Are you the next Young Conservationist?
The Young Conservationist Scholarship Program highlights the drive of passionate youth by giving them the tools they need to be conservation leaders in their communities and beyond. Each year, we select up to 25 environmentally-minded youth to join the program, collaborate in a cohort of like-minded peers, engage in an environmental conference and facilitate their own start-to-finish conservation project.
If selected to participate, youth have six months to create and facilitate a community conservation initiative with support from BCWF. Through bi-monthly meetings, youth will gain tactical leadership skills and environmental knowledge to support their growth. Once projects are completed, the project which exceeds expectations and demonstrates conservation excellence will be awarded a $1,500 scholarship and the opportunity to present their project at the 2023 BCWF Annual General Meeting.
Applications now open the 2023-2024 YCSP cohort!
2
$2,000
Program Outline
Final dates to be announced.
- March 31 — Applications due
- April — Conservation conference
- May 24 — Project proposals due
- July 10 — Cohort check-in
- August — Go Wild applications due
- August 31 — Cohort check-in
- September 11 — Cohort check-in
- November 13 — Cohort check-in
- January — Project reports due
- March — Winner selected
- April — BCWF Annual General Conference & winner presentation
Eligibility
- Must be between grade 7 and grade 12 in the 2023-2024 school year
- Must be currently enrolled in a B.C. school
- Passion for protecting, enhancing and restoring the environment
Winners of the 2021-22 YCSP
2020-21 Winner: Ella
The winner of the 2021-22 Young Conservationist Scholarship Program, and recipient of a $1,500 scholarship is Ella – a 12-year-old conservationist who aims to educate and inspire youth and adults to become empowered to take action towards wildlife conservation and work towards a more sustainable future. Through the Young Conservationist Scholarship Program, Ella created a series of three “Green Minute” videos, which show viewers how to be more eco-friendly, and led workshops for her peers.
When asked what her advice was for the next cohort of Young Conservationists, Ella suggested to “lead with your heart and find a topic you are passionate about”, and to “recruit friends whenever possible” to maximize the impact you can do in your community.
2020-21 Runner-Up: Mariella
The runner-up of our inaugural Young Conservationist Scholarship Program and recipient of a $500 scholarship was Mariella, a grade twelve student who focused her efforts on revitalizing an abandoned pond area outside her high school into a native plant garden. Her project was a collaborative effort between her and her school’s Eco Club, which she has been a dedicated member of for five years.
Following the program, Mariella plans to continue working on conservation initiatives in university. Her advice to future Young Conservationists is to “take this program with an open mind and do a project you can put your heart and soul into”.
Contact Us
If you want more information or have any questions, contact us at youth@bcwf.c.ca.
Or give us a call at 604-882-9988 ext. 303
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