Can you introduce yourself? 

I am 26 years old from England, born and raised. I work for a charity in London called Trees for Cities as its Community Engagement Coordinator. 

Which YEE member organisation do you belong to? What are the main activities of your organisation?

I come from Look East Wild Earth - a small organisation uniting British people who are curious and passionate about environmental projects in Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We are a mixed bunch of people. LEWE has been active in different ways over the past 10 years depending on its members. It has been very successful in sending volunteers to various projects, including myself.

 How did you get involved in YEE? What was your first impression about YEE?

Look East Wild Earth sent me the EVS call for YEE in 2012. I had no idea what EVS was but I was very excited to read about YEE, so I applied and was lucky to be selected. Gosia and Natasha from the office picked me up from the railway station after my night train across Europe. I felt welcomed from the start.

What is YEE for you?

YEE is a community for people to support each other and share ideas. For me, this is very motivating. I feel the support and it inspires me to act for what I believe in.

Why did you want to become a member of YEE Board?

I have been active within YEE for over two years and know the office well. I wanted to support the network and help it reach its potential. This opportunity will also ensure I keep myself active and connect me to many excellent projects and ideas.

What are your expectations about being in the Board?

I expect to learn more about our members and what YEE needs to develop in order to become the best version of itself.

What is your main aim as a 2015 - 2016 Board member?

I aim to make sure YEE's materials are shared and seen as much as possible. We have some great publications and resources that exist to be used. I also want to engage young people in a positive way that results in real actions for the environment.

Why do you care about the environment? or What does the environment mean to you?

Environmental security, biodiversity and so on are pretty basic needs for everyone. We have enough problems without pumping our oceans full of plastic and wasting our natural resources. Unfortunately, environmental concerns are often side-lined and this is a big mistake. Normalising environmentalism, including communities and making sustainability part of everyday life is crucial and I think YEE contributes towards that. I am also just a big nature lover.

Work plan 2015-2016