The future of Northern Ireland’s wild spaces rests in the hands of its youngest guardians, which is why the RSPB NI Youth Network, with their passion and hope, are actively working to shape it.
Imgage: Members of the Youth Network taking part in habitat management at Belfast WoW
Launched at the start of 2025, the RSPB NI Youth Network is a testament to this passionate generation. Together, they are a collective of dedicated individuals aged 18-24 with a passion for nature and conservation. The Youth Network is an active movement, that empowers young people to make a change.
In this blog post, we bring you an exclusive interview with Rhys and Amy, key members of the RSPB NI Youth Network. We wanted to learn more about their involvement with the network, their current projects, and their vision for the future of young people in Northern Ireland. Discover their personal journeys, the impact they're making, and gain a deeper understanding of the valuable work being undertaken by the RSPB NI Youth Network.
Amy, what sparked your initial interest in joining the Youth Network?
From being on placement with RSPB NI, I realised there was a real lack of young people around in my area of work, but I know this isn’t due to lack of interest but more lack of space for younger people to explore this work. I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to meet like-minded individuals and learn of new opportunities to connect with others and further my experience.
Rhys, I know you’re the first Northern Ireland Youth Council member, is this experience with the Council what drew you to join the Youth Network?
Absolutely, I joined the Youth Council in March 2024, and it has provided me with new opportunities including getting involved in the set-up of the Youth Network in the early stages. Being the Youth Councillor for Northern Ireland really means a lot to me, and I’m keen for the Youth Network to develop into a space that helps other young people get more involved in the environmental sector. I feel lucky I’ve been afforded so many opportunities, from meeting nature campaigners across the UK at the Global Bird Fair, to sitting on the RSPB NI Advisory Committee and of course helping to develop the Youth Network.
Rhys, you’ve shared your experience with the Youth Council and the Youth Network, but do you think you’ve gained any new skills through this?
The Youth Network has allowed me to develop my skills in media and content creation, for example the group’s monthly newsletter which I get to work on. Each month I source interviews from our members and write a small feature on environmental news in Northern Ireland. These are all skills that will help me in the science communication and media space.
Amy, what specific projects or activities have you been involved in that you’ve found particularly impactful or memorable?
Getting to support the LIFE Raft project on Rathlin was an incredible experience and I really enjoyed getting to learn about the project especially knowing how important it is for seabirds. I’m also on placement currently with RSPB NI and I’ve been spending time working at Belfast Window on Wildlife, helping out with surveys in Co. Down and completed woodland training with Gwen, RSPB NI’s Senior Ecologist. These have all been big learning opportunities made possible by my involvement with the Youth Network.
Amy, how do you hope the Youth Network will support your career goals and studies?
It’s a great way to build work related transferable skills like teamwork, communication and leadership. It’s great to not just get opportunities but also lead on creating them, this is going to be beneficial to my CV and supporting me with future interviews. Many others in the Youth Network are also studying similar topics, so it enables me to have conversation with others within my field to help expand my knowledge.
Lastly, for both of you, if you could give one piece of advice to any young people interested in conservation what would it be?
Rhys: My advice would be to start volunteering! It really opens so many doors within the conservation sector, giving valuable experience and helping build connections in a sector where university degrees are a dime a dozen. The Youth Network really helps to open the doors to volunteering opportunities.
Amy: My advice would be to just go for it! Find opportunities where you can, from joining the Youth Network to going on placement. I understand how daunting it can be for people (myself included) but if you are passionate about something, the only way in, is to just get started. There is no better time to start than now.
If you would like to find out how you can join the Youth Network in Northern Ireland please visit: Micro Volunteering (RSPB Northern Ireland's Youth Network For Nature) | RSPB Volunteering