Submitted by Wildroots-India
In a journey towards nurturing environmentally conscious Youth Leaders of tomorrow with a deep connection with Nature, Wildroots (an organisation based in Assam, India) recently hosted its third edition of the Youth Climate & Conservation Fellowship Programme (YCCFP).
Since July 2022, Dr. Biswajit De, the Founder President & Principal Mentor of Wildroots-India, with support from the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) and inspired by #NatureForAll, has designed, coordinated, and implemented the YCCFP, successfully involving students and teachers from more than 25 Indian schools.
“What started with 10 students from urban schools in Guwahati in Assam, and rural schools of Seijosa, Arunachal Pradesh, has now grown to a yearly effort inspiring a deeper connection with nature and fostering a sense of environmental stewardship among the youth,” said Dr. De. “The programme empowers youth to become ‘agents of change’ in their own communities, foster collaboration, and design of impact-driven action plans.”
The program exposes students to various climate and conservation education pedagogies related to climate awareness and education. The students were trained via environmental educational modules that aimed to build a collective task force to address local and global environmental problems, brainstorm on solutions, mitigation ideas, actions and connect with the local communities.
The third cohort was held in the serene surroundings of Chenglimari Village, Garogaon and Balipara in Assam in collaboration with a regional experiential partner the Assam Investment Advisory Society (AIAS). This time, 35 enthusiastic students, accompanied by dedicated teachers and mentors, were engaged in a series of workshops, fun activities, and community engagement initiatives.
“The program encouraged a two-way learning process about biodiversity, habitat loss and plastic pollution among rural and urban school children,” said Dr. De. “The success of this program underscores the significance of youth-led initiatives in addressing pressing environmental challenges and emphasizes on the importance of collaborative efforts of regional organizations (like AIAS), in building a sustainable future for generations to come.”
Now, back in their own states, students are encouraged to replicate the same collaborative structure they learned and form the ‘Indian Regional Task Force’, comprised of their classmates, teachers and members of the local communities. The goal is to have these groups brainstorm ideas and implementations to embrace the overall approach of IUCN’s and #NatureForAll’s Ecological Pathways and Priorities in India.
Watch the Aftermovie of the YCCFP – Cohort 3.
You can also find more details about the three cohorts in these reports submitted by Wildroots-India.