Resilient Youth Internship
at Sunny Joy Farm
Cultivating skills, purpose, and community through hands-on learning in nature.
RYI is now nested inside L✧E✧R✧N
WHAT WILL PARTICIPANTS DO?
Seasonal Projects with a Purpose
Youth participants will engage in exciting, hands-on activities that connect them to the rhythms of nature and the cycles of the seasons:
Winter & Early Spring: Seed cleaning, garden bed preparation, greenhouse planting, garden design, and light construction of structures like composting toilets and outdoor kitchens.
Spring: Preparing garden beds, planting crops, and focusing on food and dye production for markets and community sharing.
Summer: Harvesting, pest management, irrigation design, farm-to-kitchen meals, herbal medicine creation, eco-art, and market preparations.
Fall: Focus on harvesting, cooking, food storage, composting, and fall crafts.
Winter: Art preparation for holiday markets, soap making, and bottling herbal tinctures.
Youth won’t just complete projects—they’ll explore their own strengths, gain entrepreneurial experience, and uncover their unique talents in a vibrant, collaborative setting.
Hands-On Learning and Mentorship
What Makes This Program Different?
A Revolutionary Approach to Learning and Growth.
Our program is unlike traditional extracurricular options. Here’s why:
Small Groups, Big Impact: With only 3-4 participants per session, youth receive undivided attention and mentorship.
Hands-On, Purpose-Driven Learning: Youth engage in practical skills like farming, composting, creative arts, and irrigation while exploring their purpose and passions.
Anti-Traditional, Pro-Resilience: Instead of rigid, outdated school principles, our program fosters creativity, individuality, and self-discovery.
Mutual Aid and Peer Support: Participants learn the value of collaboration, emotional resilience, and being part of a community.
Who Is This Program For?
Designed for Youth Ready to Thrive in New Ways
Our program welcomes:
Youth aged 14-25 who want hands-on learning over traditional academics.
Individuals from non-traditional families, non-dominant identities (BIPOC, LGBTQ, Neurodivergent, ESL), or those who’ve faced adverse experiences.
Creative, sensitive youth with a passion for art, gardening, or experiential learning.
Youth looking for paid learning opportunities that inspire their future vocational paths.
More Than Just a Program—A Path to Purpose
Participants walk away with:
Skills: Farming, self-care, teamwork, and vocational skills.
Knowledge: Systems thinking, creative problem-solving, permaculture design.
Growth: Confidence, leadership, and a sense of belonging.
Participants will also receive a reference letter, potential high school credits, and mentorship in how to create lasting connections with other mentors.
Why Families Love This Program
An Investment in Resilience, Connection, and a Brighter Future
Paid to Learn: Youth earn a $150 stipend per session.
A Supportive Community: Building a "village mentality" with deep peer and mentor bonds.
Real-Life Lessons: Teaching youth how to navigate the world beyond standardized education systems.
We provide a "secret third option" for youth—a chance to explore life paths outside of traditional education or societal expectations.
A Pathway to a Brighter Future
Help Your Teen Discover Their Purpose, Resilience, and Passion
The Sunny Joy Farm Internship is more than a program—it’s a life-changing experience. Through mentorship, practical skills, and deep connection to the natural world, youth leave with confidence, purpose, and a toolkit for life.
“Sunny has been a wonderful example to me of what it means to live in a way that is rooted in integrity and dedicated to my community. Her generosity and immense knowledge are unparalleled; she offers skills that are not only practical and artistic, but that are also communication based, philosophically oriented, and expansive in the realm of social justice movements. This internship has granted me the ability to have hands-on experience learning about sustainable gardening practices, eco art and botanical dye techniques, animal care, the business practices of operating a cottage industry, and so much more. My time with Sunny has allowed me to grow my self-confidence and offers me hope as a young adult facing unprecedented times.”
☽ The L.E.R.N. year ☾
Growth has time to actually take root
Each month follows the same rhythm: three weeks in session, one week off — closer to a moon cycle than a school calendar, an ancient rhythm the body already knows how to keep.
FALL: Oct 5 - Dec 10, 2026
WINTER: Jan 4 - Mar 11, 2027
SPRING: Mar 15 - May 23
RYI Participants come 2 days a week for 2 hours each time, though they are encouraged to stay for the whole LERN day 9-2 when we are in session.
The investment is $750 for the seasonal internship program nested inside LERN. Students will RECEIVE $150 stipend in addition to mentorship and skill share.
— Scholarships and Sliding Scale Available! —
Self identify what scholarship level you qualify for HERE
Contact me with the form below for more information or to begin the application process.