Minnesota youth programs pitch hands‑on environmental education, job training and access to nature

Several Minnesota nonprofits presented on June 27 about youth‑centered environmental programs that combine job training, nature access and hands‑on skills.

Haley Ball and David Woods described Urban Roots’ East Side of Saint Paul internship program, which hires young people (ages roughly 14–24) for market gardening, conservation and cook‑fresh programs. Urban Roots said it hires 90 youth in summer (45 continue in the academic year), provides progressive leadership pathways and pays interns for work; staff noted transportation supports such as bus cards and donated bicycles.

Callie Pratt of Youth EcoSolutions (YES) described multi‑day outdoor workshops, school retreats and sustainability project support that help middle and high school students develop leadership and field skills. YES noted a history of working with more than 5,000 students since 2007 and proposed expansion of workshops, community projects and career mentoring.

Mark Hosmer of Urban Boat Builders described mobile “partnership” programs that bring instructors, tools and materials into schools and community organizations so young people can build boats, longboards and paddles. He said the organization wants to subsidize participation for groups that cannot afford the fee‑for‑service model and to increase opportunities for participants to take completed projects into nature.

Daniel Colton Schmidt of the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute described an urban farming and apprenticeship program focused on a heavily polluted Minneapolis neighborhood. He said EPNI runs monthly workshops (30 attendees typical) that integrate indigenous and multicultural stewardship, pays youth apprentices and provides program participants with seeds, rain barrels, HEPA air filters and food distributions.

Presenters emphasized employment and leadership pathways, paid apprenticeships, and reducing transportation or fee barriers so youth from underserved communities can access outdoor education, restoration work and conservation careers. Commissioners asked about funding stability, transportation and partnership details; presenters described a mix of public, private and in‑kind supports and urged multiyear funding to sustain staff and wages.