RESOLUTION 4

The resolution proposal below is a ‘Zero Draft’

Mainstreaming Mentorship of Young Conservationists

Encouraging conservation organizations to integrate and promote the mentorship of young conservationists within their internal strategy

PREAMBLE:

At CoalitionWILD, we envision a world where young conservationists are confident, respectful, respected, included, and well-supported as active leaders and agents of change. Over our ten-year history, we have supported nearly two hundred young conservation leaders by connecting them with relevant senior conservation professionals, helping them amplify their personal networks, access up-to-date knowledge on conservation sector trends, and gain lifelong supporters and cheerleaders.

In recent years, we have seen a striking increase in interest from young conservation leaders seeking mentorship, receiving more than six hundred applications per year for our Global Mentorship Program. Unfortunately, this surge in interest has not been matched by a corresponding increase in participation from mid and senior generations. This trend is not unique to our program but is also evident in other mentorship programs in the conservation sector with which we have had discussions.

WHEREAS:

To ensure the long-term sustainability of conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of nature efforts, we must invest in supporting the younger generations of conservationists who will be entering the workforce, advocating for conservation policies, and actively participating in conservation movements in the coming decades. We recognize that mentorship, understood as: “a long-term, trust-based, horizontal relationship between two or more people that provides a space for two-way knowledge, ideas, and experience exchange, and reciprocal learning, empowering young people to exercise their agency, fostering their ability to lead and innovate” is a critical strategy to enhance the effectiveness and maintain the legacy of conservation efforts in the long run.

Recognizing the importance of youth in addressing our biodiversity and climate crises. Mentorship provides youth with the knowledge and understanding of generational planning. Through the mentorship of young conservationists, senior professionals facilitate effective knowledge transfer, ensuring that their valuable expertise and insights are passed on to the next generation. This process not only helps maintain the continuity and integrity of their work but also secures their legacy within the field.

We believe that promoting cross-generational interactions contributes to ensuring the intergenerational equity of conservation efforts, a key guiding consideration for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We will only be able to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” if we establish conversations with younger generations about what their needs are and provide them with the capacity to develop strategies to meet them. We will only be able “to ensure the meaningful participation of younger generations in decision-making processes at all levels” if conservation organizations actively promote these dialogues.

THEREFORE

We urge nonprofit organizations and the private sector, all working to restore, protect, and conserve our planet, to undertake the following actions:

RESOLVED

1. To include mentorship of younger generations as a part of their internal strategy. Mentorship can be implemented within their organization, with their partner organizations, or externally (Mentorship strategic integration).
2. To allocate at least 20 hours per year for each staff member to mentor young conservation professionals. This commitment should be reflected in their job description and responsibilities (Staff mentorship commitment).
3. To encourage retired employees to contribute their experience, knowledge, and time to mentorship efforts, ensuring that valuable conservation knowledge is passed on to younger generations (Engagement of retirees).
4. To collaborate with organizations that already have successful mentorship programs or are experts in training for effective mentorship relationships. Ensuring their staff receive at least 10 hours of mentorship training per year to become more effective mentors (Collaboration and training).

PROPOSERS

Name: Rowely “Yen” Parico
Position/Title: Director, CoalitionWILD
Country: Belgium/Philippines
Email: yen@coalitionwild.org

Name: Fátima Gigante
Position/Title: Program Coordinator, CoalitionWILD
Country: Spain/Portugal
Email: fatima@coalitionwild.org

SECONDERS

Name: Michael Grover
Position/Title: Nature Positive Enterprise Manager, Conserve Global
Country: South Africa
Email: Mike.Grover@conserveglobal.org

Name: Crista Valentino
Position/Title: Executive Director, Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board
Tribal Partnerships Program Manager, National Wildlife Federation
Socio-economic Advancement Specialist, Current Consulting
Country: U.S.A
Email: crista.valentino@gmail.com