Mentoring the Next Generation of Growers: A Conversation With GROW Windham

In this session, GROW Windham staff will share what strategies and practices they have implemented in their urban agriculture programming to help their youth members step into larger leadership roles within the organization and their gardens. The session will focus on how to build rapport with younger generations of growers while allowing them space to lead, grow their voice, and further their growing skills. GROW Windham youth and staff will voice some of the wins and challenges that come with growing their own food and working in an urban garden.

Staff and participants of the program will share their mentorship model and how they facilitate peer-to-peer learning within the program. Additionally, they will cover some of the challenges that come with mentoring, such as: navigating diverse cultural and generational backgrounds, creating community buy-in, and meeting people where they’re at in their food cultivating journey.

Towards the end of the session there will be time to network and discuss with other attendees what strategies and insights they might share. We highly encourage young people and others looking to connect and network in the local food system to join this session. We also encourage people to share any opportunities or connections they may have to offer to each other.