HABESHA Works is a green jobs training initiative that teaches basic skills in urban organic agriculture and agro-business development.  HABESHA Works promotes sustainable agriculture as a tool for economic development within communities lacking adequate job resources and those experiencing barriers to healthy, fresh, high quality foods.  The components of HABESHA Works focus on three primary objectives.  They are:

  • Providing new skills and professional development training and education in sustainable agriculture to young adults.
  • Developing a community-based approach to health disparities by training individuals to produce and distribute organically grown vegetables in the local urban environment.
  • Establishing an economic development model that creates social entrepreneurship opportunities for participants to continue utilizing their training.

Based on these objectives, there are three cycles to this intervention effort. Below is a detailed description of activities to be completed at each cycle of the program:

CYCLE 1

  • Includes 60-hours of interactive classroom work to occur over the time span of 10-weeks
  • Instruction takes place twice a weekly with one 2-hour class session and one 4-hour lab session
  • Class sessions introduce trainees to the fundamental principles and practices of sustainable agriculture
  • Lab sessions provide trainees with hands-on experiences that reinforce classroom discussions
  • Lab sessions are held in the HABESHA Gardens Complex in addition to other identified urban farm sites
  • Sessions will include site visits to area urban farms and/or guest instruction from various farm experts

CYCLE 2

  • Involves up to 300 hours of extended training in an apprenticeship format
  • Trainees will engage in the construction and maintenance of a harvest site
  • Trainees will experience, from beginning to end, the skills needed to construct and manage an urban organic agriculture facility
  • Instruction will be facilitated by various urban and rural farm experts
  • Trainees will also be responsible for planting crops and maintaining them through harvest

CYCLE 3

  • Trainees will gain business development experience by working with an agro-business venture managed by HABESHA, Inc.
  • Trainees will distribute organic produce using both charitable and for-profit distribution methods (e.g. donations, CSA, farmers market, etc.)
  • Trainees will receive additional professional development training designed to offer students access to other job opportunities and/or prepare them to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities related to urban agriculture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are now accepting applications for the 2012 HABESHA Works Program.  We will begin interviewing applicants in mid March and notify accepted participants by April 4.  We will have two information sessions (March 14 & March 28) at the Dunbar Neighborhood Center Room 207, 477 Windsor St. ATL, GA 30312, from 6 – 7:30PM.  In order to be considered for the program, you must attend at least one of the information sessions.  Please CLICK HERE to fill out the application online and begin the processing of exploring the opportunities in urban agriculture!

CLASS TIMES
Wednesdays from 6-8 PM &
Sundays from 3-7 PM

CLASS SCHEDULE
Starting:  Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Ending:  Sunday, July 8, 2012

Questions?  Email Us at habeshagardens@habeshainc.org