Youth engagement grant program

Supporting community initiatives that increase youth interest, engagement and skills in invasive species management.

 

Young people weeding in a coastal environment.
Young people provide a new perspective on invasive species management (image: Intrepid Landcare).

Young people are under-represented in invasive species management, yet they have much to offer by way of passion and interest in improving our landscapes.

Land management is an inter-generational issue, and managing pests and weeds is a crucial part of enhancing our agricultural and natural landscapes. It is important that diverse voices and interests are part of the conversation about how to address the challenge of invasive species.

This grant program has been established to support youth-friendly initiatives with a focus on invasive pest and weed issues in Victoria.

Applications close 5 pm (AEST), 30 September 2019.

Quick links:

Why are young people missing?

From our recent research and survey on youth engagement in invasive species management in Victoria, we know some of the barriers to youth participation include:

  • Limited awareness of the issue and opportunities
  • No clear pathways to participate
  • Young people do not identify as a contributor.

Why engage young people?

We also know that boosting youth engagement has mutual benefits for existing groups and for young people:

  • Succession planning for established groups
  • Knowledge sharing across generations
  • Connecting young people with their community and their landscape
  • Providing skills, confidence and career pathways for young people
  • Mentoring and networking opportunities for young people
  • New ideas and perspectives on the invasive species challenge

Top tips for engaging young people

Invite young people to help plan your project.

We know there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to better youth engagement, but through our research and engagement we’ve established a few recommendations for youth-friendly project planning:

  • Think about what young people in your community might be seeking and plan accordingly – e.g. new skills, career development, networking, adventure
  • Target your communications– does your messaging and branding appeal to young people?
  • Design youth-centric projects – engage young people in project planning and consider how the project can empower them to influence change.
  • Use storytelling as an engagement tool – e.g. what made you passionate about this work? What do you love about this area? What is the difference we can make?
  • Think about the skills that young people can bring to support and complement your project – be open to fresh perspectives and approaches.

Inspiration and ideas

There’s lots of projects underway that are boosting youth participation in environmental initiatives. If you’re looking for a starting point for your invasive species work, here’s just a few projects that have been proposed.

For some established initiatives:

Some other things to consider

To strengthen your project application, you may like to consider some of the following:

  • Collaborating with other groups and organisations
  • Seeking co-funding from other groups and organisations
  • Involving young people in the design, planning or running of the project
  • Incorporating landscape-scale, integrated approaches to invasive species management
  • Developing a communications strategy
  • Engaging local traditional owner groups
  • Engaging participants from disadvantaged or marginalised groups
  • Explaining how you plan to continue your project beyond the 2019-2020 funding cycle
  • Showing how your project could be replicated or extended to other communities.

Key dates

  • Applications open – 2 September 2019
  • Applications close – 30 September 2019
  • Successful grants announced – November 2019
  • Projects undertaken – November 2019 to June 2020

Funding available

The grant program offers grants of between $5,000 and $15,000 (ex GST).