Weaving the Web of Youth Engagement

This workshop has been shaped and delivered at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii (2016), at the International Marine Protected Areas Congress in Chile (2017) and at the Canadian National Parks Conference... [ view full abstract ]

This workshop has been shaped and delivered at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii (2016), at the International Marine Protected Areas Congress in Chile (2017) and at the Canadian National Parks Conference (2017). As the primary youth facilitator from Parks Canada, my goal is to focus on Youth Engagement in Conservation by addressing challenges and providing opportunities through this collaborative session.

Session structure: 

• Introduction:  Sharing background of work and best practices for youth engagement according to recommendations from the 4th International Marine Protected Areas Congress. 

• Activity: Challenges & Opportunities

This session will address specific challenges in engaging youth in conservation. Each participant will receive two post-it notes. Participants will be sitting in round table and list their current challenge in engaging youth in their organization on one of the two post-it notes and leave the other blank beside it on the table. Then, they will switch tables and sit in front of a different set of post-it notes (one with a listed challenge and one blank). With the new group they are sitting with, they will try to address another participant’s challenge in engaging youth on MPAs using the listed best practices and by thinking of new ideas. These ideas will then be written down on the second blank post-it note and left for the owners of the challenge. Participants will return to their seat to find that the challenge they wrote has a new solution addressing it as well.  

• Concluding exercise: “Weaving the Web” Group sharing 

With the challenges and new solutions, participants may gather in a circle with their post-its. The workshop facilitator will be the first to share their challenge and solution and will be the first to start a connected web with string. The yarn will be tossed to someone who resonated with this challenge or solution. The next person will share their challenge and the solution that was recommended to them and pass the string to the next person. After everyone has shared their strategies (from the best practices or new), the participants will all be connected in the web.