Youth are a common sight at the Compost Education Centre in Victoria.
Young people learn through hands-on programs organized through schools and other youth organizations.
By the end of 2022, the centre’s schools program will have reached more than 2,800 students and 400 educators across the Capital Regional District.
Yet there was still room for more, said Elora Adamson, the centre’s education coordinator. A new free program invites young people aged 13 to 18 to learn to Let it Rot, on Saturdays from February through the first week of June.
READ ALSO: Free multi-sport para program launching for Greater Victoria youth with disabilities
“I felt there was a need. Looking back to when I was in high school there wasn’t programming available to me about gardening and composting,” Adamson said.
Let it Rot is specifically designed for teens, to introduce them to skills that build on each other as the program progresses.
They’ll “dabble in a little bit of everything,” from hot compost to the importance of native plants and pollinators to growing from seed.
Sessions include breaks and snacks and aim to build community within the group on site at the Compost Education Centre in Fernwood.
Castle Building Centre sponsors the program to help cover costs and keep the program accessible. Register for the program or find out how to sponsor at compost.bc.ca.