Ocean Health Youth Council
Equipping the next generation of ocean leaders.
Overview
The Ocean Health Youth Council (OHYC) was launched in May 2021 and announced by Daniela Fernandez as a collaboration between Friends of Ocean Action (FOA) and the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA). Leveraging the strengths of both organizations, together we created a mentoring programme for a select group of youth voices that provides opportunities for them, as well as the Friends, who serve on the Council as mentors, to actively contribute to the FOA impact pillars work. The collaboration aims at bringing a fresh perspective from youth voices in the ocean agenda, connecting a diverse network of young stakeholders to policy, science and business into an inclusive platform. The exchanges among youth voices with members of the FOA, combined with the thought leadership and training provided by SOA, aim at empowering youth to acquire skills and tools to make their voice heard and inspire decision-makers and fellow youth voices to take on the action needed to put the ocean on the path to recovery. The Ocean Health Youth Council is proud to be an officially endorsed activity of the UN Ocean Decade.
"Those who are devoted to actionable change can never lose sight of their core mission – and believe in diligently working towards it each and every day. By surrounding oneself with the right group of team members, partners, mentors and friends, keeping this mindset and level of ambitiousness alive is all the more possible."
Daniela Fernandez
Read the thought piece on empowering young ocean leaders here.
Friends of Ocean Action
A World Economic Forum Initiative