Mentoring the Next Generation of Conservation Professionals

While conservation professionals are often approached and frequently involved with connecting youth to nature and promoting careers in conservation, many are not trained or experienced in working with young people, especially with the idea of mentoring them into conservation careers. Many workforce development opportunities could be significantly enhanced by incorporating some basic strategies that experiential education research has shown to be important to participant learning and growth. This presentation will focus on how conservation professionals can incorporate mentoring techniques into internships, student hires and other youth experiences in order to have the greatest impact on the participants and greatest benefit to the agency. The presenter will highlight strategies, examples and resources garnered from her over 15 years of working with undergraduates interested in conservation and conservation professionals from agencies, organizations and universities in Hawai`i and the Pacific in efforts to increase local representation in the environmental workforce.