Youth Employment in Parks (YEP!) 2008
The Youth Employment in Parks (YEP) program is a program of the Anchorage Parks & Recreation Department and Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, a program of the National Wildlife Federation. The goal of the YEP program is to positively engage a new generation of diverse youth leaders with the environment and the Anchorage community through meaningful training, employment, and outdoor recreation.
YEP IN 2008
The 2008 summer season of the YEP program is currently underway! This summer the YEP program has hired 1 Expeditor; 6 Crew Leaders; 6 Assistant Crew Leaders; and 42 Crew Members. In these positions, youth will have a great job and education experience and develop important leadership skills. During the program youth will have awesome outdoor leadership experiences through fun recreation and meaningful service projects. YEP will empower youth to contribute to the health of our community and stay involved with decisions that affect our quality of life. Participants are working on park improvement projects and helping plan and lead recreation activities!
Each week’s education, work and recreation activities will be guided by the following themes. On a weekly basis, youth will participate in AYEA civic engagement workshops and in a joint outdoor recreation activity.
Youth working to improve Anchorage parks and trails will be assisted by various community partners and will focus on:
- Safety & Environmental Health
(CPR & 1st Aid, customer service and public outreach, tool safety and project orientation) - Rain, Waterways & Waterbodies
(Campbell Creek bank restoration project and the Taku Lake rain garden) - Sustainable Parks & Recreation
(Community gardens, community supported agricultures, organic practices, composting and renewable energy resources) - Solid Waste & Recycling
(Tours of facilities and clean up) - Urban Forestry & Climate Change (Urban forest ecology, restoration and mitigation in Muldoon Park)
- Soft-surfaced Trails
(Single track trail construction in Far North Bicentennial Park) - Week of Service
(Onsite education and service with various community partners) - Careers & Mentorship
(Career fair, mentorship and job skill building)
The teens working in recreation programs will be gaining leadership skills as they teach the above topics to youth ages pre-school to 14 years of age in summer camp programs. Activities will incorporate environmental education and be interactive, age appropriate and theme oriented!
Be A Trailblazer !
The Anchorage Park Foundation is currently seeking financial and in-kind support for the YEP program. Contributions for YEP will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $50,000, by the Rasmuson Foundation. To learn more about the YEP program and how you can contribute to its success and sustainability click here to view our 2008 YEP brochure.
Click here to see what the YEP Parks Crew learned and accomplished during the summer of 2007!
Email April Reed, YEP Program Coordinator or call 343-4518 to discuss Youth Employment in Parks!
Download brochure here (5MB)
