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Concrete Safaris' Outdoor Leadership Academy - Youth is a 6-12-week internship program for 16-24-year-olds who work 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 through professional development workshops, and train them how to assist child and youth workshops.

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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.

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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 trainings in environmental health literacy, childcare, and financial literacy

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 16-24-year-olds by start date

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

Are you 16-24-Years-Old & Looking For A Paid Summer Internship Here?

  1. Apply for a paid Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) spot with El Barrio's Operation Fightback, Children's Aid Society, or Union Settlement, and ask to be placed at Concrete Safaris as your work site.
  2. Apply for a CUNY Career Launch internship through your school's website.

Undergraduate & Graduate Level Internships

Sports Event Management

Help us create our 2nd Annual Hustle & Strive 5K Walk/Run event on Randall's Island.

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.