Tips & ideas to support young people to create change

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Over the last nine months, Intrepid Landcare has been researching and designing a way forward for local communities to come together to co-design exciting and inclusive environmental projects and programs with young people for young people.

Supported by NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), we officially launched our new workbook Tips & ideas to support young people to create change, through a series of Intrepid Way workshops which were rolled out in four locations across NSW through March and early April 2017.

The workbook and workshop package aims to fill one of many gaps when it comes to designing youth engagement opportunities for young people. The objective of our package is to overcome the lack of young people contributing to the design of projects, as most often, youth engagement opportunities are designed without young people contributing to the story.

Backed by the latest research, we have designed this workbook for young people and people who support young people so they can walk through some simple and creative steps which help young people create change. This involves identifying where young people are in the community, busting assumptions we hold about young people, through to the power of storytelling and crafting your why for powerful engagement, and how to string project ideas together that have no boundaries or limits.

The workbook is designed to be walked through via an Intrepid Way workshop, but is also useful as a stand-alone tool to guide you through these processes step by step!

To deliver the package across NSW, co-founders Naomi Edwards and Megan Rowlatt travelled 2113 km to Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Nambucca Heads and Sydney, facilitating four one-day workshops sharing their passion for supporting the next generation to create change.

Naomi & Megan on the road… gotta love a good retro Landcare sign to make you feel at home no matter where you are!

At each workshop there was a diversity of inspiring attendees who were from local schools, universities, youth centres, Landcare groups and networks, government agencies and the environment industry.  All up, 31 organisations joined us on the journey.

We couldn’t have imagined the utterly inspiring conversations we shared, let alone, the incredibly exciting projects that were co-designed in the workshops! And some of the projects that were dreamed up include:

  • East-west climate corridor to connect habitat across 20 private properties in Tamworth, imagined and led by young people (this one is so awesome!)
  • A Future Pollin8 young leaders program to activate Sydney’s native nurseries as habitat hubs (We can’t wait to see this one launched!!)
  • Re-imagining recycling with Hoop-bins at Wagga Wagga High School (Again leg by young people and supported by community)
  • Cushion conservation concert to connect the Dubbo community (Sounds like an awesome evening out!)
  • Island Vibes: a cultural wild craft lantana slashing event (Yes please. We’d show up to that!)
Stepping outside for some role play, storytelling and the art of the invitation at our Sydney workshop!

Here’s what people had to say about the workshop series…

Naomi and Megan are so inspirational and before this workshop I was seriously doubting my capability in my role and now I feel so recharged and motivated to go forth and conquer!” – Wagga Wagga workshop participant

“Learning how to coordinate and be a leader, I need it, to progress as the future of Landcare” – Dubbo workshop participant

Amazing and inspiring – the youth engagement workshops is all about showing older generations to connect with young people, and make natural resource management work exciting!” – Dubbo workshop participant

“Intrepid Landcare provides an awesome experience for young people to connect to the environment and their friends. Intrepid gives hope” – Nambucca Heads workshop participant

“A really refreshing perspective, I walked away beautifully inspired” – Sydney workshop participant

Louis Marree, Naomi Edwards, Megan Rowlatt, Benson Keers Lawerence  at the Nambucca Heads workshop (photo credit: Benson Keers Lawerence)

Where can I get a copy of the workbook?

Right here!

Can Intrepid Landcare host an Intrepid Way workshop in my community?

Yes! Just reach out and we’ll chat further ~ hello@intrepidlandcare.org

 

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