PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — If you see a group of young people cleaning and greening around your community as they did Monday at the Hunting Park Community Garden, it could be a crew from PowercorpsPHL.
The group uses an “earn and learn” model, providing career-connected education and paid work experiences to people 18 to 30 years old, in collaboration with AmeriCorps and the City of Philadelphia.
Cassius Cohen is the crew leader of “Rulers of the Jungle,” a group of 12 that does park restoration and trash pickups.
“We basically took down three different garden beds today, and restored a few trees,” said Cohen.
“I can take the skills I'm learning here and apply them to myself,” said Cameron Williams, who started in January.
“I'm getting out of my comfort zone while I'm doing this. I'm doing this for me.”
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“We have done so much work over the past month that I would never expect myself to do ever in my life,” added program newcomer Nassir Abdul-Shaid, whose brother went through the program as well.
The PowerCorpsPHL program focuses on three main areas: Workforce development, youth violence prevention, and environmental stewardship. It aims to prove that a cleaner and greener community is a safer community.
“It's actually scientifically proven that being around trees and cleaner and greener spaces makes your mental health better,” said Latifah Douglass, a project management fellow.
PowerCorpsPHL also works with those who were in the carceral system.
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“We have a team that's working with them to do legal advocacy, supporting [them through] any barriers they may have so that they can come here and be successful,” said Devin Hamilton, Program Director for PowerCorpsPHL.
He says they work closely with Philly Parks & Recreation and partners in the public and private sectors.
Anthony Odom is trying to get his life together after incarceration, and says he loves the program.
“Some people come up and ask ‘How y'all get in here?’ and I'll tell them about my past and how I got here and I tell them how to apply,” Odom said.
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Jere Cherry has been with the program for a month. She wants to get into the electrical field and has some advice for those who want to make a change in their life.
“Get out of your comfort zone,” Cherry said. “You’ve got to do different things like getting dirty pulling out vines, learning about pruning techniques and learning about trees.”
Each member moves through two phases of the program for up to 24 months. They then receive assistance with resume building and career placement.
PowerCorpsPHL has two cohorts each year. The next begins in September.