Upcoming trainings

  • Designed for garden leaders, coordinators, and organizers, this expanded 5-day training with GreenThumb NYC explores what a sustainable garden culture looks like when we prioritize relationships, care, and interdependence instead of overwork that leads to burnout.

    Through storytelling, experiential planning exercises, and reflective dialogue, participants will learn practical strategies to build volunteer systems that are compassionate, organized, and adaptable. We’ll dig into what it means to center joy, accountability, and clear communication—and how to share leadership, embrace mistakes, and grow a culture of mutual support.

    DATES: March 6, 13, 27, and April 10 will be in-person at GreenThumb HQ; March 31 session will be virtual.

    Applications deadline: Sunday, February 7, 2027 at 11:59 pm.

    FOR GREENTHUMB GARDENS ONLY.

    Interested in applying? Email sustainableculturesllc@gmail.com.

Past trainings + Talks

  • Thursday, October 8, 2026 11-12pm

    In this workshop, we will explore what it means to cultivate a sustainable garden culture rooted in care, collaboration, and interdependence rather than patterns of overwork that lead to burnout. Together, we will examine how garden leaders, coordinators, and organizers can move away from models of individual responsibility and instead embrace shared leadership, mutual support, and collective learning. By creating space for mistakes, reflection, and growth, we can build systems that are compassionate, organized, resilient, and adaptable.

    Topics will include:

    • Building a culture of care: honoring personal and collective capacity

    • Understanding, supporting, and valuing volunteers

    • Key components of a sustainable garden culture

  • Designed for garden leaders, coordinators, and organizers, this 3-day training with GreenThumb NYC explored what a sustainable garden culture can look like when we prioritize relationships, care, and interdependence instead of overwork that leads to burnout.

    Through storytelling, experiential planning exercises, and reflective dialogue, participants learned practical strategies to build volunteer systems that are compassionate, organized, and adaptable. We dug into what it means to center joy, accountability, and clear communication—and how to share leadership, embrace mistakes, and grow a culture of mutual support.

  • What would it look like if gardens centered their approach towards volunteers as sustainable?

    In this June 2005 talk + tour for the National GrowTogether Conference, Zhenia discusses the importance of creating a culture that respects all volunteers, (including their health, individual lives and availability, and volunteer expectations/commitments), centers communication and accountability and allows space for change, innovation and creative thinking.