Inner-city youth in Winnipeg will greatly benefit from a $30,000 investment for urban agricultural training announced Tuesday at FortWhyte Farms.
The City of Winnipeg’s investment will help at-risk youth programming at the facility, located just steps from FortWhyte Alive on McCreary Road.
“This new funding allows the program to hire the most interns in the program’s history,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “We have assisted them to hire new staff and expand upon the entire programs current to develop new programming and will create 200 more hours of hands-on training leading more young Winnipeggers to full-time employment at FortWhyte Farms.”
Originally launching in 2003, FortWhyte Farms was designed to provide hands-on experience in farm operations such as pasture raising of chickens, pigs and bison, beekeeping and gardening to equip inner-city youth between 14 and 18-years-old with meaningful employment skills such as teamwork, leadership, initiative and discipline.
Participants who demonstrate high leadership potential and commitment to the program are rewarded with full-time summer employment. Fifty-two youths, made up of 90% Aboriginal, have been employed as summer interns since the program began.
