Applications for YouthToSea 2021/2022 are now open!
Before applying please review the Program Description and Frequently Asked Questions. To apply fill out the application form linked below.
Application Process:
Applications will open April 26 2021 and close May 12 2021.
If you need accommodations for the application process please contact youth@ocean.org
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and all applicants will be notified of their status by May 19th.
At YouthToSea, we endeavor to unite youth with one common goal: to protect and conserve our oceans. Our mission is to coach youth (15-18) and provide them with opportunities to develop their problem-solving, critical-thinking, and communication skills. At the end of our program, youth are equipped with skills, tools, and strategies to be active decision-makers in their local, regional, and national communities.
Youth engage with their local community through learning journeys and ocean service projects
Want to keep in touch or learn more? Follow @YouthToSea on Instagram for updates about youth-led events and initiatives. Email program leader Michelle Bienkowski at youth@ocean.org for more information about 2021 recruitment.
Hi folks,
Please take a look at below and consider participating in the opportunity presented by Ocean Bridge participants. It looks like there will be more details to come and there is $4,000.00+ to be won in prizes:
The Logistics:
"There's still details to be worked out, which we anticipate should be finalized by February 10. But in brief, you will have Friday to Sunday evening to work on original ideas (not submitted to past hackathons or developed at a significant level in other places) that can make a difference to our climate crisis. We will recommend teams of four, which can come pre-formed or which can also be developed before the hackathon, with a Slack channel TBA to help with matching.
During the hackathon, at least one team member will be expected to join two workshops during the course of the event (on the business model canvas & pitching), in addition to the very first intro session and at least one session with a mentor that you will need to book. A more detailed schedule with further logistics should be available by February 10.
A final note that the submission itself with be a four-minute video, with finalists then being invited to present their solutions live at the Ocean Bridge National Conference on March 6-7 (details TBA)."
If you have questions about the opportunity, please email theoatheproject@gmail.com or visit https://climatechangemakers.de....
Cheers,
Jake
YouthToSea is proud to be hosting a Used Toy Drive this holiday season! We will be collecting used toys from November 16th – December 12th and donating them to local charities to support children in need. The goal of this toy drive is to divert plastic waste from local landfills and support our community during a tough 2020!
90% of the toy market is plastic toys, but most are not recyclable and end up in our landfills or polluting the environment. Instead of throwing away your toys, donate them to our drive. YouthToSea will organize, clean, and assess the toys to decide where they will be donated. If you would like to donate a new toy we will accept those too, but we ask you look for toys made of sustainable materials – the Aquarium Gift Shop has some good options! Used toys will be donated to The Salvation Army and new toys will go to The Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.
With the holidays coming shortly, we are asking our community to look through your toys, find any that are no longer being used OR toys you no longer want but don’t know how to recycle and donate them to our drive. *If you have broken/old toys that cannot be repurposed, bring them and YouthToSea will ensure they are recycled properly.
You can drop off toys at the following locations OR connect with a YouthToSea member to organize drop-off elsewhere. Please note drop offs will be no-contact due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Vancouver Aquarium (AquaQuest Reception) - Monday-Friday, 9am - 12pm or Saturday December 5th 10:00am - 2:00pm
HJ Cambie SS - Private, Contact Jeannie for details
Carson Graham SS - Private, Contact Jackie for details
Moscrop SS -
Private, Contact Hannah Q or Sally for details
If you have any questions please reach out to us at youth@ocean.org or connect with us on Instagram (@youthtosea)for more details.
Hi folks,
See the below opportunity hosted by the Ocean Wise Online Learning department. For many of you who have engaged in a shoreline cleanup or intend to host a shoreline cleanup with your family and friends, this is a great opportunity to learn more about Plastics and waste. Should you have questions about it, don't hesitate to reach out to myself or Michelle.
Happy Days,
Jake
Happy #WasteReductionWeek !
Online Learning is kicking off our Youth Dialogue in collaboration with Return It. We are looking for teens from across BC to join in on this self-paced journey of closing the loop on plastics. This year the program is running asynchronously with youth connecting on our online classroom https://education.ocean.org/oceanaction/ so that students and schools can fit it into their unique schedules.
Big Take-aways
- Understanding and being part of BC Zero Waste plan
- Developing social media as a form of conservation communication
- Connect to a province wide network of youth 10-17 years old
You can register here and use the passcode: oceanwise
Janey Chang - The Art of Turning Fish into Leather / Ancestral Skills - Bark Tanning Fish Skin Leather
Posted by Jacob Beland on 5 Oct 2020Hey folks!
If you have a second, take a look at this article and video on turning fish skin into leather. This may or may not be a preview into one of the upcoming activities we have planned!
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/...
Apply to join the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council!
Created in 2016, the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council helps develop World Oceans Day into a unique opportunity in June to connect and unite the world for a healthier ocean and a more sustainable society. The primary goal of the Council is to develop and promote youth engagement and leadership for our shared ocean that covers 71% of our planet and connects us all.
These leaders work closely with The Ocean Project and serve as ambassadors for World Oceans Day in their communities and countries, shaping the development of World Oceans Day and expanding its reach and impact by providing new and unique perspectives, ideas, and recommendations for innovative and effective engagement with youth and others from all sectors. The Ocean Project in turn spotlights the ambassadors in a variety of ways - amplifying their voices and work by connecting them to both local and global opportunities.
All young people, ages 16 – 24, welcome to apply!
Deadline: Friday, 2 October 2020
Interested in applying? Read the application requirements and apply now!
Surf's Up - Opportunities for fall
Science Literacy Week: September 20 – 26, 2020 The National Science Council of Engineering and Research Canada (NSERC) - join us daily for our free live-stream programs celebrating science and biodiversity Sept. 21-25.
- Monday Sept 21 Discover the Biodiversity of the Intertidal Zone from our amazing wet lab. Register online http://bit.ly/BeachBiodiversity
- Tuesday Sept 22 An Otter-ly fun free event for classrooms and families: Virtual Book Launch. Register online http://bit.ly/kah-lan Help spread the word with our poster.
- Wednesday Sept 23 Explore Citizen Science projects and discover how valuable this information is to scientists. Register online: http://bit.ly/CitizenScienceWhales
- Thursday Sept 24 See through the eyes of an Ocean Wise researcher - they are tiny, they are everywhere, they are MICROFIBERS! Register online http://bit.ly/OWMicrofibers
- Friday Sep 25 Ocean Wise wraps up Science Literacy week examining how biodiversity and stewardship are inextricably linked. Join us to hear the Musqueam People's creation story, make connections with author Melaney Gleeson Lyall using her book "Animals of the Salish Sea" as a guide. Register online http://bit.ly/StewardshipandBiodiversity
You can find all of these events in the Calendar section as well :) Happy days folks!
-Jake + Michelle
Calling all young ocean change makers!
Work with change makers around the globe to unite youth and others around our blue planet to take action for a healthy ocean and sustainable society!
All young people, between the ages of 16 and 24, are invited to apply. Applications are due 2 October, 2020.
"The World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council helps develop World Oceans Day into a unique opportunity to connect and unite youth and others around our blue planet, with the focus on action for a healthier ocean and more sustainable society."
Are you looking to enhance your learning about the ocean? Are you looking for more opportunities for professional development, volunteer opportunities, or potentially a career option in ocean conservation? I recommend subscribing to organization newsletters, where you will be updated monthly/bi-monthly about ways you can do and learn more!
Recommendations
SEVENSEAS Media - The Global Marine Community Ocean News and Network
- NOAA Science Seminars: A joint effort by several NOAA seminar partners to help share science and climate seminars and information across NOAA and our constituents.
- Ocean Conservation Events Calendar: Workshops and webinars with a global community on climate solutions, water quality, research, summits and more!
- Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest: In celebration of national Get Into Your Sanctuary activities, NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is hosting a photo contest. From May 23 through September 7.
Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants - Beaming Science, Exploration, Adventure and Conservation live into Classrooms Around the World
- Tom Hart, Penguinologist. Sept 9 2020 10am EST
- Martina Capriotti, Marine Biologist. Sept 15 2020, 9am EST
- Lizzie Carr, Environmentalist on Plastic Pollution. Sept 16 2020, 11am EST
Join us for the 2020 VIRTUAL Youth Ocean Conservation Summit!
The 2020 Youth Ocean Conservation Summit is going virtual! With the health and safety of our participants as a top priority, we are teaming up with Mote Marine Laboratory to create a digital experience December 4-5 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit and connect a global audience of young conservation leaders – setting the stage for the largest and most impactful YOCS to date!
This first of its kind digital YOCS will kick off with a 10th anniversary celebration, the evening of Friday, December 4, followed by our first international, virtual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit on Saturday, December 5.
This special event will unite our long time Summit supporters, alumni, and collaborators alongside hundreds of young conservation leaders, for a powerful weekend celebrating the impact of the Summit program while empowering participants with the knowledge, tools, and funds needed to launch solutions-oriented ocean conservation projects to protect our blue planet.
Stay tuned to www.yocs.org this fall as we open registration and announce an EPIC line-up of programming! We can’t wait for you to join us!
This World Oceans Day, let’s rally to build a new, blue, future after COVID-19
Posted by haileyrenaud on 8 Jun 2020
World Oceans Day
June 8, 2020
Lasse Gustavsson
President and CEO, Ocean Wise
We used to think of the ocean as an expansive, unknowable, never-ending source of food and resources. Now we know better. The combined pressures of pollution, unsustainable resource extraction and climate change are pushing our ocean to the brink.
LASSE GUSTAVSSON, PRESIDENT & CEO, OCEAN WISE
Humans need to understand that the world, as we know it, will not survive without a healthy and flourishing ocean. For starters, the ocean is our planet’s most effective line of defense against climate change.
Humans need to understand that the world, as we know it, will not survive without a healthy and flourishing ocean. For starters, the ocean is our planet’s most effective line of defense against climate change. The ocean sequesters carbon more efficiently than forests and produces 70% of the oxygen we breathe. It is also the key source of protein for 3.1 billion people and provides livelihood to 10% of the earth’s population[. Furthermore, the ocean is home to hundreds of thousands of wonderous aquatic species, many not even discovered yet. These ocean species are not only innocent victims in humankind’s mistreatment of the ocean, but some of them may be the key to future scientific discoveries.
As we enter the relief phase of COVID-19, and governments around the world plan investments to restart their economies, we are at a very unique crossroads: do we simply build back the economy as it was? Or, we can build it back better, prioritizing low carbon industries and environmental protection. Can we take advantage of this moment in history when governments are making massive investments in business and industry to ‘leapfrog’ to clean-energy technologies and new ways of doing things.
Is leapfrogging really possible? Of course it is. I am from Sweden and in the 1980s, I can recall how several of the former soviet bloc countries, including East Germany, Poland and Hungary, were in dire need of significant upgrades to telephone systems. But instead of investing in copper wiring and traditional technology, these countries constructed cutting-edge 3G cellular networks, putting them among the most advanced communication systems in Europe at the time. They leapfrogged outdated thinking and jumped straight to the most advanced technology available. We can do this too.
There has been a lot of talk about investing in the ‘green economy’ post COVID-19. Well, I am here to argue that we should also be investing in the ‘blue economy.’
“The Blue Economy is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health.” (World Bank)
Globally, the blue economy, including tourism, fisheries, marine renewable energy and biotechnology, is predicted to grow at double the rate of the rest of the economy by 2030.
Investing in the blue economy means managing the ocean in a way that it remains healthy, and can continue to benefit people as a source of food, carbon sink, recreation and employment.
Globally, investments need to be made in sustainable fisheries, sustainable aquaculture, sustainable energy production, sustainable shipping (including investments in low carbon fuel and green ports), ecosystem protection and carbon sequestration.
The innovation and ideas are there, our governments just need to be courageous enough to implement them.
Eelgrass meadows (such as the one pictured above) have shown an impressive ability to store and sequester carbon. Ocean Wise advocates for mapping, tracking, and re-colonizing these underwater meadows as one of many ways to address climate change through investments in the ‘blue economy’.
Get Involved this #WorldOceansWeek
World Oceans Week Canada: Our aim, together with your help, is for Canadians and communities from coast to coast to coast to learn about and get involved in Oceans Day/Oceans Week events happening nearby or to find inspiration and support to start new events in new places.
World Oceans Day video message from our Executive Vice President, Dr. Carlos Drews here.
Go Blue Social Media Campaign:
- From June 2 to June 12, we ask you to submit one photo that captures the colour BLUE. Whether it is blue artwork, your clothing, water, nature — we want you to share your connection to the oceans with us!
- Tag #OceansWeekYouth and #GoOceanBlue when posting on your social media!
- Submit photo here to be part of a bigger collage: https://www.oceansweekcanada.ca/social-media-movement
YouthToSea Instagram Bingo
- In celebration of world oceans week Cary & Carmen put together an Oceans Week bingo that you can complete/share on your Instagram (attached to this email)
- @youthtosea on Instagram will share this out next week
Monday June 8th – World Oceans Day Webinars
See the full list with times here: https://education.ocean.org/oceanbridge/calendar
A full list of opportunities related to World Oceans Day can be found at https://education.ocean.org/oceanbridge/calendar/. Extra opportunities can be found at https://education.ocean.org/youth/calendar/
Hi YouthToSea,
Look below to learn how to get involved with the Global Youth Biodiversity Network for Biodiversity Week (May 18-22).
“We in the Global Youth Biodiversity Network will flood the digital landscape with global conversations, calls to action, empowering videos, exciting activities and video teach-ins about the vital links between biodiversity and climate change, traditional knowledge, health, food security, and culture.
Through this week of action, the Biodiversity Week will create awareness about the building blocks of nature and ecosystems, drive initiatives big and small, give youth across the globe a collaborative platform, and demand bold action for people and nature.”
Want to post to social media to raise awareness? You can find the GYBN social media tool kit here: https://tinyurl.com/ya7y77dj
Use these hashtags: #Unite4Nature #EarthHour #IamGYBN #Youth4Biodiversity #Connect2Nature #BIodiversityDay
Please Tag on Instagram : @gybn_cbd @earthhourofficial @unbiodiversity
Biodiversity Week Topics
May 18: Science and Traditional Knowledge
May 19: Food Security and Health
May 20: World Bee Day
May 21: World Day for Cultural Diversity
May 22: Our Solutions in Nature.
Hi Folks,
YouthToSea and The Knowledge Society met to discuss a partnership between the two programs for joint opportunities. Below is a short blurb about the program:
The Knowledge Society (TKS) trains high school students to solve the world's biggest problems with emerging technologies. During a 10-month program, students learn how to build masters/PhD-level projects, level up their presentation and problem-solving skills, and meet like-minded young people who want to do big things. TKS is founded by successful tech entrepreneurs and business leaders, and modeled after curriculums from Stanford, Harvard, and MIT. If you are interested in applying please email youth@ocean.org for information regarding funding opportunities.
If you are looking for upcoming professional development or service opportunities check here often:
https://education.ocean.org/youthtosea/assignments/folder/1681.
Cheers,
Hailey, Michelle, and Jake