As part of Prof. Thompson’s course, “Community-Owned Enterprise and Civic Participation,” we were given the task of laying the groundwork for this new youth-run business – focusing on the potential for forming a cooperative enterprise, owned and managed by the young people themselves.

The concept for this cooperative business is that students could work with existing local community gardens in Boston – including a garden at the Kennedy Playground in Mattapan, one at the Boston Nature Center (where there is also a greenhouse), and perhaps other locations around the city. Products would be marketed and sold through local small stores and perhaps some chains (maybe Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods).

In addition to the entrepreneurship and cooperative experience of this business, the non-business side of the project would provide educational opportunities for participating youth. There would be business/cooperative training, lessons about sustainable agriculture and community gardening, and a science component based on the production process of creating the soaps, shampoos and other products.