Developing future conservation leaders

 
Final Image of group.jpg

2024 Native Youth Climate Adaptation Leadership Congress

2024 NYCALC DATES:

June 23 -28, 2024

Join students from across the country to discuss community adaptation and related environmental issues impacting Native peoples. The mission of the Native Youth Climate Adaptation Leadership Congress (NYCALC) is to develop future conservation leaders with the skills, knowledge, and tools to address environmental change and conservation challenges to better serve their schools and home communities.

In order to apply, students must be from Federally Recognized Tribes.

Applications for 2024 are now closed.

Check back in winter 2024 for next years application.

Mission

The mission of the Native Youth Climate Adaptation Leadership Congress (NYCALC) is to develop future conservation leaders with the skills, knowledge, and tools to address environmental change and conservation challenges to better serve their schools and home communities.

 

Goals

  • Provide a unique, meaningful, and inclusive experience in a safe learning environment for all participants

  • Provide training for Native youth, Jr. Faculty, community mentors, and conservation professionals (conservation, leadership)

  • Increase awareness of environmental issues

  • Motivate and inspire ownership and empowerment related to the future well-being of their tribe and community

  • Cultivate and nurture emerging youth leaders

  • Learn from each other and their respective cultures

  • Empower communities to implement or continue existing programs via mini-grant opportunities

  • Make personal and professional lifetime connections

  • Broaden the awareness of the roles and responsibilities of conservation agencies and organizations

  • Improve federal employee and Native leadership cultural competencies and relationships through training

  • FUN!

 

Learning tools to address environmental change and conservation challenges

 

History

The Native Youth Climate Adaptation Leadership Congress (NYCALC) is held in June or July at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The Congress includes a diverse mix of urban and rural students from tribal communities located throughout the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii and American Samoa. In 2018, The Congress was attended by 53 high school students representing over 23 indigenous tribes and communities, with 15 mentors, 21 agency-nominated college students who participated as Junior Faculty, and employees representing over ten federal agencies and partners who participated as Faculty.