Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work

The Commonwealth has announced the finalists of the Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work.

The awards celebrate young people (aged 15-29) in the Commonwealth who are making a positive difference to the lives of others through development initiatives ranging from poverty alleviation to education and protection of the environment.

Young people were nominated from more than 36 countries across the Commonwealth for the awards, which are run by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Youth Affairs Division (YAD). YAD manages the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP).

The 16 finalists will each receive a £1,000 grant to advance their development work and guidance from CYP on how their work could be further expanded and sustained.

Four of the finalists will also be awarded a further £2,000 as Regional Winners, and a further £2,000 will be awarded to the Pan-Commonwealth Winner, to be announced at an awards ceremony at the Secretariat’s headquarters in London on 12 March, following Commonwealth Day.

This year's Commonwealth theme is 'Opportunity through Enterprise' - unlocking potential with innovation and excellence.

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba said: “The nominations we have received for the awards demonstrate that young people are making a wonderful and significant contribution to human development in our member states. As partners in development, young people are using creative ideas, new technologies and are bringing tremendous energy to meeting national development goals. All the nominees are remarkable. I am extremely proud of the young people in the Commonwealth, especially this year when we are celebrating 40 years of youth empowerment through the CYP.”

Africa and Europe:

§  Ellen Daphine Chilemba, founder of Tiwale
Malawi
Area of work: Enterprise development, youth development

§  Foglabenchi Lily Haritu, sexual and reproductive health nurse-activist and Supervisor of the Women’s Health Programme of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services
Cameroon
Area of work: Health and wellbeing, HIV/AIDS

§  Isaiah Owolabi, founder and Project Director of HACEY’s Health initiative
Nigeria
Area of work: Health and wellbeing, HIV/AIDS

§  Evans Muchika Wadongo, founder of “Use solar, save lives” programme
Kenya
Area of work: Sustainable livelihoods and poverty reduction

Asia:

§  Hanan Ali Abbasi, President of the National Youth Assembly
Pakistan
Area of work: Human rights and democracy

§  Anoka Primrose Abeyrathne, eco-entrepreneur 
Sri Lanka
Area of work: Agriculture, small enterprise, skills training

§  Gaurang K. Chauhan, founder of Leher 
India
Area of work: Education, peer education

§  Sikander Sabeer, youth leader
Sri Lanka
Area of work: Climate change/environment protection

Caribbean (including Canada):

§  Randy McLaren, founder of International Kreative Aktivism Network
Jamaica
Area of work: Arts and Culture

§  Nadine Muschette, initiated ‘The Campaign to improve the dining culture at the Allman Town Primary School’, ‘The Project Hope Foundation Summer Day Camp’, and the participation of Moneague College in the British Council Global School Partnerships Programme
Jamaica 
Area of work: Education, peer education

§  Kemar Saffrey, Chairman and President of The Barbados Vagrants and Homeless Society
Barbados
Area of work: Sustainable livelihoods and poverty reduction

§  Gordon Swaby, founder of EduFocal
Jamaica
Area of work: Education, peer education

Pacific:

§  Melissa Edwards, founder of Heyday Festival
Australia
Area of work: Arts and Culture

§  Julian O’Shea, Director of the Engineers Without Borders Institute and volunteer
Australia 
Area of work: Science and Technology

§  Chanel Tauveve, employer and recipient of the Young Farmer Award 2012 from Samoa’s Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development
Samoa
Area of work: Sustainable Livelihoods and poverty reduction

§  Jill Wai, Vanuatu Monitoring and Evaluation Program Managers at Youth Challenge
Vanuatu
Area of work: Education, peer education

§   

The finalists were selected at the CYP Regional Centres in Guyana, India, Solomon Islands and Zambia.

Each CYP Regional Centre judging panel was comprised of two representatives from Commonwealth member governments, two representatives from the regional Commonwealth Youth Caucus, and the CYP Regional Centre Director.

The four Regional Winners and the Pan-Commonwealth Winner will be determined by an adjudication panel under the chairmanship of Mrs Masire-Mwamba. The adjudication panel will comprise of the YAD Director, Katherine Ellis, high commissioners and youth leaders.

The Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN)

The Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), an international network that intends to provide a global platform for exchange between youth organizations and individuals active on Biodiversity and also aims to coordinate youth participation in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is about to be officially launched at a Kick-Off Meeting this August. 

Since the end of the UN Biodiversity Summit (CBD COP10) in Nagoya in October 2010, an interim steering committee has spend the past 18 months to make preparations for the creation a democratic, transparent and globally representative youth network.


Biodiversity loss doesn’t stop at national boarders - join our network and help us to halt the loss of Biodiversity!

Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots- Canada

Are you an enthusiastic youth engaged in your local community with a strong desire to create positive change for people, animals and the environment?

Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots is seeking enthusiastic, committed youth ambassadors to implement Roots & Shoots programming and conduct outreach across the country! Get to know like-minded youth across Canada, connect with the Roots & Shoots global network of youth, and experience national and/or international opportunities!

APPLY TODAY! Application deadline: May 20th, 2012

Please send completed applications and inquiries to cari@janegoodall.ca or call 416-978-4799.

The GYBN

Join the Global Youth Biodiversity Network -
apply now for your ticket to Berlin!

The idea behind GYBN is to create a global youth network that unites young people and youth organizations from all parts of the world and all walks of life through one common goal: To halt the loss of Biodiversity as soon as possible!GYBN's mission is to provide a global platform to get in touch with each other and have the opportunity to join forces for the protection of biological diversity on our planet. GYBN also aims to become the international coordination platform for youth participation in the CBD and is committed to bring the opinions and positions of youth into the negotiations. It is officially supported by the CBD Secretariat.

From August 21st to 27th 2012 NAJU (German Youth Association for the Protection of Nature) will host the GYBN Kick-Off Conference in Berlin and bring together 35 young environmentalists from all parts of the
world to establish the global youth biodiversity network.

Biodiversity loss doesn't stop at national borders! This is your chance to get connected with like-minded young people and youth organizations from all over the world. Be a part of the solution and help to halt the loss of Biodiversity.
Application
The number of participants is strictly limited and will be selected according to the application.
Please fill in the questionnaire on:www.naju.de/english/gybn
Deadline
10th of May 2012
Fee50,00 EURO (Board and lodging will be provided. Up to 75 % of the travel costs can be reimbursed after handing in the original tickets. )
Contact
Juliane Rosin, Juliane.Rosin@NAJU.de
NAJU im NABU
Charitéstr. 3
10117 Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)30 284 984 1924
Fax: + 49 (0)30 284 984 2900www.NAJU.de/english/gybn

The gybn kick-off conference will be funded by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Bundesamt für Naturschutz, BfN).

Logo gybn kick-off conference: Gigih Septianto, Daniel Henkel

Students On Ice to Antarctica 2012

Over the winter I joined with a group called Students On Ice to travel to Antarctica and learn about biodiversity and the effects of climate change on the polar regions.  I along with 89 other students were incredibly lucky to learn from some of the most famous scientists and get some amazing photographs.

-Mark Moz (Ottawa)

PANAMA- Some Pictures From My Easter Break

Resplendent Quetzal - Male

Resplendent Quetzal - Female

Collared Redstart


(Pictures by Mr. Panamá)

The “Green Space Challenge”

Dear biodiversity enthusiasts,

We would like to inform you of a youth environmental challenge to engage young people in helping to protect our planet’s natural heritage. The “Green Space Challenge” encourages schools and community clubs to adopt local habitats and/or species to promote community conservation. This is not a competition- it is a global challenge.

Our proven model known as the Macoun Marsh Biodiversity Project began in 2004 with several Canadian schools working together to preserve an urban wetland. The international success of this program has launched this challenge initiative. We hope to develop many partnerships along the way!

This networking program will be continually featured on our international blog at biodiversitymatters.org.

Jessica Walsh Moreau
Biodiversity Youth Champion

Jessica Walsh Moreau presently attends Grade12 at St-Francis Xavier Catholic High School in Ottawa, Canada. Winner of the 2006 Volvo Adventure Award (Macoun Marsh Project) and the 2011 "Leading Girls Building Communities Award". She was the Youth Coordinator for the 2009 Youth Symposium for Biodiversity and attended COP10, in Nagoya Japan, presenting the 2010 International Youth Accord for Biodiversity.

FEMALE A STEP FORWARD- NEPAL

Bina Sunaha (18) from Kanchanpur district, Western Nepal has become first female mahout (elephant handler) in Nepal through free competition with other male aspirants for the job. Now she has the responsibility to take care of seven elephants including four female and two male and one baby elephant.

March 8

http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Shuklaphanta+gets+first+female+mahout&NewsID=323457

NATIONAL GREEN SCHOOLS CONFERENCE- DENVER, CO.

Here we are at the Green Schools Conference in Colorado

We were able to visit the Denver Zoo before the conference.

The official Conference starts this evening.

Posted by the Grade 6, 7, 8 students of St-Laurent Academy- Ottawa, Canada

  

BIODIVERSITY YOUTH MENTORSHIP PROGRAM- OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA

Students from Notre Dame led the day's tour.  Since this past September, almost 6o youth from 14 schools have been involved. 

A winter look at our native butternut tree.

Bohemian and cedar waxwings were seen on winter berries. 

Feeding chickadees!

St-Laurent Academy hosts its first Youth Biodiversity Mentorship Program- CANADA

Thirty two youth from ten Ottawa area schools joined us for our first module of our Biodiversity Mentorship Program. We wish to particularly thank our partners from Notre Dame Catholic, St. Patrick's High School, Henry Larson Public, and Devonshire Public for their assistance.  The program was taught by science educator Michael Leveille.  Mr. Leveille is also the Director of Biodiversitymatters.org. 

The youth had the opportunity to view our in-school nature museum.

We had an absolutely beautiful morning to explore the Macoun Marsh.

  One youth found a Buffalo Treehopper (Ceresa alta) 

We had a bit of excitement when a rare European mantis (Mantis religiosa) landed on the head of one of our visitors!

Our next class on the Connections between Biodiversity and our Daily Lives will be on October 15th.  

LOCAL CONFERENCE ON BIODIVERSITY- OTTAWA, ONTARIO (MAY 22)

Biodiversity Youth Conference at Ashbury College in partnership with ASLA school and Biodiversitymatters. (GRADES 6-12)
Keynote: David Chernushenko (Ottawa City Councillor, Capital Ward, and former Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada)

Workshops by the Little Ray's Reptiles, Ottawa Riverkeepers, USC Canada, the Canadian Museum of Nature, Recycler extraordinary- Hugh Robertson, and the Organic Growers.
Image: Mike Leveille 2011

MACOUN MARSH UPDATE (OTTAWA, CANADA)

Red-wings are now nesting at the marsh.

Dogtooth Violet and the Red-necked False Blister Beetle

Painted turtles enjoying the sun

A Chickadee preparing a nest with cedar bark.

BIODIVERSITYMATTERS YOUTH MEETING THIS SATURDAY

COME SKYPE WITH US- Our next youth and biodiversity meeting is this Saturday morning (10:00am Eastern Canada time).  Confirm your interest at lmleveille@rogers.com if you are interested in communicating your conservation efforts with us.  This is the International Year of Forests and we are especially interested in forest projects!

A QUICK REVIEW OF OUR BIODIVERSITYMATTERS SUCCESSES!

• Fundraising $100,000 to build an Outdoor Classroom and develop an environmental area at the Macoun Marsh, used by Canadian school children from across the Ottawa region. Over 1300 species have been described here.

• Promoting our prototype project across Canada. In 2008, science teachers from across our country visited our study site, and were encouraged to participate in similar projects with their students.

• Connecting with Daniel Bisaccio from Brown University (Through the CBD) who developed the First Youth Symposium for Biodiversity in Mexico in 2005.  Youth from 9 countries attended that year.  

• Creating Biodiversitymatters and hosting the 2nd International Youth Symposium in Ottawa. We invited projects from 10 countries to participate- Albania, Barbados, Bolivia, Cameroon, Canada, Honduras, India, Japan, Mexico, and USA.  Over $70,000 was fundraised for the Symposium, and youth involved promoted it nationally and internationally through a variety of media, including television, radio, newspapers and the Internet. In 2008, five Canadian youths attended TUNZA in Norway to promote our work and invite delegates to attend the Symposium.

 • Our Symposium team developed a wide array of events, workshops, team building activities, special guests from all levels of government including the CBD.

• Creating the Youth Accord for Biodiversity, which has been translated into 25 languages and has over 5000 signatures of support from 83 countries. The Accord was written by youth from Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Uganda and USA.  The Accord was presented at major venues. One youth was flown to Belgium by the European Union for a Green Week event to promote our work. The Accord can also be successfully be adapted to any level of government – Our New Brunswick members helped to create the New Brunswick Youth Biodiversity Accord which has received 15 endorsements from youth and citizen-based groups from around the province.

• Attending and participating in COP10, where our Accord was presented, and where one of our members was invited to the High Level segments and had the opportunity to share our work with Ministers/ leaders. We communicated COP10 issues and produced an Accord poster to help raise awareness. Our Accord can be used in schools to develop policy and programs by youth. 8 members (+2 Chaperons) of our team were accredited and financed by us to participate at COP10, connecting to other international groups, such as the new organization GYBO (Global Youth and Biodiversity Organisation).  The International Youth Statement on Biodiversity developed in Nagoya was in-part developed out of our original Youth Accord described above. 

• Developing a communication blog for international youth at Biodiversitymatters.org.  Other recent groups we are connected with include youth from Australia, Panama, Spain, Tanzania, and Uganda.

• Helping to develop a pre-COP11 event in Auroville India for 2012, named the Third Youth Symposium for Biodiversity. 

•We also continue to develop local events for youth here in Ottawa, Canada.  We are planning an event on May 22 (on International Biodiversity Day)

NEXT BIODIVERSITYMATTERS YOUTH MEETING

April 30th, 2011 (10-12 noon)
We will meet at ASLA School in Ottawa, CANADA and skype with international youth.  Top subjects will be our local Biodiversity youth event at Ashbury College and the 2012 COP11 event in Auroville, India. 

Biodiversitymatters goals

Our Biodiversitymatters goals are three-fold- 1. Local biodiversity-related youth gatherings and public education, 2. Networking with international youth groups through our blog, to share success stories and discuss issues, 3. To assist teams in the development of international youth events as is planned in India in 2012. 

UP-COMING CONFERENCES

May 16-19, 2011- 6th Annual International Symposium on Environment, Athens, Greece (National Technical University of Athens)

 

May 22, 2011- Ottawa Youth Conference on Biodiversity- Ashbury College, Ottawa, Canada

 

April 28, 2011- Youth Action, Montreal http://youthactionmontreal.org/2011-conference_keynote-speakers.php# 

 

September 8-12, 2011- Second World Biodiversity Congress, Sarasak, Malaysia 

 

September 23-25, 2011- Youth Summit for Biodiversity by Ontario Nature, Canada
 

December 20-22, 2011- National Conference on Environment and Biodiversity of India, New Delhi, India- Students welcome.

 

September, 2012- Third International Youth Symposium on Biodiversity- Auriville, India (In connection with COP11)

 

September 30- October 5, 2012- Eco-Summit, Columbus, Ohio State University

 

For more youth- related conferences and alerts see: http://www.conferencealerts.com/environment.htm

OTTAWA YOUTH CONFERENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY

May 22, 2011 marks the International Day for Biodiversity as proclaimed by the United Nations. This year Biodiversitymatters, in partnership with Ashbury College and St. Laurent Academy, will be hosting a one day Youth Conference on May 22nd aimed at high school students. This conference aims to educate youth on local environmental issues in an effort to empower them to make a difference in their communities. We hope to empower local environmental leaders to take action in their community by enlightening them on the current environmental state of the Ontario region. The event will be hosted at Ashbury College and the conference will run from 8:30 am until 4:30 pm. Some of the highlights of the conference include a presentation by Little Rays Reptiles on “Endangered Ontario”, a keynote speaker, workshop presentations done by Ottawa Riverkeeper, USC Canada and others, in addition to a tree planting ceremony and presentations by the Biodiversitymatters Youth group. If you  would like some additional information please contact Gillian Reid-Schachter at <http://ca.mc881.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=greidschachter@ashbury.ca>.

MINUTES OF THE YOUTH MEETING FROM FEBRUARY 26, 2011

MINUTES:

Due to the failure of the server at the ASLA school we had to quickly relocate the meeting to the home of Michael and Chloe Leveille.  Fortunately we were still able to reach Lemuel, Chafic, and Eric

DISCUSSIONS:

1- THIRD INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SYMPOSIUM in Auroville, India:

Hoping to connect with Belgium team (GYBO- Willem Laermans) and Japan team (Rieko Kusama). Both wish to run youth events in 2012)

2. NEW PARTNERS- Jim Ries (onemoregeneration.org), Youth for conservation in Kenya

3. YOUTH SUMMIT ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

A wonderful conference on Community Engagement in Montreal, Quebechttp://youthactionmontreal.org/

4. DEVELOPING THE BIODIVERSITY BLOG

    Youth will take on the responsibility to contact some of our partners to place their updates on our blog.  We will focus on their international work first- then national, then local. 

    Here are the following organizations we will distribute between the youth

Jane Goodall’s roots and shoots

POWER Halton

The Otesha Project

Little Rays Reptile Zoo

International Forestry Students Association (Indonesia)- Gillian

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Canadian Museum of Nature

David Suzuki Foundation

Teens for Planet Earth

USC Canada

Earth Rangers

Tapir Preservation Fund

Robert Bateman’s Get to Know your wild neighbours’

Ashoka’s youth venture

Its one humanity.org

Onemoregeneration.org,

Youth for conservation in Kenya- Luke Goldsmith

5. LOCAL ISSUES

LOCAL YOUTH CONFERENCE ON SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2012 (International Biodiversity Day)

Proposed location: Asbury College, Ottawa- has been confirmed