Meet the 2026 Mentors
The YEC mentors are older students (typically Yr 9-11), who have been a member of the YEC for at least one year. The YEC mentors' roles are to welcome and guide the newer members, continuing the inclusive and supportive culture of young people taking action for sustainability.
This has the added benefit of the mentors developing their leadership skills, whilst also transitioning these older members onto other things beyond the YEC.
This has the added benefit of the mentors developing their leadership skills, whilst also transitioning these older members onto other things beyond the YEC.
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Yiyi
How many years have you been in the YEC? I joined the YEC in 2025, where I was able to install a native garden in my school. This is my second year as a member and first year as a mentor. What do you love about the YEC? I love being around other people who are passionate about protecting our planet and encourage others to do the same. I find it fantastic how YEC empowers young people, who otherwise might feel powerless, to play an active role in shaping our society. What do you love doing in the environment? I love walking in nature, climbing trees, and birdwatching - particularly in the hills and at remote beaches. What are your particular environment and sustainability interests? Climate change and renewable energy. Specifically taxes, royalties, and subsidies paid by the fossil fuel industry to the Australian Government. I am also interested in chemical pollution, and its social and environmental impacts. |
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Tia
How many years have you been in the YEC? I joined the Youth Environment Council in 2025, and this will be my second year being involved. Over that time, YEC has become a space where I’ve grown in confidence, knowledge, and leadership, especially in how I think about caring for Country and the environment. What do you love about the YEC? What I love most about YEC is that it gives young people a real voice. It’s not just about talking we learn, listen, and take action. I especially value how YEC encourages respectful learning, collaboration, and connection to culture. It’s a place where different perspectives are welcomed, and where I feel supported to bring my Aboriginal identity and knowledge into environmental discussions. What do you love doing in the environment? I love learning on Country and being outdoors observing, listening, and understanding how nature works as a system. I enjoy learning from Aboriginal ways of caring for Country, where land, water, people, and culture are all connected. Spending time in the environment helps me feel grounded and reminds me why protecting it is so important. What are your particular environment and sustainability interests? My main interests are Aboriginal land management practices, sustainability, and how traditional knowledge can be respectfully applied in today’s world. I’m especially passionate about learning from First Nations practices like caring for land over generations and exploring how these approaches can help address modern environmental challenges. I’m also interested in education and mentoring, helping others understand that caring for Country isn’t just about the environment, but about respect, responsibility, and connection. |
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Evie
How many years have you been in the YEC? I have been in the YEC since 2024, so this will be my third year. What do you love about the YEC?I have loved the opportunity to meet lots of fun and like-minded people through the YEC. The camps and experiences are super enjoyable, and it has been really great to get to work on a project that I am passionate about. What do you love doing in the environment?I generally love doing anything and everything in the outdoors, particularly camping, hiking, playing sport, surfing, the beach, exploring national parks, travelling to new places, and encountering wildlife. What are your particular environment and sustainability interests?I am particularly passionate about getting people working together in the community for the environment and really care about protecting local ecosystems through habitat restoration. I love ecology and learning more about our unique flora and fauna, and how we can better advocate for nature. |
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Gabi
How many years have you been in the YEC? I joined the Youth Environment Council (YEC) in 2025 and am currently in my second year as a member and mentor. What do you love about the YEC? I love how the YEC creates a space where young people can connect with others their age who are passionate about the environment. It’s inspiring to be surrounded by like-minded people who genuinely care and want to make a difference. The YEC encourages collaboration, creativity and leadership, and it’s amazing to see everyone support each other’s ideas and projects. What do you love doing in the environment? I love learning about the natural world, especially the ocean and our forests. I find it fascinating how ecosystems function, from our coral reefs, filled with marine life to forests that support so many different species while storing carbon and protecting biodiversity. I’m always curious about how everything is connected and how small changes can have big impacts on the health of our planet. I’m particularly interested in understanding how we can better preserve the Earth, whether that’s through conservation efforts, sustainable living, or climate action. I enjoy researching environmental issues and discovering practical solutions that can make a difference. One of my favourite things is sharing what I learn with others. I love teaching and raising awareness about environmental topics because I believe knowledge is powerful. When people understand why something matters, they’re more likely to care and take action. Being able to learn something new and then pass it on to inspire others is something I find really rewarding. What are your particular environment and sustainability interests? My main environmental interests are ocean and coral reef conservation, as well as climate change. I am particularly passionate about protecting marine ecosystems and raising awareness about how climate change impacts our oceans. I’m interested in learning more about sustainable solutions that can help preserve coral reefs and reduce human impact on the environment for future generations. |
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Esther
How many years have you been in the YEC? I have been in the YEC for 4 years. This is my second year as a mentor. What do you love about the YEC? I love the camp and all the fun activities and project planning as it helps me get an idea for my project. I love the food, it is really good. What do you love doing in the environment? I love the beach and learning about the coastal environment. I love swinging and surfing even though I look like a fish out of water. I enjoy exploring new places and what they have to offer. I love going on trips up to Martins well where we camp with only the thing we bought it is so pretty out there. I think it is one of my favourite places. What are your particular environment and sustainability interests? My interests in the environment are
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Aura
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