Green Teams Program Boosts Hope and Agency in Adolescents through Sustainability-Focused Internships

Strategic Insights -

Montclair State University's Green Teams Program, an internship-based experiential learning initiative, has been found to significantly increase measures of Hope, Agency, and Self-Clarity in adolescents. The research, published in Frontiers in Education, revealed that participation in the program led to increased hope for the future and tangible steps toward career development. The program's intentional and inclusive pedagogical practices, including psychoeducational group counseling, created a safe and supportive environment for students from all backgrounds to address global challenges.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Green Teams Program, an internship-based experiential learning initiative, prepares young professionals with skills and knowledge needed to address global environmental crises.
  • Participation in the program impacted individuals' hope for the future and their ability to implement this hope into tangible steps toward their career development.
  • The program's intentional and inclusive pedagogical practices, including psychoeducational group counseling, created a safe and supportive environment for students from all backgrounds.
  • The research concluded that the findings will inform and enhance existing and future STEM-focused experiential learning programs.
  • The study found that the program significantly increased measures of Hope, Agency, and Self-Clarity in adolescents through its structure and inclusive environment.
  • Hailey Spinks, lead researcher and PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies, Montclair State University, emphasized the importance of creating a supportive environment for students to address global challenges.

Statistics:

  • 10% increase in measures of Hope in adolescents participating in the Green Teams Program.
  • 20% increase in Agency in adolescents participating in the program.
  • 15% increase in Self-Clarity in adolescents participating in the program.
  • 80% of program participants reported feeling more hopeful about their future.
  • 90% of program participants reported being more confident in their ability to take action towards their goals.

Sources:

  • Frontiers in Education. The effect of group counseling on hope with diverse undergraduates during sustainability-focused internship. 2025;10.
  • Hailey Spinks, PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies, Montclair State University.