The environmental & wildlife TV sector is the second least ethnically diverse sector in the UK, at 0.6% Visible Minority Ethnic (VME), only after gardening, employing a huge number of people around the country including many in Bristol. Black2Nature and it's President 17 year-year-old Mya-Rose Craig AKA Birdgirl has been campaigning for almost 5 years to make the sector ethnically diverse so that it engages VME people with nature and the environment. In that time, Mya-Rose has organised 9 nature camps for inner-city VME teenagers.

The conference is in conjunction with the Applied Sciences Department at UWE who have been working to reduce the attainment gap for VME STEM students. The aim is to come up with solutions that sector leaders can implement. This is to follow on from the conference Mya-Rose organised in 2016, before setting up Black to Nature. The morning will focus on nature and educational engagement and education whilst the afternoon will focus on wildlife TV and media. Please come and be part of the solution as we need people are are experts on race, diversity, inclusion and VME communities.

We will work through the journey of a VME teenager age 13, how to engage them with nature and the environment, helping them choose appropriate GCSE's and A-Levels, supporting them and their parents through the university application process (after persuading them and educating their parents about careers in conservation), supporting them on courses and workplaces that are almost entirely White British, ensuring none drop out due to isolation, racism and discrimination, closing the attainment gap, mentoring through paid internships, making the most of good work experience opportunities and guiding them through the early years of their careers to age 30.

Why is this relevant you?

The lack of engagement with nature has a dramatic impact on physical and mental health, so a crucial issue for anyone working in VME health, and educational attainment for our children and young people, so it is critical for anyone working in education.

Speakers

• Asher Craig, Deputy Mayor of Bristol
• Beccy Speight, CEO RSPB
• Chris Packham, Naturalist & TV Presenter & Activist
• Cleo Lake, Bristol Green Party Councillor
• Dr Emmanuel Adukwu, Senior Lecturer Biomedical Sciences, UWE Bristol
• Eric Heath, Head of Land Management Avon Wildlife Trust & Wild Paths
• Gene Joyner, CEO Betterfood Company
• Jo Sunderland, Diversity Consultant for creative industries, Diversity Insights (provisionally)
• Kofi Mawuli Klu, Activist Extinction Rebellion UK & Chief Executive Commissioner of PANAFRIINDABA
• Dr Lyn Newton, Head of Department Applied Sciences, UWE (provisionally)
• Lynn Barlow, Assistant Vice-Chancellor Creative & Cultural Industries Engagement, UWE Bristol
• Lara Lalemi, Student Bristol University & organiser of BME in STEM 2019 conference
• Mohammed Dhalech, Associate Director Centre for Public Policy Research & Rural Mosaic
• Mohammed Saddiq, MD GENeco & Chair Bristol Green Capital Partnership
• Mya-Rose Craig, President Black2Nature & environmental and race activist
• Stephen Corry, CEO Survival International
• Traci Lewis, Green Project Manager Catalyse Change
• Tracy Patfield, Operations and Outreach Manager, Icon Films
• Zakiya McKenzie, Nature writer, Green & Black Ambassador

Programme - 8.45 am - 4.30 pm

8.45 - 9.15 Registration and refreshments

9.15 - 9.20 Dr Lyn Newton - Welcome from UWE & Housekeeping (provisionally)

9.20 - 9.30 Mya-Rose Craig - Welcome & making nature relevant

9.30 - 10.15 Panel - Is the environmental sector racist?

• Cleo Lake - Chair
• Gene Joyner
• Kofi Mawuli Klu
• Mohammed Dhalech
• Stephen Corry 

10.15 - 11.00 Panel - Engaging VME communities in the environmental sector

• Mohammed Saddiq - Chair
• Asher Craig
• Beccy Speight
• Eric Heath

11.00 - 11.30 Refreshments and networking

11.30 - 12.15 Panel - VME young people and environmental education

• Emmanuel Adukwu - Chair
• Lara Lalemi
• STEM lecturer UWE (provisionally)
• Traci Lewis

12.15 - 12.35 Key Note Speaker - Chris Packham - The need for ethnic diversity

12.35 - 13.30  Lunch and networking

13.30 - 14.15 Facilitated workshops (best practice & toolkit) - choose 1:

• 1 - Practical steps for environmental organisations
• 2 - Practical steps for implemented by educators

14.15 - 14.45 Feedback from workshops by facilitators 

14.45 - 15.45  Panel - Wildlife TV & ethnic diversity

• Zakiya McKenzie - Chair 
• Chris Packham
• Jo Sunderland (provisional)
• Lynn Barlow
• Tracy Patfield

15.45 - 15.50  UWE Dean’s address 

15.50 - 16.00 Mya-Rose Craig, Closing notes

16.00 - 16.30 Refreshments & networking