Home : Our Work : Junior Ambassador Curriculum Junior Ambassador Curriculum Share this project We created a Junior Ambassador curriculum to give youth in Pittsburgh the opportunity to transform vacant lots in their neighborhoods into well-loved spaces. The curriculum contains three modules, each suitable for a year-long program. What’s the context? In 2014, GTECH published a report called Youth in Green detailing the geographic gaps in environmental programming for youth in Pittsburgh. One finding of this report was that places with more vacant lots have less environmental programs for kids, and less youth programs in general. One recommendation of the report was to create a Junior Ambassador curriculum to allow youth to reclaim their neighborhood landscapes. So, following the recommendation, we created curriculum for a Junior Ambassador model. The curriculum was originally designed for a program called Youth Green Corps, run by UrbanKind Institute (formerly known as Community Works). The purpose of the program was to give 20 high school males the opportunity to lead and participate in environmental initiatives in Pittsburgh’s Hilltop neighborhoods. The hands-on lessons were designed to result in the reclamation of a vacant lot. What is the curriculum about? The Junior Ambassador curriculum gives students the opportunity to experience reclaiming a vacant lot first hand. The curriculum includes three year-long modules that each take a nuanced look into environmental issues in Pittsburgh, including community health, food, and stormwater. Each module gives students the opportunity to learn and create projects alongside professionals in related fields, practice public speaking and civic engagement, and get hands-on experience transforming a vacant lot into a well-loved space. This curriculum entrusts the students with creativity and gives them the tools to be thoughtful and innovative in their approach. Where can I find the curriculum? Check out our resources page and search for Youth Green Corps to check out some sample pages of the curriculum and contact us if you would like to use it.