by Austin Webber, SOYL Vancouver Mentor
As a mentor in SOYL, I have witnessed so much growth in a short time of three weeks. Members and mentors of the program have grown so much in this packed three weeks of the program and will continue to learn and grow. In the beginning, members and mentors, including myself, were a bit shy and didn’t want to introduce themselves. But, by the end of the first day, everyone got more comfortable and talkative. As a team, we have gained knowledge about different plants, vegetables, nutrition, and cooking. Everyone in SOYL this year is working extremely hard and getting so much done, which is a huge contribution to making the farms successful.
After the first half of the program, I have gained so many new friendships by working with the crew members and mentors and getting to know them better. I have learned much more in my second year as a mentor. For example, there are tons of plants used for medicine like Nettle which can lower symptoms of allergies like hay fever. A field trip that really stood out was going to VanDusen Botanical Gardens to walk around and explore nature at its fullest. This field trip really stood out because I learned how plants live the same lives as humans – by growing, eating, reproducing, and moving just like humans. Not only is SOYL such an amazing opportunity, but it also flourishes to connect the community to learn, and grow.
Learn more about the SOYL program HERE.