth have the opportunity to grow food for the kitchen and experiment with various uses and recipes which are often then sold in the cafe. After cooking a variety of fruits and vegetables in the cafe, participants were motivated to take produce home and continue to experiment with more recipes with their families. Youth Leadership Youth at MCC participated in workshops where they learned about the history of Milwaukee neighborhoods, includingsystems and policies that created many of the challenges facing communities today. They created a historical timeline, identifying social movements that impacted their families and communities and included their goals for the future and their role in creating positive community change. With adult mentors, youth identified their intersectional identities and how they can shape their futures to reach their goals. For all youth, this was their first learning about systemic racism and other historical practices that had negative impacts on their communities and they were initially unable to connect the content and their personal work in the community. Over time, they understood the importance and relevance of their work in the gardens and community, and identified historical traumas that they, their families and their communities continue to face. Youth worked together to present their learning to adult mentors; presentations included team-building activities and group discussions on social and political topics. Youth indicated increased pride and confidence in their communication and public speaking skills after presenting. They demonstrated a better understanding of themselves and their place and potential in their communities. EV's Newline Cafe increased capacity with Growing Connection students and offered diverse programming and summer opportunities including night markets, open mics, maker-space activities, cooking activities, gardening & farming, and building. Over the summer we observed different students investing and taking the lead with different opportunities. Some were drawn to farming and gardening, others towards cooking, or learning new artistic skills. As students followed their individual interests, they investigated them further and shared their interest with other students. The students helped improve a vacant lot across the street from their school into a developing community gathering space. They identified a need for seating and worked together to build five benches. Construction activities required teamwork, communication, and determination as they repurposed wood from old benches, cleaned and sanded each piece and organized them for design, cut, paint and assembly. They also worked in a garden that was created by the surrounding community, but was neglected and under threat of being reclaimed by the City of Milwaukee. The Growing Connections participants worked side by side with community members to weed and maintain the space throughout the summer and thus preserved a resource for the neighborhood. EV held its first-ever night markets-three community events at which youth program participants provided food, plants they propagated, and other products they had created. They also researched and chose local vendors and created public engagement activities such as rock painting and s'more making. Under the guidance of adult mentors, youth created no-waste menus for each market and managed every aspect of harvesting produce, preparing and serving meals to the community for a free-will donation. Youth increased self confidence in their food preparation skills after these experiences, and improved in their communication abilities to explain the food and their process to community members over the course of the summer. The final market was a thank you to community partners who have collaborated with students and the cafe over the past two years. Growing Connections participants created gifts for the partners, including designing and creating buttons and arranging flower bouquets with flowers they grew in the gardens. Personal Development Five of the ten total participants at MCC were returning participants. The returning youth recruited friends and were natural leaders in the garden, taking on responsibilities and orienting new students. Communication was key to the collaborative work, and youth encouraged and motivated each other to complete tasks and take breaks when necessary. Youth drew direct connections between their learning about Milwaukee's history and the work they were doing to improve and beautify one community space. Conversations and reflections often centered the importance of inviting the surrounding community into the space and the needed infrastructure and programming such as more garden beds, shade shelter and seating. Youth set goals for the Spring of 2024 and began making plans for opening the garden and continuing to develop the space. Growing Connections youth also worked in the community by supporting events for Latino Conservation Week, where they set up, managed registration, and led activities for participants. Program participants also spent a day at Braise Restaurant, a farm-to-table restaurant that also has a rooftop garden and educational cooking spaces. Youth interacted with professional chefs and bakers, learned about restaurant management, including maintaining cleanliness, and prepared a meal utilizing the produce they grew in a professional kitchen. Students developed important skills through their work in the cafe, gardens and in the community such as food preparation, perseverance, communication, customer service, event planning and teamwork. Partnership Partnership with Milwaukee County Extension, increased organizations' ability to hire alumni into supervisory and leadership positions and provide new youth employment. This increased partners' capacity to extend their reach into the community through increased service, events and activities. Several Extension programs benefited from the relationship with MCC and EV. The state Extension Agriculture and Community Gardens Outreach Specialist worked with MCC youth participants in community garden spaces and is replicating soil restoration educational activities with new Milwaukee school partners. The Extension Youth Environmental Education Specialist is leading a multi-state NSF proposal to build on science education engagement developed in partnership with EV and other educational organizations.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Each year, the Growing Connections program seeks to engage 7-12 new youth and retain 7-12 youth from the previous year. These young people are between the ages of 12 and 16 and are involved with each partner organization's youth development programs. The goal is to retain youth year after year, with previous participants serving as mentors to the new cohort. Additionally, they serve as leaders and teachers to younger participants in the agency's youth development program who regularly engage in garden and community activities during the summer months. Most youth live in the same neighborhoods as agencies' program centers, which are located within some of Milwaukee's most distressed zip codes. ? Changes/Problems:While significantly less than in previous years, scheduling and retention challenges continued in the summer of 2022. Many had other jobs, obligations and competing priorities throughout the summer that conflicted with the Growing Connections schedule, which resulted in inconsistent attendance and disrupted employment and learning for some. Scheduling with agencies is a perennial challenge as they manage multiple programs with limited capacity. While youth from each agency came together at both community-based gardens and Kohl Farm, the shared experiences were neither consistent nor regular. Youth indicated satisfaction with meeting each other, and also a desire to spend more intentional time together. With the hope that all programs will remain fully staffed, they will begin planning and scheduling summer programming earlier in the year. This will provide more time for youth recruitment and engagement, and also ensure sufficient time to plan and schedule regular dates to bring youth together in planned and meaningful activities in multiple locations. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Growing Connections program staff attended the CYFAR Professional Development event in Chicago, where they interacted with professionals and colleagues from across the country that are engaged in similar work. Staff learned about career development programming for youth, including opportunities beyond 2- and 4-year colleges and universities. They gained new perspectives on youth-adult partnerships, as well as youth as partners in program development and civic engagement. Program sustainability continues to be a focus, and all staff participated in related workshops. Through their attendance at the Professional Development Event, program coordinators gained a deeper understanding of CYFAR and CYFAR-funded programs, as well as resources and best practices that they can implement at their sites. The engagement of professional evaluators from Ubuntu Research & Evaluation was intentionally designed to provide educational opportunities to youth and program staff, and succeeded in drawing direct connections between the program, the staff and participants, and the larger community. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Youth evaluators documented daily experience in the Growing Connections program through writing and photography, which led to the creation of an Instagram account that is shared across both partner agencies. Youth also recorded and edited videos of their experiences trying new things like preparing fresh food in the garden, including bruschetta, dill pickles and herbal tea, as well as making flower bouquets. The social media site is an excellent way to communicate the value and fun of the program through the eyes of the youth participants. Leslie Quevedo, Program Director for the Growing Connections program, presented at the National Urban Extension Conference at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey, in the spring of 2022. Titled "From Isolation to Innovation - Growing Community with Youth in Gardens", the presentation focused on program development and adaptation through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of developing strong, trusting and equitable community partnerships. The presentation was well received by youth development colleagues from across the country, and Ms. Quevedo looks forward to subsequent presentations to share best practices and lessons learned through her work with Growing Connections. Marketing and communication of the Growing Connections program will be a focus of the next year. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The Growing Connections program will continue to engage youth in consistent programming and provide employment opportunities during the summer months. Knowing that youth are facing competing priorities and retention can be a significant barrier to engagement, program staff are assessing the budget and exploring options to extend youth's employment period and/or increase wages. The Growing Connections Program Director is working with an Extension Environmental Education Specialist to enhance programming to integrate professional-grade equipment into the program such as cameras, iPads and Celestron microscopes. This equipment will lead to continued skill development, and will also support storytelling, artistic expression and evaluation efforts. With the addition of an experienced Garden Educator, program staff are developing and documenting a program scope and sequence that support consistent programming across all agencies and sites, provide clear guidance to all educators and program staff, and lead to program sustainability beyond the term of the grant. In the Spring of 2023, youth will participate in focus groups and provide input on the continued development of the curriculum, as well as activities and experiences they would like to have. Youth-voice and youth adult partnerships will continue to be central themes of all aspects of the Growing Connections program. Extension staff continuously seeks opportunities to leverage infrastructure and human resources to increase program reach and impact. To that goal, programming will expand to include seed starting and plant propagation, and youth will have the opportunity to work side by side with Extension educators in greenhouses and hoop houses. Additionally, youth will determine what is grown and for what purpose and will participate in the full cycle of growing food. Beginning in early spring, youth will also work with local artists to design and build signage and art pieces that will be installed in all garden spaces in Summer 2024. Finally, youth will work closely with the Program Coordinator to develop a marketing and communications plan for the program, which will increase awareness and support recruitment efforts. Growing Connections participants will have the opportunity to engage in activities and experiences beyond the program such as college/university tours, and an on-campus overnight event at UW-Madison focused on post-secondary education opportunities.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Youth-led gardening Short-term: Youth will demonstrate gardening skills and successfully complete garden tasks, harvesting and tasting food, and sharing it with their families. Long-term: Youth will promote community health through educating other youth and leading projects including growing food and based on issues and needs they identify in their communities. Youth worked together to continue developing the garden spaces in their communities and at Kohl Farm and grew food at all locations. At Milwaukee Christian Center, youth learned basic construction skills, in addition to planting and raising food. Led by Extension educators, youth successfully built ten raised garden beds and filled them with rich soil; they demonstrated dedication and perseverance by working in the rain and coming together to get the job done in time for planting. Youth planted, maintained and harvested kale, collard greens, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, a variety of chili peppers, herbs, and flowers at their community-based garden. Youth worked alongside other youth from across the city - exploring new garden spaces, working together on garden tasks, and even making and sharing a meal with ingredients from the garden. At Running Rebels, youth worked on beautification and infrastructure improvements in their gardens, and had ample opportunity to experience gardening and green space throughout Milwaukee and the surrounding area. Youth from both sites met regularly at Kohl Farm and worked hard together to activate their garden space; they prepared the land, planted and watered, experimented with a variety of weed suppression techniques, collaborated on garden art projects and even used natural dyes from marigolds to tie-dye t-shirts. Youth learned the difference between perennial and annual plants and the importance of companion planting, and carefully planned the growing space to accommodate plant needs and plan for future growing seasons. Mulching for weed suppression is critical to plant health and bountiful harvests, and youth worked diligently to apply their learning and maintain a healthy growing space. Youth learned proper harvesting techniques and tasted new fruits and vegetables; they built direct connections between fresh and local food and the overall wellness of the body, land and the community. While at Kohl Farm, youth began to explore the surrounding garden spaces and discuss historical and cultural practices around agriculture. They even visited the plot of a flower farmer who led them in flower cutting and arranging activities; youth prepared bouquets to take home to their families. Lessons and experiences shared at Kohl Farm were transferred to their work and commitment to developing growing spaces in their communities. Youth Leadership Short-term: Youth will increase community leadership skills including goal setting and teamwork. Long-term: Youth will increase their capacity to develop relationships and organizational support that sustain their overall wellness and pursuit of individual goals. *Youth will grow in connection to community and a sense of efficacy to contribute. Students engaged in goal setting and reflection for both their short-term summer goals and long-term goals. Students shared their goals with each other and supported one another in exploring options and ideas after high school and beyond. Evaluation professionals worked directly with youth from each agency, guiding them in learning the importance and relevance of evaluation, as well as evaluation development, implementation, and data analysis. Students documented their experiences, work, and development of the garden spaces through daily journaling and photos and created a journey map of their summer experience in the Growing Connections program. Under the guidance of Ubuntu Research and Evaluation, youth created an Instagram account for the program, and described their work through images and regular posts. Youth learned the importance of storytelling and developed their storytelling confidence and skills, which prepared them to better disseminate their knowledge and experiences with the garden. Youth utilized new leadership skills, taking on new roles within the program and community. Students led younger participants from the agency in regular community clean ups; they collaborated with local stakeholders, police officers, elected officials and community members to plan a peace walk in response to recent violence in the community. Eighty percent of program participants agreed they had opportunities to take on more adult roles in the community. Initially, many of the youth were not accustomed to working in teams or collaborating to achieve a goal. Over the course of the first few weeks, they settled into the program and their roles, and became much more comfortable with each other. Many youth possessed natural leadership skills, and served as role models to younger or more reluctant participants; they took on a mentor role and helped the younger participants when they needed support. Conversely, some youth struggled to respect leadership and meet program expectations resulting in occasional internal conflict and friction. Growing Connections Coordinators delicately and respectfully led youth through nonviolent communication and conflict resolution practices, and groups became stronger in the process. Evaluation surveys showed that all youth reflected positively on their cooperation skills. Workforce Development Short-term: Youth will increase their sense of agency, empowerment, and sense of community through training, community placemaking activities, mentoring, leadership roles and seasonal employment. Long Term: Youth will progress toward their goals through mentorship, experiences, and reflection. For many, employment with Growing Connections was their first job. Some youth struggled to adjust to keeping time cards and communicating with supervisors. However, by the end of the program they learned important skills, such as communication, active listening, teamwork and perseverance, and conflict resolution. Youth participated in professional development sessions, where they learned more about the hiring process, how to build resumes and the importance of soft skills. Students reflected on their work in the garden spaces and with each other through journaling and group discussions, sharing with Coordinators their thoughts and ideas for future growth and development of the gardens. Coordinators worked directly with youth to provide feedback on their performance as employees and team members, and instituted behavioral action plans when necessary. Students attended a state Extension program called Spark Days where they explored unique careers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Students participated in activities to explore campus and community post-secondary opportunities with other youth from around Wisconsin. A post-program survey indicated that 80% of youth participants had quite a bit or a lot of opportunities to develop job skills and 90% said getting an education was important to them. Partnership *Extension and community partners will see organizational benefits as measured by increased reach of non-CYFAR Extension programs, strengthened partner organizational capacity, and creation of other collaborative programs. A partnership meeting was held at the end of the program year. Organizational partners valued the opportunity to connect with Extension resources, including community gardens and nutrition programs. They observed that the Growing Connections program had helped to connect youth to public spaces and the outdoors, and build relationships across community organizations.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The Growing Connections program engages 10-15 youth between the ages of 12 and 16 who are involved with each partner organization's youth development programs. Most youth live in the same neighborhoods as agencies' program centers, which are located within some of Milwaukee's most distressed zip codes. The partner organizations also manage the only Violence Free Zone (MVFZ) programs in schools across the city, and we continually look for ways to engage young people involved in the program. The Violence-Free Zone is the national model of a youth violence reduction and high-risk student mentoring program created by the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, and was designed to operate in the most trouble-plagued schools in urban centers with high levels of crime and violence. The guiding principle of the MVFZ program is the belief that the characteristics that make some students chronically disruptive can also make them strong leaders among their peers. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemic created significant challenges in implementing, evaluating and adapting the Growing Connections program. The Growing Connections Program Coordinator Position is designed to be employed by the partner agencies, develop trusting relationships with youth and their families, work directly with the Extension Program Director and youth to develop and implement activities and programming, and recruit and retain program participants. Both positions were vacant for the majority of Year 2 (and still today), and agencies are experiencing staffing challenges across all program areas, which not only put a strain on existing staff but also made recruitment and implementation of programming during a pandemic very challenging. Most schools in Milwaukee were virtual for the majority of the 2020-21 school year, and therefore virtual fatigue made it very challenging to engage youth on zoom for after-school programming. Youth were reluctant to show up for programming over zoom, and when they did actual participation and engagement in any type of programming was a struggle. Youth and their families shared that they were feeling the effects of social isolation due to shelter in place orders and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as virtual schooling for nearly a year. Illness and loss of friends and families rippled through the community, and priorities for families and program staff shifted away from out-of-school programming to nurturing mental health, taking care of families, and protecting health and life. As a team, we maintained honest and regular communication to understand the needs of staff, youth and their families and adjusted to meet those whenever possible. At times it was necessary to pause programming, which provided needed space to address other pressing challenges. We pivoted programming to leverage existing resources, people and opportunities, and support those staff and partners that were already engaged at partner agencies. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Due to challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities for professional development were limited in Year 2. Extension provided resources to community partners and the communities they serve related to social distancing, mental health, vaccinations, and other issues related to the pandemic. Partners also had the opportunity to engage in trainings related to virtual meetings and team engagement. The program director participated in virtual trainings related to mindfulness and meditation, with the goal of integrating elements of both into programming in the future. We will continue to seek out opportunities for relevant professional development opportunities both in the city and county, as well as those provided by the Division of Extension. ? How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Because of the pandemic and challenges with engaging youth and implementing program, we do not yet clear results from the Growing Connections program. During Year 2 we began work with a local evaluator, and together with partners we began to scope out an evaluation plan and take steps towards engaging youth in the evaluation process. We are developing Evaluation 101 workshops that will introduce the concept of evaluation to program participants and facilitate understanding of where evaluation shows up in our daily lives, why it is important and how it can be relevant to their experience in the program. Program staff will continue to engage in dialogue and align the program with organizations that share a similar mission, vision and practice. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In Year 3, the Growing Connections team will activate formal programming both in community-based gardens and at Kohl Farm. We are growing our team to include a gardener educator, who will focus on developing and implementing gardening curriculum and assist with garden design, beautification projects and infrastructure improvements. This additional expertise will support not only the development of welcoming educational garden spaces in collaboration with young people, but also their increased knowledge of gardening techniques and nutrition, as well as connection to the land and food they grow. Local artists will work with youth in garden spaces, so that they may continue to understand the history of the space they inhabit, identify their place within it, and install art that represents their shared experiences. We will continue to connect with community stakeholders so that youth may continue to develop their voice and maintain their "seat at the table" in addressing neighborhood issues and collaborating on improvement projects in their communities. Evaluation will play a central role as we develop and implement curriculum and activities in gardens, and youth evaluators will work with program staff to continually evaluate, adapt, and improve programming based on data. We will continue to seek out opportunities for relevant professional development opportunities both in the city and county, as well as those provided by the Division of Extension.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Growing Connections Program is built on youth participation in three intersecting and multi-level educational approaches: 1) Youth-led gardening education and food production, 2) Youth leadership development focused on action planning and community leadership, and 3) youth-centered exploration of workforce pathways at the community and individual levels. Youth participants engage in an intensive developmental experience at the program's hub, the Connections Garden at Kohl Farm. They then apply their skills and leverage their new relationships in two communities, each centered in grassroots organizations. Growing Connections works with youth in Milwaukee neighborhoods isolated by poverty and racial segregation and those in the juvenile justice systems, who have fewer in-school and out-of-school opportunities for positive developmental experiences and relationships, and face significant opportunity gaps to developing the essential skills to become productive adults. During educational sessions, Extension educators implement proven educational approaches from gardening education, community place-making and design, and workforce development. Organizational partners bring deep connections with youth and neighborhood assets in two of Milwaukee's most challenged neighborhoods. Youth bring their perspectives to developing the Connections Garden as a community cultural and food production space, leading neighborhood action projects, and exploring available community pathways to adult roles from their own point of view. Youth work into opportunities to find part-time employment working with professional mentors to implement program elements including participatory evaluation and teaching other youth. Youth-led gardening Short-term: Youth demonstrate gardening skills and successfully complete garden tasks, harvesting and tasting food, and sharing it with their families. Long-term: Youth promote community health through educating other youth and leading projects including growing food and based on issues and needs they identify in their communities. Because of the pandemic, partner agencies were not able to transport youth to the Growing Connections program hub at Kohl farm, and we pivoted to community-based gardens; youthdeveloped and maintained gardens within walking distance of each of the twoprogram centers. Milwaukee Extension manages 80 acres of community gardens across the county, and we used an underutilized garden for one site. The garden had fallen into disrepair due to diminished use, and had become a dumping ground. Growing Connections participants worked together to collect rubbish, clear the overgrowth, and establish a space for the upcoming growing season. They prepped and planted the land, watered, weeded, and maintained it during the summer months and enjoyed the harvest in the fall. Youth learned new gardening techniques such as hay bale planting and tried and shared with their families new fruits and vegetables, including kohlrabi, kale and different varieties of tomatoes. Youth and staff increased skills in growing and preparing fresh food. Youth and adult mentors developed and practiced skills to help plan, plant, and maintain on site gardens. Because of their engagement in the gardens, many young people are sharing that they now have an increased interest in gardening at home and are more interested in eating new foods. In an effort to combat virtual fatigue, the Growing Connections program partnered with Milwaukee Extension's FoodWIse program (nutrition education) and implemented the Teen Cuisine program at both sites (Milwaukee Christian Center and Running Rebels Community Organization). Program staff purchased, portioned, and delivered ingredients weekly, and youth learned basic culinary and kitchen safety skills, as well as basic nutrition as it related to the lesson. Youth had input on selecting the recipe each week, and the FoodWIse educator led youth in preparing a healthy recipe which they all enjoyed together. Because of the virtual format of the program, often times participants' siblings and family members participated in the lesson, and youth were able to share the freshly-prepared meals with their household members. Youth Leadership Short-term: Youth increase community leadership skills including goal setting and teamwork. Long-term: Youth increase their capacity to develop relationships and organizational supports that sustain their overall wellness and pursuit of individual goals. *Youth grow in connection to community and sense of efficacy to contribute. Through the youths' involvement in the garden, neighborhood stakeholders became aware of Milwaukee Christian Center's youth programming and saw it as a positive resource for neighborhood development efforts. Youth participated in a tour and education session with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and were able to offer feedback on MMSD's proposed green redesign of the freeway underpass which is adjacent to the garden. Youth were exposed to careers and content and connected with role models in those fields. As a result of their engagement with MMSD, youth were asked for input on ideas for ARPA fund investment in the area. While their suggestion for a skate park was not accepted by the county, they got the ear of the local alderperson who is now seeking alternate funding for the project. Because of their participation in the Growing Connections program and engagement in the garden, youth are now "at the table" with community stakeholders to imagine and develop a beautification and infrastructure improvement project for the freeway underpass and surrounding area. Workforce Development Short-term: Youth increase their sense of agency, empowerment, and sense of community through training, community placemaking activities, mentoring, leadership roles and seasonal employment. Long Term: Youth progress toward their goals through mentorship, experiences, and reflection. Adam Carr, a local documentarian and photographer, led youth at both sites through a series of workshops related to place, history of place and connection to place. Over the course of three weeks, Growing Connections participants went on walking tours through the neighborhoods surrounding their respective program centers, learning of the history of the people in those places, as well as historical and systematic practices that impacted the development of neighborhoods and led to many of the issues facing communities today. For example, youth from Running Rebels learned that the Lindsey Heights neighborhood was once home to one of the most thriving black business corridors in the nation. They learned about the impact of redlining on black neighborhoods, and how the construction of the highways forced black business owners to give up their land and lowered the value of the property that remained. On the near south side, youth learned about why various immigrant communities settled in that area, and the role the industrial sector played in creating division, segregation and conflict that still remains today. Under the guidance of a local artist, youth designed, created, and installed a 4-panel mural that was mounted on the fence surrounding the garden. The mural was the first step in re-activating the garden and developing a sense of ownership over the space. As youth spent more time in the garden and connected with the space during the summer months, they began to develop a vision for creating a gathering space and installing art and signage around the garden. In August 2021 they cleared and leveled the gathering space, laid down weed barriers, hauled and spread mulch and installed large concrete sunflower art pieces that they created, thus laying the foundation for their space in the garden. They painted and sealed large tree stumps that had been donated by a local community stakeholder, and installed them as seating around the sunflower art.
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Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Participating partner organizations serve some of Milwaukee's most vulnerable youth, and each organization will recruit a minimum of 10 participants, between the ages of 12 and 16 from within their existing youth development programs. Program coordinators will identify and recruit youth that are in need of additional resources, supportive relationships and opportunity, as well as those that demonstrate leadership skills that can be nurtured and developed through the Growing Connections program. Changes/Problems:Year 1 of the Growing Connections program was limited due to a delay in funding as well as challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This inhibited the program team's ability to recruit, hire and train the program coordinators that were critical to program development and implementation. Unfortunately, just as the program team was able to begin to market the program and recruit participants, The State of Wisconsin issued a Safer at Home order and all programming was suspended indefinitely. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In Year 1, all Growing Connections program staff members participated in training around evaluation, led by the Program Evaluator, Josset Gauley. Team members learned about a variety of strategies to gather and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data required by the CYFAR program, and began developing a plan for additional evaluation that meets the needs of the program as well as partner agencies. Additionally, the Growing Connections Program staff participated in Youth Mental Health First Aid training. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?While there are not yet clear results from the Growing Connections program, program staff continue to engage in dialogue and align the program with organizations that share a similar mission, vision and practice. This will facilitate opportunities for collaboration, resource sharing and partnership, enhancing current programming, creating the network of mentors and opportunities for unique experiences for the youth participants in the Growing Connections program. ? What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In Year 2, the Growing Connections program team will formalize a meeting and reporting schedule, and develop a work plan that outlines clear goals, objectives and tasks to achieve those goals. Program Coordinators will develop a program schedule that will include options for both in-person and virtual meetings. The Program Team will continue to work in partnership with the local artists and the Community Vitality and Placemaking team to finalize the Year 2 program scope, and work with Program Coordinators to finalize the related curriculum, activities and experiences. UW-Madison, Division of Extension Community Vitality and Placemaking team will provide training and resources to program staff around 19 Principles of Community Placemaking as well as the concept and practice of community design charrettes. We will continue to seek out opportunities for relevant professional development opportunities both in the city and county, as well as those provided by the Division of Extension.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In line with the youth-led gardening goal,Youth will demonstrate gardening skills and successfully complete garden tasks, harvesting and tasting food, and sharing it with their families, youth visited the program hub at Kohl Farm on two separate occasions in July, 2019 before the program interruption. Youth learned and assisted in planting seedlings, tasted a variety of fruits and vegetables from the garden, and prepared their own potted plants that they took home to their families. Related to the youth leadership goal, Youth will grow in connection to community and sense of efficacy to contribute, program staff engaged youth in discussions and visioning about the long-term program scope and related activities and experiences during this initial visit.Before COVID interrupted in-person programming, staff also worked with youth from the intended audience to continue youth-led visioning and initiate recruitment for summer programming. The Workforce Development and Partnership goals will be targeted beginning in year 2.
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