A group of young adults sitting around a table. The room is white and windows are to the left and behind them

Youth Advisory Panel

The Youth Advisory Panel empowers young people to help shape the future of ocean protection.

    By bringing new ideas, lived experience, and bold thinking, panel members play a vital role in strengthening our mission to restore and protect our seas.

    What is the Youth Advisory Panel? 

    The Youth Advisory Panel is a group of passionate young people aged 16–25 from across the UK who work with us to influence, challenge and inspire our work. 

    We know that people-powered action drives real change, and the panel helps ensure youth voices are embedded in everything we do, keeping us inclusive and forward‑thinking as we tackle the climate and nature crises.

    A young adult sitting at a table looking to their left away from the camera. They are holding a pen in their right hand.

    A young adult at a Newcastle Youth event  |  Image credit: Andrzej Majdanik

    Our panel members: 

    • Advise our work by sharing insights, ideas, and lived experience 
    • Champion equity and inclusion to make ocean protection accessible to all 
    • Shape marine conservation by contributing to strategy, risk management, and organisational development 
    • Represent young people across our networks, campaigns, and decision‑making spaces

    We welcome individuals from all backgrounds – especially those underrepresented in the conservation sector – because protecting our ocean should be for everyone.

    A Youth Ocean Network member at a youth event in London  |  Image credit: Sudheha ​Amerasinghe

    What's involved

    The structure of the Youth Advisory Panel is designed to be collaborative, supportive and impactful. The panel will work together through the following channels:

    • Quarterly online meetings – The panel meets virtually four times a year to discuss priorities, ideas and contribute to key organisational decisions. 
    • Ongoing collaboration – Between meetings, members stay connected with our staff and the Youth Ocean Network, helping shape projects and respond to new opportunities. 
    • Skill‑building and development – Panel members gain hands‑on experience in strategy, leadership, and teamwork, supporting them to build confidence and professional skills along the way.   
    • Inclusive, supportive environment – Our members don’t need prior experience or scientific knowledge to be involved, just an interest in our ocean and a willingness to participate. 
    Joining the Youth Advisory Panel is a chance to challenge yourself, collaborate with others, and make a real difference for the future of our seas. For more information, please get in touch with our Youth Engagement Officer, Caitlin, at [email protected].

    Other ways for young adults to get hands on

    A large group of approximately 30 volunteers participating in a beach clean event stand smiling on a pebble beach, many holding litter pickers and bags, with a pier visible in the background.

    Do a beach clean

    Join one of our beach clean surveys and help keep Britain's beaches beautiful and our ocean safe for wildlife.

    Join the Youth Ocean Network

    Aged 13–25 and interested in becoming a voice for the environment? Register your interest in becoming part of our UK-based Youth Ocean Network

    Check out our community projects

    Lasting marine conservation starts with empowered communities who understand and care for the sea around them.