Athens Land Trust is an innovative and adaptive community and conservation land trust in Georgia. We look for team members who are creative, deeply committed to advancing equity, and excited about embracing an evolving set of responsibilities and opportunities as the organization grows.
Athens Land Trust is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.
Youth Development Programs
Our Youth Development programs are unique. We offer three paid job skills training programs, the Young Urban Farmers the Young Urban Builders and the Young Conservation Stewards Each program provides paid training and education for high-school aged youth in Athens-Clarke County.
Our approach incorporates on-site training, exposure to new opportunities, leadership development and classroom education, that delivers both specialized and general job skills, and community involvement to help ensure that the next generation of leaders are invested in where they live. We work to create personal connections between the youth in our programs and leaders in the community and the respective industries that are vital to increased job placement and social capital once they have graduated from their program.
Young Conservation Stewards Crew Leader:
2022 Summer Semester
The Crew Leaders will be responsible for the safety and education of youth Stewards while supporting programmatic outcomes related to ecological restoration of Southeast Clarke Park in Athens, GA. The Crew Leaders will work with ALT’s Conservation Specialist Carly Evans to lead six youth community members for eight weeks during the summer from June 6th to July 29th. The Crew Leaders will work together with the crew members (Stewards) to aid in the identification and removal of 15 acres of invasive species throughout the wooded portions of Southeast Clarke Park, plan and construct a .25-mile connector trail, and lead the crew through partner activities and outings including bird banding, stream monitoring, native plant horticultural activities, and more. Other Crew Leader responsibilities include partner communication, organizing educational opportunities, and empowering youth to become the next generation of conservationists, leaders, and decision-makers.
Applications should be emailed to justin@athenslandtrust.org or dropped off at Athens Land Trust
685 N. Pope Street Athens, GA 30605. Download an application here.
Young Conservation Stewards: 2022 Summer Semester
We are now accepting applications for the Young Conservation Stewards summer semester.
The Young Conservation Stewards (YCS) is an employment and job skills training program for high school aged youth. YCS participants will learn important environmental skills, including plant identification, invasive plant removal methods, native plant installation and maintenance, and trail building and maintenance. They will also develop essential soft skills in public speaking, leadership, and community outreach, and may engage the public at venues including the ALT-run West Broad Farmers Market, where they will speak publicly about the importance of green spaces in our community and the ways that community members can contribute to improving them. Job locations include Southeast Clarke Park, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens Land Trust Office, and Walker Park (formerly Trail Creek Park). The summer 2022 YCS program will take place from June 6th to July 29th Monday – Friday 8:00am to 12:00pm. Participation in Young Conservation Stewards will lead to increased employability and job placement post high school graduation.
Applications should be emailed to justin@athenslandtrust.org or dropped off at Athens Land Trust
685 N. Pope Street Athens, GA 30605. Download an application here.
Young Urban Farmers: 2022 School Year
We are now accepting applications for the Young Urban Farmers program for the 2022 school year, with a projected start of late August to Early September, 2021.
Young Urban Farmers (YUF) duties and responsibilities will include: Learning and implementing sustainable agricultural skills which will involve working in several community gardens as well as the Williams’s Farm, the Athens Land Trust’s urban farm. YUF will also learn entrepreneurial skills and create a business plan for a product that could be produced and sold at the West Broad Farmers Market.
The YUF must:
- Commit to the program for the dates of September 2021 to August 2022
- Have a reliable mode of transportation to and from the work meeting place.
- Transportation to alternative work locations after meeting at the scheduled meeting place may be provided by the YUF Coordinator.
- Be prepared to work in a wide range of weather conditions.
- Be aged 16 to 20 (or 15 with a valid work permit) and enrolled or completed CCSD high school or GED program. Must be a Clarke County resident.
YUF participants are expected to attend all regularly scheduled program days. Participants will work an average of 12 hours a week paid $9/hr for the time they are present and engaged at the worksite, rounded to the nearest quarter hour.
To apply, please download and complete the application. Applications can be submitted at the Athens Land Trust office:
685 North Pope Street, Athens, GA 30601 or emailed Tony Gayles at tony@athenslandtrust.org. Applications can also be completed through Google Forms in lieu of email or a paper copy. Click here to access the Google Forms application.
Young Urban Builders: 2022 School Year
We are now accepting applications for the Young Urban Builders program. The Young Urban Builders program was started in 2018 as a way to address youth unemployment and perform owner-occupied rehabilitation in the West Broad Neighborhood.
The program is designed to provide job training and experience while working on community projects and aiding in neighborhood revitalization. YUB students are involved at all stages in the rehabilitation process to allow for a variety of skills to be developed.
YUB duties and responsibilities include:
- learning and practicing workplace and tool safety
- proper use and maintenance of tools
- developing strong work ethics and basic job skills
- reading blueprints and interpreting written instructions
- using measurement tools and applied mathematics
Requirements:
Students must be between 16 and 24 years of age.
To apply:
Please download the application here and email it to Colin Blodorn, the Young Urban Builders Coordinator at colin@athenslandtrust.org or mail it to our office at 685 North. Pope Street, Athens, GA 30601. Applications can also be left in our secure dropbox at our office. We are accepting applications until all positions are filled.