Tackling youth unemployment in marginalized community and environmental racism through service
Unemployment among young adults from marginalized communities and environmental racism —are two major social challenges in urban America. These issues are particularly acute in New York City Public Housing, where 72% of 18–24-year-old people are unemployed. Moreover, these housing developments, located near highways and in close proximity to toxic waste facilities, have little to no green spaces and expose residents to high risks of lead poisoning. In contrast, studies show that more affluent communities enjoy ~ 50% more greenery than lower-income communities. This reminds us how societal and environmental issues are deeply connected.
Green City Force (GCF), an NYC- based non-for-profit organization founded in 2009, has for mission to “train young leaders to power a green and inclusive economy, through service”.
GCF Corps Members participate to a hands-on training and service program (4–9 months) targeted at 18–24 living in NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority). They participate to service initiatives that respond to the needs of their communities, from cultivating and distributing fresh produce to building green infrastructure or doing outreach and education about sustainability among the residents. The service element is particularly innovative as it allows youth from NYCHA to not only develop their skillsets, but also to become change makers in their own communities, improving the environment and inspiring other youth.
As of September 2023: More than 600 graduates and 80+% job placement/ continuing education at 6 months after graduation.
GCF leadership team from the start realized that they could not succeed alone. They therefore develop various collaborations with multiple stakeholders from NYCHA (NY Public Housing), the Mayor’s Office, various city, state and federal agencies as well as funders — philanthopic organizations and companies. Moreover, they took a dual-level approach: grassroots and policy; focusing both on individual young people and changing societal structures. GCF works on the ground through the service program as well as engages in policy work (at the state and federal levels) to create the legal and institutional frameworks that can increase the likelihood for members from marginalized communities to be employed.
While they don’t explicitly use a design approach, GCF enacts many of the principles at the core of a design mindset: community- and planet-centered, participatory and experimental.
If you want to know more about Green City Force:
Listen to Tales of the Field (16 min) with Tonya Gayle, GCF Executive Director: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/tales-of-the-field-tonya-gayle-executive-director/id1613526046?i=1000578353619
Check their website: https://greencityforce.org/
Sources:
https://econofact.org/concentrated-poverty-and-the-disconnect-between-jobs-and-workers
