Youth Employment and Training Initiatives (YETI)

Youth gain appropriate work skills, decision-making skills and communication skills through various work experiences offered at the Park Board. They learn the importance of of being dependable and responsible and developing a good work ethic; appropriate workplace conduct; accepting and using constructive feedback; and maintaining a positive attitude.

Park Crew

8-week summer program for youth 14-18

Crews of 8 to 10 members WORK OUTSIDE every day to contribute to the maintenance and improvement of Minneapolis parks. Crewmembers are assigned to a home park and then are transported throughout the day to work at other parks and locations.
Park Care Crewmembers attend weekly work readiness trainings in a classroom setting to explore themes such as personal and professional development, financial empowerment, and career readiness. These sessions are led by experienced classroom educators and the curriculum is continuously updated to respond to the needs of young people entering the workforce.

Spark’d Studios Creative Entrepreneurship Program

7-week summer program for youth 15-18

Explore six diverse creative careers, or ‘pathways’, through hands-on technical training sessions and in-person presentations from mentors who are professionals in the field. Get ready for collaborative group feedback sessions that will empower you to develop your own creative entrepreneurial project, all while earning a paycheck and building employment skills. Based at Harrison Rec Center.

JD Rivers Garden Crew

8-week summer program for youth 16+

Work with professional gardeners and naturalists at the JD Rivers Garden in Wirth Park. Learn about planting, maintaining, harvesting, preparing, and sharing produce, herbs and flowers, all while building employment skills and getting paid.

Recreation Center Internships

8-week summer program

Work at a Rec Center to assist with a range of outdoor and indoor recreation tasks under the guidance of a Recreation Supervisor. If interested, you need to speak to the Rec Supervisor at your local park. Tasks might include monitoring outdoor park areas including playgrounds, wading pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, athletic fields, and patio and picnic areas; or assisting in supervising summer camp and drop-in recreation activities such as arts & crafts, gym games and lunch programs.

Community Connections and Violence Prevention (CCVP) - Pop-Up Parks Program Facilitator

(2 people)
Location: 2117 West River Rd. Minneapolis, MN 55411
Schedule: Five days/week Monday – Saturday, 1:30-9:00pm
June 3^rd – August 31st

• Assist in setting up and taking down equipment and activities at various parks.
• Engage with children and families during park visits, facilitating games and activities.
• Ensure safety of all program participants.
• Assist in planning of themes and activities for Pop-Up events each week.
• Help maintain Pop-Up Parks inventory for the summer.
• Provide administrative support such as data entry, filing, and answering phone calls.
• Assist with preparing materials for workshops, trainings, meetings, etc.
• Collaborate with CCVP staff to develop and implement engaging initiatives for the community.

Natural Resources - Natural Resources Corps Member

(2 people) 

Location: 3800 Bryant Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55409

Schedule: Monday – Friday 7am-3:30pm 

June 10^th – December 6th 

• Assist with planting and maintaining native plant communities in MPRB Natural Areas. 
• Control invasive species and weed species using a variety of techniques and tools.  
• Provide care of Natural Areas using best management practices and integrated pest management strategies. 
• Provide assistance and support for volunteer programs and events. 
• Assist MPRB Natural Resources Technicians and Specialists with tasks pertaining to maintenance and restoration of MPRB Natural Areas.  
• Assist with seasonal prescribed burning, following the direction of Wildfire Certified personnel. 
• Perform and foster an environment of safe work practices and report safety issues promptly to               appropriate staff. 
• Assist with other maintenance duties as assigned.  

Accessibility Analyst

(2 people) 

Location: 2117 West River Rd. Minneapolis, MN 55411 

Schedule: Monday – Thursday 8:30am – 4pm  

June 3^rd – August 23rd 

• Perform ADA compliance fieldwork throughout the MPRB park system. 
• Use data collecting tools and ADA compliance checklists to perform assessments. 
• Assist in analyzing data to assess the ADA infrastructures across MPRB. 
• Collaborate with teams in performing data collection, analysis, and accessibility audits. 
• Assist in content creation that will be used to inform MPRB leadership, visitor services, and park    patrons around the accessible features of park sites and amenities. 
• Perform other related duties as assigned. 

Summer Camp Counselor

(8 people)
Location: Various locations in Minneapolis – camps rotate locations weekly.
Schedule: Four days/week varies Monday – Friday either 3:30-8:30pm or 11am-4pm with some variation for field trips and special programs.
June 17^th – August 16^th

• Receive training on how to plan, prepare and lead fun, hands-on, nature-based summer day camp sessions that promote high-quality, outdoor educational and recreational experiences for campers ages 8-13.
• Receive training and assist in overseeing campers’ safety and well-being, while helping to facilitate their interactions with others and their surroundings using MPRB’s principles of respect and responsibility.
• Receive training in and assist in providing high-quality customer service and communication with parents/guardians and positive relationships with campers.
• Receive training in and assist in engaging and encouraging campers in learning and positive experiences.
• Assist in clean up at the end of each day.
• Perform related work as assigned.