2017 Urban Roots Community Gardening Training Program

For 12 years, the Urban Roots Community Gardening Training Program has been training community leaders to establish and maintain thriving gardens and farms in the city. Urban Roots is a 9-week hands-on course designed to teach budding community leaders core community organizing and horticulture skills. The course emphasizes organic methods and is designed for gardens that are producing food.

Looking at the nearly 400 graduates, you’ll notice that Urban Roots has been a both an important shared experience and vital training ground for many of the most successful community garden leaders and urban agriculture organizations in Detroit. You can spot graduates everywhere you go…humble in nature, sporting their exclusive Urban Roots t-shirts, and working diligently to further their leadership and serve the community by leading workshops, hosting volunteer days, starting food entrepreneurship projects, and enhancing gardens all over the city.

In 2017, we’re looking to our community, and in particular URBAN ROOTS GRADS, to mobilize resources for making this great program possible this year!

• Recruit a diverse group of 30-35 participants.
• Finalize schedule and instructors.
• Schedule staff and volunteers.
• Ensure class curriculum is up-to-date and accessible to multiple learning styles.
• Host classes.  
• Support and encourage Urban Roots students throughout course to ensure at least 80% graduate from course and reach goal of starting or improving community garden project in the spring.
• Host graduation and provide incentives for students completing the course requirements.

The goal of Urban Roots is to strengthen Detroit’s local urban agriculture movement by equipping community leaders with a comprehensive skill set to start and maintain thriving community gardens that stabilize neighborhoods, connect people, beautify vacant lots, and grow healthy local produce.