Deadline: June 24, 2024
Applications to join the Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) Youth Advisory Committee 2024 are now open. The SPA operates under the leadership and guidance of its Co-Chairs, Strategic Coordinator, Science Steering Committee (SSC), and Strategic Committee (StC), with support from the Technical-Scientific Secretariat. The SPA will establish a Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) to play a key role in the SPA’s efforts to mobilize the next generation of scientists in the region and ensure its work reaches a broader audience.
The Youth Advisory Committee will be composed of 8-12 members, including one SSC member and one StC member. The SSC and StC members will help lead the efforts of the YAC under the guidance of the SPA Co Chairs, the Strategic Coordinator, and with the support of the Technical-Scientific Secretariat.
Responsibilities
The Youth Advisory Committee will amplify the voices and experiences of young people, and leverage their expertise, energy, and ideas to promote the conservation of the Amazon and the SPA’s scientific and policy-relevant recommendations. The Youth Advisory Committee will actively engage with SPA members and leadership in the implementation of the SPA’s Youth Engagement Strategy.
The overall objectives of the Youth Advisory Committee are to:
- Ensure integration of youth perspectives and innovation into the activities and outputs of the SPA;
- Contribute to promoting the SPA and its outputs among young people worldwide; and
- Foster collaboration and partnerships between the SPA and youth organizations, with a focus on advancing education, capacity building, science communication, and representation and networking.
The Youth Advisory Committee will inter-alia:
- Provide recommendations on the elaboration and implementation of the SPA Youth Engagement strategy;
- Provide recommendations, as and when appropriate, on strengthening youth involvement in SPA’s work;
- Connect the SPA with existing and new meaningful youth engagement initiatives;
- Advise the SPA on fostering innovation, as and when appropriate, of new initiatives and strategies relating to youth and the general public;
- Advise the SPA in its efforts to engage and include youth contribution and involvement in the Amazon conservation agenda;
- Advise the SPA on strategies to enhance the engagement of young scientists in the Amazon;
- Strengthen networking and knowledge sharing among different stakeholders, including youth organizations, to facilitate and increase the accessibility of SPA outputs and findings;
- Attend YAC meetings (at minimum quarterly); and
- Attend meetings of the full Panel (at minimum biannually).
Eligibility
Youth Advisory Committee members must be between the ages of 18 to 30, and will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated commitment to the SPA’s values and to working for youth rights, conservation, and/or environmental justice;
- Demonstrated engagement in a scientific career with a focus on a key research discipline of the SPA (if applicable);
- Member in good standing, founder, or leader of a youth-led Amazon conservation/human rights movement, organization, or program at the global, regional, national, or grassroots level;
- Proven ability to dialogue and collaborate with diverse stakeholders across the Amazon conservation movement;
- Strong analytic and communication skills; and
- Ability to serve in an individual capacity.
Application
For more information, visit Youth Advisory Committee.
