Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust holding online conference for young people
Todays event will cover a range of topics from bird song to jobs in conservation
The Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust is holding a virtual conference event today.
Todays event, Wilder Next Generation Virtual Summit, will see young people get together to hear from peers and also experts in the wildlife sector.
The day has been split up, with speakers and group sessions throughout.
There is also a thoughts and opinions session for young people to discuss current barriers for young people when it comes to environmental issues and activities.
Speakers include Megan Mccleverty a 17 year old wildlife enthusiast from Buckinghamshire.
Who is a young ambassador for the Cameron Bespolka Trust and on the Youth Advisory Panel for the BTO.
Andree Payne is the Education Manager for Oxfordshire at BBOWT:
"Plenty of young people are extremely passionate and social media has really helped with that.
"We know that they care and that they are tuned in but its just overcoming barriers and creating opportunities that work with their lives and what they want to get out of it.
"We do offer some opportunities at the moment and they are very successful but we are really tying not to dictate what these are and have the young people tell us what they want.
"Some of them are very overwhelmed with the situation. They see so much doom and gloom that it is almost a barrier for them to overcome and engage with conservation and wildlife charities.
"So we want to look at that too."
There will also be a workshop highlighting careers in a wildlife charity.
The panellists include BBOWT’s Fundraising, Communications and Marketing Director, a Wildlife Conservation Trainee, an Education Officer, and a Former Assistant Warden at College Lake Nature Reserve.