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Concrete Safaris' Outdoor Leadership Academy - Youth is a 6-25-week internship program for 14-24-year-olds who work or complete experiential education in one of five cohorts -- urban agriculture, landscaping, outdoor play, photo, and health promotion. The goals are to expose youth to environmental health employment opportunities, develop their leadership skills, and involve them in leading local children in healthy activities.

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OLA-SYEP Summer Internships
OLA School-Year Internships
Green Exercise Days
JungleGym

2017: Named "the world's best summer job" by The New York Times' Sunday Metropolitan section.

2019: OLA-SYEP Interns were featured on NY1.

Read All About It
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OLA -SYEP

Instructions:

    • To be considered, you must apply for NYC City-Wide Lottery.
    • 14-15-year-olds, select Concrete Safaris Inc. as your Provider
    • 16-24-year-olds, select El Barrio's Operation Fightback as your Provider

14-15-year-olds will be accepted by lottery for this summer's program, which will run from July - August. Cohorts will include Gardening, Outdoor Play, Health Media & Health Promotion through Concrete Safaris' Outdoor Leadership Academy - Summer Youth Employment Program.

Youth will be selected through the citywide SYEP lottery, and will participate in virtual and in-person learning opportunities. Please note that all participants will be required to attend in-person workshops at least three days per week. All participants will organize and lead activities celebrating our 15 Year Anniversary during the second week of August.

Youth will be referred for health and lifestyle services, and develop soft and hard professional skills and financial and environmental health literacy. They will visit companies virtually to practice interviewing, improve their resumes, and learn about the world of work. There will be an active family engagement component, too.

Benefits

Younger Youth (ages 14-15) will receive up to $700 for up to 12.5 hours/week of experiential education over 6 weeks.

Site visits to companies and government agencies in the fields of healthcare, food services, construction, media, business/professional

Weekly meetings for team and skill building, work-readiness training, and oral and written reflection

May obtain environmental health literacy certification, Mental Health First Aid, and financial literacy training

Support in pursuing health and educational and/or professional goals

Graduates connected to alumni network of youth pursuing their best lives from diverse backgrounds and experiences

Important Dates & Onboarding Information

Participation requires that you are selected by the Lottery run by NYC DYCD. We do not have control over the Lottery.

Input an email address into your application that is one you check regularly. Make sure you do not miss the deadline for submitting required documents if selected by the Lottery.

Every participant of all ages MUST complete orientation prior to participation.

Younger Youth (ages 14-15) must complete Hats & Ladders (digital) and in-person orientation prior to participation.

Younger Youth (ages 14-15) will participate from 7/8 - 8/17/24.

Older Youth (ages 16-24) will work from 7/1 - 8/10/24.

APPLICATIONS OPEN UNTIL MARCH 15, 2024

OLA

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School Year

16-24-year-olds will learn how to lead thousands of East Harlem children in Gardening, Outdoor Play, and Health Promotion activities through our after school program and school day field trips from local schools. Youth will be recruited through local organizations, schools, friends, and flyers, and will be placed based on their availability and our programming hours.

Youth will be referred for health and lifestyle services, and develop soft and hard professional skills and financial and environmental health literacy. They will visit companies to practice interviewing, improve their resumes, and learn about the world of work.

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Benefits

Older Youth (ages 16-24) will receive school credit, federal work study credit, or $15/hour for 6 - 25 hours/week of work over 6 - 25 weeks, depending on salary funding source

Weekly meetings for team and skill building, work-readiness training, and oral and written reflection

May obtain environmental health literacy certification, CPR/First Aid, and financial literacy training

Graduates connected to alumni network of youth pursuing their best lives from diverse backgrounds and experiences

Support in pursuing health and educational and/or professional goals

Apply for outdoor play or gardening internships
Apply for health promotion internship

Selection Process

Must be 14-24-year-olds, depending on the program for which you are applying

OLA-SYEP selection is by lottery ONLY by the City of New York

Be a resident of NYC

Have an interest in learning

Open to getting to the next level of your professional and educational development

Ability to work in Jefferson, Washington, and/or Carver Houses and on East Harlem streets

Undergraduate & Graduate Level Internships

Youth Development

Assist or lead groups of children or youth in outdoor workshops and events related to your educational background and goals.

Evaluation

Apply theories of community engagement in practice by engaging children, youth, families, and neighbors in active living. Or, collect and analyze program data and create reports.

Development & Communications

Learn how to raise funds, including grant writing and campaign development and implementation. Assist with the design and content of online and digital marketing tools.

Our Impact

0+

OLA Interns per year

0

Internship Hours
For 14-15-Year-Olds in OLA-SYEP 

Up to

$0

In Stipends or Wages Earned Per Year 

By 14+ Yr Olds (Supplementing household incomes)

0

children and families outdoors and active per year in events led by OLA Interns

100% of interns said that they took away one or more valuable job skills sought by employers

87.5% of interns said they used or improved on at least 2 job skills (professionalism/ work ethic, and communication) sought after by employers in the professional realm.

100% of interns felt valued throughout their internship and felt as if they played an important role.

93.75% of interns felt like they observed or were a part of a full range of operations and learning opportunities.

87.5% of interns said that this internship enhanced their self- understanding and professional development in important ways.

100% of interns said that they took away one or more valuable job skills sought by employers

87.5% of interns said they used or improved on at least 2 job skills (professionalism/ work ethic, and communication)sought after by employers in the professional realm.

Build skills in:

Communication

Critical Thinking

Teamwork

Interpersonal

Professionalism

Adaptability

Decision-making

Self-management

Self-direction

Attitude

Enthusiasm

Civic engagement

Testimonials

Jeraldo

Student

I learned about energy snd green environmental work. Also worked with people and helped community to make food and clean parks. i feel grateful for the opportunity. 

Manuel

Student

My time at this program shown me a lot and I would 100% do this again and recommend my friends. The materials were simple but filled with knowledge.

Alexandra

Student

I really liked being part of this company and listening to the opinions of others, experimenting and new connections. I felt comfortable working in the gardens.  The supervisors in the garden divert me from doing a good job..

Elizabeth

Student

We learned a lot of useful tips that help us know how to save energy by using flight bulbs instead if incandescent ones. this was one of the tips that changed my life. in this program i was able to learn many different things with the environment.

Jaylene

Student

I think collaboration is key; all of this can't be done by one person… There are valuable lessons to be learned by collaborating. It's an attraction, it makes the community happy to see that they live in a healthy environment. We are doing work but it is fun.