The Program for Leaders Advancing their Community’s Environment (PLACE) is our youth leadership program. PLACE flips the mentor structure usually seen in under-resourced communities. In our train-the-trainer model, Bronx-area youth are charged with leading and educating groups of 15-150 volunteers in environmental service projects.  These students are not beholden to successful professionals donating their time to help; instead, successful professionals see these students as adept, knowledgeable leaders – the way the students begin to see themselves.

Since its inception in 2013, PLACE has provided more than 250+ jobs to Bronx youth. However, PLACE is more than a job — it’s a learning experience that empowers high school and college students to become leaders and advocates for their communities.

PLACE participants are guided by our mentors to learn hands-on horticultural and leadership skills. The students are divided into 5 groups and assigned to one of our 5 flagship parks. The PLACE groups conduct environmental stewardship projects at each park, becoming stewards of their own green space throughout the summer. The students can see the immediate result of their hard work and dedication - and they are motivated by its positive impact. In the words of one 2019 PLACE student, Jaden, “Even though the job was hard at first, it became so much more important to me when I realized how crucial our work is to the community.”

To supplement the expertise of our staff, we also invite guest speakers from a variety of organizations — including the Bronx Council for Environmental Quality, Trees NY, and Manhattan College — to join us in the field and educate our leaders on the environmental issues they are confronting.

Our youth leaders also regularly take charge of volunteer service events throughout the summer. They use their newfound environmental knowledge to confidently lead groups from schools, businesses, and community organizations in park revitalization projects.  

PLACE also offers participants exposure to higher education through our college mentors and college tours. In a borough where only 19% of the age 25+ community has a college degree, these connections have a significant impact on the economic potential of Bronx youth. By gaining work experience, developing leadership abilities, and learning vocational skills, PLACE participants are preparing for higher-paying careers in or outside the green collar industry. They are learning to drive change in their communities and becoming protectors of the borough’s environment.