Kawartha Lakes, ON – Through a new paid internship pilot program, United Way Haliburton Kawartha Lakes and Ampere are working, learning and growing together.
Growing Futures, a program at the Edwin Binney Community Farm in Lindsay, runs from April 2026 through March 2027 and includes the hiring of six youth aged 15 to 30 for hands-on training in sustainable agriculture and digital skills, alongside mentorship from local agri-food employers. The goal of the program is to create real, sustainable opportunity and impact for people facing barriers to employment.
The partnership between Ampere and United Way Haliburton Kawartha Lakes is particularly meaningful as it helps build digital skills while also incorporating mentorship and employment, two key aspects of Ampere’s Lifecycle. It also has a lasting impact on the Kawartha Lakes community, as Growing Futures will bring approximately 500 local students to the farm for workshops on food security and agricultural careers, sustaining the production of more than 20,000 pounds of fresh produce annually.
“It’s been fantastic partnering with the folks at United Way to continue the important work at the Edwin Binney Community Farm,” says Warren Frank, Ampere’s Kawartha Lakes Program Manager. “The opportunity to remove barriers to employment while providing paid job experience and broadened career paths made this program and partnership an immediate success. We’re excited to continue working together in service of our community.”
According to Raechel Woodrow, Farm Manager for United Way Haliburton Kawartha Lakes, produce generated by the farm typically goes toward supporting local food access initiatives, including food banks and other community programs that help ensure fresh, nutritious produce is available to community members who need it most.
Woodrow says the youth hired through Growing Futures have already had an indisputable impact on the farm.
“Our interns have been integral to the success of this season. While their hard work has helped us grow fresh, healthy food for our community, it has been just as rewarding to see them gain valuable skills and experience through this opportunity,” says Woodrow. “We’ve grown more than food this season; we’ve grown confidence, skills, and futures. I’m incredibly proud of our team and everything they’ve accomplished together.”
Growing Futures is supported through a $100,000 seed grant received from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. In 2025-26, OTF invested nearly $107M into 746 community projects. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment.
Visit otf.ca to learn more.
About Ampere
For over a decade, Ampere (formerly the Pinnguaq Association) has partnered with rural, remote and Indigenous communities to provide access to science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) education and opportunities. Founded in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Ampere applies a Lifecycle approach to ensure that its supporting learners at every age, and every stage of life. Ampere offers programming directly through Makerspaces in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Bathurst, New Brunswick, and in the Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, and works directly with community partners, social organizations, governmental funders and educational institutions from coast to coast to coast.
