Meet our new Youth Panel

Meet the people responsible for assessing our new nature engagement grant

Published on 5th November 2020

Banner

We are very excited to introduce a new team of seven young people, tasked with distributing funds towards youth-led projects across the UK that seek to increase youth engagement with local natural spaces and encourage a deeper appreciation and understanding of nature.

This youth panel consists of 16-18-year-olds from five different regions of the UK with a variety of interests, all coming together for a common goal of increasing young people's engagement with nature.

The Society felt that it was important to engage the youth voice in this new grant process, to enable us to make the right decisions about which interventions can have the best impact on young people.

It has been so enjoyable for me to interact with these enthusiastic and self-driven people individually, but its even more exciting to watch them interact with each-other. There are Panellists at different stages, on different paths and thinking in different ways, but they are all coming together to make important decisions as a unit - which is just what life is all about really, isn't it?!

Joe Burton, Education Manager

The Panellists

Elisheeba Ijekhuemen
Ethan Mitchell-Innes
Oliwia Charowska
​Rebecca Davies
Ridhka Kakkar
Sathvika Krishnan
Theo Sandhu

Elisheeba Ijekhuemen
Elisheeba is studying psychology with a counselling theory pathway and has dreams of helping people in any way she can. Her favourite colour is gold.

Ethan Mitchell-Innes
Ethan is studying Horticulture; this year he will be researching and writing about Eucalyptus gunnii germination and its relation to the ever changing climate. He hopes to study plant science at degree level next year.

Oliwia Charowska
Oliwia is studying Geography, Spanish and RPE (Religion Philosophy and Ethics) A Levels in London. She has dreams of traveling the world and discovering new cultures and natural environments. Her favourite plant is the ball dahlia.

Rebecca Davies
Rebecca is studying Biology, English literature, and Media A Levels in Leicestershire and has hopes of building a career in international animal conservation. Her favourite animal is the Sumatran rhino!

Ridhka Kakkar
Ridhka is studying Maths, Economics, Chemistry A levels and A level 3 financial studies diploma in Alton. She has hopes to become a doctor and open up a charity for the homeless. Roses are her favourite plant.

Sathvika Krishnan
Sathvika, also known as Saf, has just completed her A-Levels and is an active environmentalist and wildlife enthusiast. Aside from her passion for nature, she is an avid South-Indian classical vocalist and Western diploma-level pianist.

Theo Sandhu
Theo is studying advanced higher biology and chemistry in Glasgow, Scotland. With a burning passion for life he would like to go on to study genetics and contribute to ground-breaking research and help save and better the lives of others.


For future opportunities for 16+, sign up to receive our Learning Updates or check out the Beyond School section of our Learning pages.

Contact learning@linnean.org