By Christina Owen
In March, I was lucky enough to be selected to join Youth and Environment Europe, along with 14 other young people from youth organisations across Europe, for a five-day training programme called ‘Training of Trainers: Empowering the Unheard’. The program was designed to build on our skills as trainers and facilitators, to better amplify and engage marginalised members of our communities. As the conservation sector is one of the least diverse in the UK, I was very keen to learn more about the ways in which UKY4N can improve the work we do to engage with different young people.
Pre-event jitters
I was very nervous before I set off as this was the first event I’ve attended as a solo representative of UKY4N. I also don’t work in the environmental sector so was worried that everyone else would be more experienced or more knowledgeable than me. I thought it might be a little overwhelming, so I packed a lot of knitting in case I had to hide in my room during our free time and agonised over audiobook choices!
Roomies
However, once I arrived in Budapest, I quickly found my fears to be unfounded. One of the big things I’ve learned since joining UKY4N is that most people who invest their time in climate and nature work are totally delightful! From the moment I met my roommate, I was filled with an incredible energy to make the most of my time there and to forge new connections. As someone who has struggled with mental illness in the past, pushing myself in an environment that is challenging and tiring can feel risky, but I was grateful to discover a community of supportive individuals who looked out for everyone.
Combatting language barriers
The training itself was wide ranging, moving from evaluating events for elements that prevent different participants from taking part, to examining our own organisations through a lens of system innovation.
One of the most impactful moments for me personally came early on when we were discussing terminology, making sure that everyone understood the words and phrases we would be using across the training. I was in a group with a few people from other countries, and we were discussing the definition of ‘Intersectionality’ – a word a lot of us involved in campaigning in the UK will be familiar with. However, one person I was with, despite having incredibly good English language skills, had never heard the word before, and another had only heard it in the context of intersecting fights for different causes.
I was reminded in that moment that even though we all were united by a shared desire to learn about how we can make positive changes in our organisations, we all came from unique contexts, with different aims and situations. In fact, a reminder that the work of climate and nature campaigning is not just important in the UK, is not just happening in the UK, was one of my biggest takeaways.
Taking in the sights
Of course, we didn’t only spend time training, we also found some time to enjoy some sightseeing and nightlife. The baths were incredible after an intense few days, the ruined bars colourful and fun, and the hills not too high. Of course, being from UK Youth for Nature, I also found some time to look for local wildlife, spotting what I think was a stone martin on the bonnet of a car down a dark street. But I only got one picture of it so you’ll have to judge for yourself…
If you’re a young person aged 16-35 who is looking for a community of like-minded nature lovers in the UK, join us! Find out more about how you can get involved with UK Youth for Nature here.
