Meet our amazing preparatory team of trainers, educators and facilitators, Esther, Žofie, Lucía, Charlotte, and Stefano.

 

Žofie

My name is Žofie, I am from the Czech Republic, Prague. I joined YEE in 2021, hoping to empower young people in their pursuit of creating a better world.

I got my bachelor’s degree in Biology at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, where I was involved in multiple volunteering groups and got my passion for sustainable community projects. For the past year I have been a full-time climate activist with the movement Extinction Rebellion. Through that I have helped to set up two NGOs in Prague, one focused on organizing Citizen’s Assemblies and another one advocating for the implementation of the Universal Basic Income.

Currently I also focus on developing workshops for people dealing with environmental grief. I love spending time in nature, dancing, and wild swimming. I also enjoy taking care of fungi that feed me- yeast for my bread and SCOBY for my kombucha.

Lucía

My name is Lucía and I come from Spain. I have completed my Bachelors degree in Marketing and a Master’s degree in Theory and Criticism of Culture in Madrid. I am a current student of a Master’s in the field of Law in International Human Rights and Protection of the Environment in Prague. During my studies, I have developed my strong passion for human rights, environment protection and project management. I am also interested in communication, social media, photography, and corporate social responsibility.

As an avid volunteer and youth worker, I am extremely concerned with facilitating the networking and sustainable development of the next generation of Europeans. About my volunteering experiences, I have volunteered with young people for more than four years in different youth associations, promoting international mobility programs, youth exchanges, activities and supporting as much as I can. I am also an active member of two associations related with environment and sustainability.

In addition to my professional life, traveling is possibly my greatest passion. What I enjoy the most about it, is discovering new places, new cultures and getting to know the locals. I have travelled throughout Europe on different projects, and this has led me to be specially interested in cultural diversity, human rights and climate justice.

My role in YEE and in the whole Youth Digital CommunicAction, is to support matters related to project management, such as accommodation, logistics, travel, partnership, participants, activities… As I am also a member of the Prep-team, I will be facilitating some of the activities of the training course, leading the activities, empowering and supporting the participants to harness their own potential through experiential learning, and coordinating the delivery and implementation of the program flow and methodology.

Esther

Esther is a freelance trainer and facilitator specializing in environmental issues, sustainability and connection with nature. She is the founding manager of the NGO Biodiversa, focused on creating environmental education and awareness-raising experiences for young people and adults. Esther is currently Senior EU Project Manager for Biodiversa based in Spain, occasionally traveling abroad to deliver training. She has worked around Europe for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Young Naturefriends (IYNF), among others.

Charlotte

My name is Charlotte, I am 25 years old and I am French! I am passionate about the environment and international affairs and I have always been attracted by the animal cause. This is why I have chosen to focus my professional career on the environmental cause and have recently graduated with a master’s degree in international and European environmental law.

In order to link my interest for the international world with my studies, I did two Erasmus, one year in Canterbury, England and one year in Brno, Czech Republic. I loved living abroad to be able to exchange and learn from these exchanges with people from many different backgrounds. Adventurous and adaptable, I enjoy trying new experiences that challenge my own abilities.

In fact I went to Thailand, on my own, for a month of voluntary work to help abused animals. I am excited to be a part of this project and help raise environmental awareness among young people. I am looking forward to meeting everyone!

Stefano

I’m Stefano Pedone from Genoa, Italy. I’ve graduated in the University of Genoa in the master courses of Sciences of the Sea and Marine Biology and Ecology. During my studies I’ve experienced many fields of the marine sciences, such as great white shark researches in South Africa, coral reef monitoring in the Maldives, and laboratory work of microbiology in the Canary Islands and of microplastics sorting in the italian National Council of Research (CNR).

However, what I’ve learnt to really love is scientific communication, especially in marine biology, and since this epiphany I can’t skip any chance to get involved into scientific communication projects or festivals.

From several years I collaborate with the marine environment association “Worldrise ONLUS”, one of YEE’s member associations. Within Worldrise I work as scientific communicator and as project officer of the “SEAstainable” project, about the sustainable fisheries and the thoughtful consumption of seafood.

Some years ago with the help of other young citizens of Genoa I co-founded the local association “Cittadini Sostenibili” (“Sustainable Citizens”), with the goal to gather up all the local environmental projects and associations, little or big, already operating in the city, but often not talking to each other. Our work of connection (“linking the dots”, as our motto says) is bearing fruit, with more and more associations (even outside of Genoa) being reached, and more and more impactful events being organized with the coordination of the volunteers from all our friend associations united. For the common goal to have a more sustainable and livable city.