Are you a young person aged 13-25 who is passionate about wildlife or environmental issues? Do you see things you’d like to change in the world around you? Do you want to work on a project to make action and movement happen in the conservation world?
Become a Conservation Changemaker
Together with other young changemakers, we’ve created a Conservation Changemakers' Toolkit for aspiring young changemakers like yourself. The toolkit is in a few parts to help break down the steps needed in manageable chunks. It will provide you with everything you might need to start or continue your own individual or collective changemaking journey.
Module 1: Introduction
This module is a first look at what it means to become a conservation changemaker. Watch the videos above to take a look at 'An Introduction to wildlife conservation' and 'An introduction to conservation social action' to discover different types of social action you can take and learn some key words that will help when making your own plans to create change.
This first module also gives you some useful introductions to different types of social action you can do, including:
- Campaigning
- Protesting
- Volunteering
- Fundraising
- Craftivism
- Tangible actions in daily life
Click the 'DOWNLOAD MODULE 1' button above to download a ZIP file of all module 1 materials. Alternatively, if you are on a mobile device you may prefer to use the links below to download each module file separately.
Familiarise yourself with key words to do with wildlife conservation in this matching activity
Familiarise yourself with key words to do with social action projects in this matching activity
Find out how protests can be used to raise awareness about conservation issues
Module 2: Planning and How to Guides
This module includes your Changemakers’ Project Organiser which includes lots of planning tools and techniques to help you on your way to becoming a changemaker in conservation. You can also find some really useful guides for how to actually plan or do some of the examples of social action as well as some handy resources to support your wellbeing and confidence.
Click the 'DOWNLOAD MODULE 2' button above to download a ZIP file of all module 2 materials. Alternatively, if you are on a mobile device you may prefer to use the links below to download each module file separately.
Write up your whole changemaker's project using this complete organiser, including useful planning activities
An interactive version of the organiser that you can fill out digitally whilst planning your changemaker' project
A step by step guide for how to bring people together for a cause
A step by step guide on how to organise a demonstration
A step by step guide on how to put together an effective email to an MP about conservation
A list of other environmental and conservation social action projects you could get involved with
Module 3: Reflection
Once you’ve planned and done your very own changemaking project, this module provides you with an opportunity to reflect on what skills you’ve learned and how the project went. You can access a Changemakers Reflective Journal which gives you prompts along the way to help provide insight into what went really well and where there may be areas of improvement for next time.
We also want you to celebrate your changemaking journey, so we’ve also included some suggestions to help you to amplify your message and if you want to, submit for a Champions in Conservation Award.
Leader's Guide
Do you work with groups of young people in the community? Are you looking for an interesting and inspiring project to do with them? Would you like to provide them with an opportunity to develop new skills?
We’ve also created a handy ‘Leader’s Guide’ to help take you through the steps within the toolkit in a group setting. Whilst each young person can still access the toolkit and produce their own ‘Project Organiser’ and ‘Reflective Journal’ – developing key skills in teamwork, collaboration, organisation, listening and more along the way – you can work with them collectively to develop a ‘Conservation Changemakers Project’ together.
Skills Builder Framework
Parts of the toolkit has been written to support the Skills Builder framework. Skills Builder is a hub of resources that help young people master eight essential skills. The Conservation Changemakers’ Toolkit is a great way for you to use, develop and recognise skills you’re building during the project and add them as examples to your C.Vs.
CREDITS
The Young Conservation Changemakers Toolkit wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the young people and facilitators of young people who have helped develop it. Whether they were part of a consultation group, contributed content or helped review the materials – every single person involved has been vital to the creation of the toolkit.
Many thanks to all the young people and their facilitators from #iwill movement, Cheshire West and Chester’s Youth Senate, South and West Cheshire College, Chester Zoo’s Youth Board, Youth Volunteers and Interns.
Hinal, Vaari, Amogh, Kareena, Eden, Amy, Imy, Anna, Malcolm, Meg, Francesa, Ashline, Wen, Lucy, Jack, Cam, Billy, Jessica, Charlotte, Izzy, Will, Elise, Ben, Anna-Maria, Emily, Jacob, Jessica, Cesca, Seniz, Ramandeep, Ebony, Maisie, Paul, Cal, Kyle, Rosie.
Clare, Joanne, Pami, Rachael, Holly, Cate, Constance, Sarah.
With special thanks to Emma Greenwood for being instrumental in creating some of the materials within the toolkit
