Young people feel conservation work is 'slave labour'
Ross Watson
Friday, August 14, 2009
Young people are often coerced into working on conservation projects against their will, according to new research from Exeter University.
The research, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, shows that many young volunteers travelled long distances from cities to short-term projects in rural areas and felt they were being punished for being disruptive or naughty at school. Others had been directed to work on projects by youth offending services.
The report, Environmental Skills and Knowledge for Sustainable Rural Communities: Problems and Prospects for the Inclusion of Young People, claims that active recruitment of young people interested in conservation issues is rare.
Instead most conservation projects rely on young people recruited through other community networks, such as schools, youth organisations and local youth services. The result is that many participants consider work such as digging holes and building footpaths as "slave labour" and "grunt work".
"The problem lies in the mismatch between youth services and environmental education," said Dr Michael Leyshon, author of the report. "Environmental conservation is largely organised by people with a background in environmental science but no training in youth work, and youth workers who have no training in conservation. The result is that young people and the environment both lose out.
"We need more co-ordination in the voluntary sector and an effective interface with youth services," he added.
The report was based on surveys involving 116 environmental organisations and 68 people aged between 14 and 25.