Harbour Grace Green Team curious about local conservation habits
Members of the Harbour Grace Splash Centre Green Team, comprised of team leader Ava McDonald, 17, and Anton Collins, 17, have been spending the summer interviewing local business leaders about their conservation habits as part of their project, ‘Live & Love Local.’
“What we do is we go around to some local businesses around Conception Bay and we interview them, see how they conserve the environment or culture of Newfoundland and Labrador, and then we will write a report on them,” explained Collins.
So far, the team has interviewed businesses including SeaSpun Yarn and Coffee House and Saved by a Spell, both of Carbonear, Home Grown Farm, Restwell Mattresses Ltd., and the Conception Bay Museum, all of Harbour Grace, the Cupids Legacy Centre, and Salmonier Nature Park.
The team also works closely with the Splash Centre’s summer day camp program and hosts many environmental awareness events for the children attending the program.
Through the Green Team program, the Conservation Corps of Newfoundland and Labrador (CCNL) has provided summer employment for thousands of youths since the launch of the program in 1993. This year, CCNL has employed over 100 youths through 26 Green Team projects and nine internships across the province.
When asked what they are learning as part of the Splash Centre Green Team, McDonald cited digital marketing as well as general professionalism like connecting with businesses, writing e-mails, making appointments, and so on.
McDonald said the Green Team program offers youths many opportunities. In addition to skills learned on the jobsite, CCNL will host training sessions for its Green Team members and even pay for members to receive First-Aid certification.
“They provide you with this meaningful work experience,” said McDonald. “It’s not your typical summer job. It allows you to branch out and learn more while also providing you with the training you’ll need for future jobs.”
McDonald hails from Harbour Grace, while Collins hails from Bay Roberts.