Berkeley Youth Alternatives

OK so your South or West Berkeley teenager has been arrested, has been skipping school, failing, or being generally unmotivated and non-​compliant. Berkeley Youth Alternatives may be the place for him/​her.
Run by Becca Prager under the direction of Nikki Williams, the garden and youth program offers 1:1 and group counseling, homework help, all incorporated into a supurb sustainable urban agriculture program.
Hosting three urban gardens, youth in this program participate in planning, seeding, planting, maintenance, and harvesting fresh fruits and vegetables. Weekly meals are shared using items grown from the garden with a time to express gratitude to peers, community volunteers and staff. Youth learn job and social skills, are eligible for minimum wage reimbursement, and are give the support they need to excel in school and make individualized college and vocational plans.
Unlike most gardening programs, this program is year long, focussing more on school and study skills during the winter and spring and gardening during the summer and fall.