The North of England Zoological Society – Annual Report and Financial Statements 2021
CHESTER ZOO YOUTH BOARD Our Youth Board was established in 2020 and is made up of 13 young people, from a range of backgrounds, aged 18 to 25 years old. Members contribute to the Board on a voluntary basis, elect their own Chair and are accountable to the Board of Trustees. They work collaboratively with Trustees, directors, zoo staff and other young people to enable the zoo to achieve its mission, with a particular focus on empowering the next generation of conservationists. Youth Board members participate in the governance of the organisation by attending Youth Board, Trustee and other meetings and acting as ambassadors for the zoo’s work with young people. They provide a voice for young people and support the zoo to develop its programmes for and appeal to teenagers and young adults. As part of their work, in 2021, the Youth Board have actioned the following: •
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Developed and delivered two workshops at the IUCN One Nature, One Future Global Youth Summit in April. During the workshops they hosted speakers and 120 delegates from across the globe to shape a discussion about the value and mechanics of youth governance in conservation.
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Copresented a paper at the EAZA/IZE International Conservation Education Conference about the role of young governance in conservation education.
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Hosted the first-ever Chester Zoo Youth Symposium, which was attended by over 100 young people and provided a forum for young people to share and discuss different aspects of their engagement in conservation.
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Worked with senior zoo staff to further our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work, in particular through completing audits of the zoo site and making recommendations for accessibility improvements.
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Contributed to the zoo’s youth programmes, including participating in a panel discussion as part of our inaugural Careers Festival.
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Offered advice and support to several organisations interested in setting up their own youth governance structures.
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Provided advice and challenge to the board of Trustees on a range of topics.
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