Start Date
05/29/2025
End Date
05/28/2026
Description
Can participation in the Park in a Truck (PiaT) Park Ambassador Program, which empowers 11-13-year-olds by teaching them the value of their neighborhood, the importance of nature, and the impact of their contributions in planning parks and community spaces, combat negative racial socialization and enhance self-esteem and mental health?
PiaT is a green-space development initiative that enables communities to transform underutilized spaces into affordable, rapidly implemented, and highly interactive green spaces. Building on this foundation, the Park Ambassador Program was developed as a paid internship for youth to make a positive impact on their neighborhoods. Through this program, participants engage in educational activities, construct parks, plan community events, and maintain green spaces, all while developing skills to advance their educational and career trajectories. To evaluate the program?s effectiveness, we conducted a community-engaged research project that focused on the mental health and social impacts of the Park Ambassador Program, with a particular emphasis on urban youth in grades 7-10.
This research examined:
• Self-Esteem Development: How participation instilled a sense of pride, accomplishment, and self-worth.
• Combating Negative Racial Socialization: Did engagement reduced the harmful effects of negative racial stereotypes and fostered positive narratives about participants? roles in their community.
• Mental Health Benefits: How interaction with nature and involvement in community-building activities improved mental well-being and resilience.
Distance Learning
Yes
Course Equivalency
No
Subjects
Design-Build
Health, Safety and Welfare
Yes
Hours
1.0
Learning Outcomes
1. Integrating Equity in Design: Attendees will learn how to incorporate principles of social equity and inclusivity into landscape design projects, ensuring that spaces serve diverse communities effectively and equitably.
2. Community-Engaged Design Processes: Attendees will gain insights into participatory design methods that empower communities to shape their public spaces, fostering collaboration and long-term stewardship of the built environment.
3. Attendees will explore youth surveys designed to assess population health needs, supporting data-driven decision-making to inform equitable and impactful landscape interventions that promote public health and well-being.
Instructors
Kimberlee Douglas
Course Codes
Provider
LandscapeWebinars.org