Engaging City Youth in Urban Agriculture: Examining a Farm-Based High School Internship Program through the Lens of Self-Determination Theory

Urban Farm DB summary

A year-long case study examined six eleventh- and twelfth-grade students participating in a farm-based youth internship program in Baltimore, Maryland. Using Self-Determination Theory as an analytical framework, program components that promoted participants' engagement by meeting their needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness were identified. The findings indicate specific strategies that urban agriculture programs can use to more effectively engage youth.