• DIRT GROUP is a trauma-informed children’s mental health application based in social and emotional learning in the context of a gardening/farming/food/creative arts project.
• DIRT GROUP utilizes experiential social skills training groups for youth who manifest significant impairments in social functioning as a direct result of a mental health disorder.
• DIRT GROUP teaches important life and social skills in a poignant environment whose participants experience tangible results not only in the form of fruits and vegetables but also increased social competencies.
• Participants learn, practice, and master life and social skills which prepare them for life. A sense of pride and ownership is reported by participants who get to be part of “the big ripple effect” of participating in their communities by making a difference in other’s lives around issues related to food security, social justice, and service.
• DIRT GROUP provides an opportunity for participants to experience social inclusion in a safe, cohesive environment. A rich marinade of poignant ingredients supporting successful youth development as participants learn, practice, and master important life and social skills through intentional, redundant, structured skills training decreasing behavioral and emotional challenges.
• Social Justice Youth Work (McDaniel, 2015)

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