Herb & Farm Summer Internship Program

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A Work Hard, Play Hard
Business Strategy & Economic Development Program

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Atwood Community Gardens has been the best classroom to teach kids business strategy.  From resource management to market development and analysis, the food production cycle at an urban farm serves as the best introduction to how businesses work.

Each summer, seven students form a management team using the CIGS Model to organize themselves and their operation strategies.  They then assign themselves executive roles based on their strengths, their “sales pitch” to the group,  and a team vote.  Afterwards, we develop a daily operating schedule based upon the goals of each team member.  The challenge for the young management team is to integrate what they want to do during the summer with what they have to do in order to maintain the farm, the farmer’s market, visiting volunteer groups, tour requests, special events and all those things that “just happen”…similar to a start-up business.

Business Development Deliverables
Herb & Farm will introduce interns to several business development activities throughout their internship which include:
* Developing personal mission statements and tying it into the mission of their team and company goals
* Conducting a market analysis and identifying their target market(s)
* Understanding what makes their products and services so special and why consumers would purchase them
* Learning about various S.T.E.M.-related industries and career pathways that are directly and indirectly connected to the food industry
* Effectively using the CIGS Model to assign and adjust their team members’ roles and responsibilities in order to maximize growth and progression for their business
* Developing a marketing and sales strategy that reflects sound budgeting, spending, revenue-generating and saving practices
* Creating financial reports and future projections to illustrate the growth trends in their management activities of Atwood Community Gardens and the SWOOM Atlanta Farmer’s Market.
* Creating and delivering a business plan to investors and stakeholders
* Coordinating and hosting an investor meeting to present an original business proposal based upon their experiences from their internship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Program Requirements & Fees:

• The Herb & Farm Summer Internship Program is an eight week program (Session I: June 3-28 & Session II: July 8 – August 2).
• We prefer to work with children that have expressed an interest in any career pathway in science, technology, engineering and math.
• Students will be trained and given opportunities to raise funds (they get to choose how to spend it after all business expenses are paid).
• Students are given the option to come to work during regular training hours (9:00am-5:30pm) or later on market days (1:00pm-8:00pm).
• Students are expected to deliver and present a written business proposal that illustrates their business goals and accomplishments.
• Students will be presented with certificates of achievement and resumes at the end of their training cycle.