Historic Oakland Foundation has announced the recent launch of a new youth workforce development program at Oakland Cemetery.
Called the Youth Landscape and Hardscape Team (YLHT) program, Historic Oakland Foundation says that the six-week summer program was created to provide Metro-Atlanta students (ages 15-18) with paid employment that prepares them for the adult workforce through workplace skills coaching and training.
The program commenced on June 5, 2023. Since then, the nine students participating in the program have been working alongside Historic Oakland Foundation landscaping and preservation staff members, learning basic landscaping and horticulture skills or basic preservation and masonry skills.
Each of the YLHT students are paired with mentors in their primary field of interest, and are given the opportunity to explore career pathways in landscaping/horticulture and hardscaping/masonry through partner organizations.
“Here at Oakland, we are bringing a new meaning to ‘working the graveyard shift’ by giving Metro-Atlanta students the opportunity to gain professional experience in landscaping and preservation,” said Charvis Buckholts, director of youth programming at Historic Oakland Foundation.
According to Historic Oakland Foundation, students that successfully finish this year’s program will be invited to apply for next year’s YLHT Leadership Track.
YLHT Leadership Track is a summer program that gives YLHT students the chance to co-manage a first-year cohort, gaining supervisory and leadership skills, as well as learning about project management and small business fundamentals along the way.
“We can think of no better place in our city for the participants in this program to learn the skills associated with landscape and hardscape care than here at historic Oakland Cemetery,” said Dr. Richard Harker, executive director of Historic Oakland Foundation.
“We hope that this program marks the beginning of a long, extended partnership with these students, their families, and their schools.”
To learn more about the program, visit oaklandcemetery.com/youth-landscape-hardscape-team
