Last week, six of our Ocean Youth ambassadors were invited to participate at INNOVOCEAN 2023.
Now in its second year, the summit, an initiative of Ocean Impact Organisation, celebrated the power of ocean impact and explored emerging opportunities, while Ocean Youth’s involvement highlights the significance of youth as a driving force for a more sustainable future.
“We are absolutely thrilled by the response from INNOVOCEAN delegates to our ambassadors, and the myriad opportunities that are opening up to them,” explained Claudette Rechtorik, Founder, Ocean Youth.
Axel Tkatchew, a year 9 student at Sydney Secondary College Balmain, who is studying Marine and Aquaculture Technologies, secured work experience with robotics firm, Hullbot. Indiana Rhind, was asked to pitch her start-up, Farmwall, at Climate Salad’s Clean Technologies Festival 2023. Farmwall is an agri-tech solution providing small-scale indoor farms enabling restaurants and cafes to grow their own herbs and micro-greens. Angus Forbes (2nd year Marine Science, UTS), Angelique Greentree, Year 9 Marine and Aquaculture Technologies student, and Emily Rowland, 1st Year Environmental Science student at Macquarie University, honed their communications, took the reins and interviewed industry players to explore new innovations and opportunities. While Ellie Payne, final year Marine Science student, National Marine Science Centre, Coffs Harbour and recipient of our first Ocean Youth internship with ocean innovation partner and mentor Dr. Chris Gilles of Seafood Positive, wowed the audience with the value she’s gained from the Ocean Youth leadership program.
“It is such a positive reflection on them and their commitment to building the capacity of the next generation of environmental leaders and innovators to secure ocean health, and their ability to captivate the industry with their fresh vision and energy to support young people and innovation education,” continued Claudette.
“It’s also testament to the willingness of the fast-growing blue, green and clean industries to broaden engagement to encompass youth perspectives. It’s a really exciting time to be in this important space and I’m so glad that Ocean Youth is there to support them.”