CLOSE Know what you are looking for? Use these quick links to find what you want faster...
Our Young Leaders are a group of 18-30 year olds that help ensure young people’s voices and views are considered in the Trust and that more young people are engaged in the Trust’s work. The group started in 2018 in Scotland’s Year of Young People.
For more information about the Young Leader’s work, visit the Young Leader volunteer page.
Amy is a lover of all things outdoors. With a background in Veterinary Nursing, she has spent most of her life working with, and caring for, animals. More recently Amy has been a Project Manager within a charity, supporting veterinary teams to champion antimicrobial stewardship (with consideration to environmental impacts on wildlife and ecosystems).
As a Young Leader, Amy hopes to inspire others to reconnect with the with the world around us, motivate people to take responsibility, expand her knowledge of the native flora and fauna, and ultimately spend more time immersing her senses in nature.
Colette has recently graduated from her Ecology and Environmental Biology Masters. Her main research interest was to understand the physical and behavioural impacts of anthropogenic pressures on wildlife.
Colette loves sharing her passion for nature with others, and so for the past five years, she has been working with young people by volunteering with the RSPB and as a STEM Ambassador. As a Young Leader, she is excited to continue learning and engaging others about Scotland’s native environment and ensuring young voices are heard in the work the Trust does.
Ellen Forbes (she/they) is from Angus and is currently based in Edinburgh. She is a multidisciplinary artist, community and workshop practitioner and creative ecologist.
They grew up in a small village with little to do but explore the outdoors, leading to a deep connection and interest in our wild landscape here in Scotland. She is particularly interested in the beings that we often miss like bugs, moss and fungi and what they can teach us about the wider ecology of the landscape and ourselves.
Over the years she has been involved in a whole range of work in the charity and arts sector with organisations like The Edinburgh Science Festival and The Maxwell Community Centre and Garden. And she is a member of Myceliart, a collective of artists and makers who aim to learn from and teach folks about fungi. All of which has taught her about science communication, community focused art projects, ecology and the importance of uplifting queer, indigenous and more-than-human voices.
Emma is from Glasgow and currently working as a Policy and Communications Officer at Environmental Protection Scotland. She recently completed her postgraduate studies in Global Environmental Law and Governance at the University of Strathclyde, where she focused her final dissertation on principles of energy justice and the politics of fossil fuels.
Previously, Emma has also graduated from the University of St. Andrews in International Relations and Italian, where she was first introduced to topics related to climate change, fuelling her passion to pursue a career in the environmental sector and do more for the planet.
Alongside becoming a Young Leader, Emma has also started volunteering at Re-Earth Initiative, a global youth organisation with the aim to make the climate movement accessible to all. She hopes to meet and engage with a number of young people through both of these opportunities, and is looking forward to learning more about how to restore nature and protect biodiversity here in Scotland.
While born in Scotland, Hayley grew up in a number of countries around the world, which all had different ecosystems and habitats. Since moving back to Scotland in her mid-teens, she became interested in Scotland’s diverse and stunning natural environment. Through living abroad and in Scotland, Hayley has an understanding of the worldwide implications of climate change on both people and wildlife. This prompted her to study Geography and Environmental Science at university, graduating in June 2024.
She is aiming to pursue a career in environmental conservation and education and is currently working seasonally to increase her knowledge and skills. She spent the past summer living and working on the Isle of May as a long-term residential volunteer with NatureScot. This opened up a whole new understanding of coastal habitats and species. She enjoyed the opportunity to communicate the importance of protecting seabirds, mammals and invertebrates on the island to members of the public during daily boat visits to the island. She is currently trying to improve her species identification skills and take every opportunity possible to be outside. Hayley is looking forward to meeting other Young Leaders and getting the opportunity to spend time with like-minded individuals.
Ishan’s path to the outdoors was anything but straightforward, but every twist and turn brought him closer to his passion. From studying engineering and earning a master’s degree in business to working in diverse industries, he’s done it all. Growing up near the foothills of the Himalayas, his summers were filled with trekking adventures that sparked a lifelong love for nature. That love eventually led him to Scotland — a land of breath-taking Highlands — where he’s now based in Glasgow.
In his short time in Scotland, Ishan has worked with young people in various ways — as an International Students’ Representative with the student union and now with a charity focused on making sports and outdoor activities more accessible to everyone. Through initiatives like the Duke of Edinburgh Award and programs supporting unaccompanied minors, he works to break barriers and make outdoor spaces more inclusive.
He also leads a sustainable lifestyle and is keen on learning more about the local wildlife.
Jessie has worked in the charity sector for more than five years in various roles. She currently works at Guildguiding as the Trusts and Statutory Lead. Jessie likes to get involved in animal welfare and conservational causes in any way she can, by volunteering, raising awareness and funds to better protect, love and value nature.
She is excited to volunteer alongside fellow Young Leaders and engage with like-minded people, but also use this programme to show the benefits of connecting with nature. She believes that together we can better our native environments and support the ecosystems that live alongside us.
Jonny is all about merging outdoor education and adventure with teaching about wildlife, habitats, and their conservation. Jonny has been working at a Marine Education Centre in New Zealand where he has been supporting young people to learn about marine conservation and the environment through recreation. He is returning to Scotland to apply what he has learned to better benefit Scotland’s environment and natural regeneration. Jonny loves spending time in the outdoors on land and at sea and loves hiking, climbing, paddleboarding, and scuba diving and using these activities to learn more about the natural world and advocate for their protection and improvement.
Kate is a current student on the MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow, where she writes creative non-fiction about climate change, nature and violence committed in the world (against each other, other species and our environment). She is a freelance science-communication writer for Futurum Careers and has previously worked as a ranger for the Cairngorms National Park Authority. She is interested in environmental policy, rewilding projects and the debates around species reintroductions in Scotland such as sea-eagles and lynx. Kate enjoys sea-kayaking and rock climbing; she loves spending time outside and helping other people do the same!
Libby has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in earth and marine sciences. Following her graduation, she completed her PADI Open Water diving qualification and worked in various community engagement roles. Most recently, Libby supervised the government-funded ‘Consumed’ exhibition tour which showcased ways in which to reduce waste to the general public.
Libby is now starting the Young Leaders Development Programme with the 2050 Climate Group. She hopes that alongside her journey as a Young Leader of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, this will support her aspired career within marine policy or management.
As a Young Leader, Megan is excited to influence policy, advocate for nature, and collaborate with other young people while learning from their experiences. She is passionate about making conservation accessible to young people across Scotland and looks forward to exploring this more through her role
Mike’s journey in the outdoors started at a young age, venturing into the Scottish wilderness on Scout camps. This sparked a passion that continues to grow to this day. Mike is a dedicated advocate for outdoor education and conservation, having completed a degree in Outdoor Education at The University of Highlands and Islands and more recently completed a three month Forest Ranger course in the Cairngorm National Park. With five enriching summers spent at a summer camp in Canada, including multiple month long canoe trips in Algonquin National Park, Mike has honed his skills as an outdoor instructor specializing in watersports. He can be found regularly hiking, canoeing & rock climbing.
Mike’s enthusiasm for the outdoors drives him to engage and inspire young people in nature, fostering a deeper connection to the environment and using it as a place for self-development. Mike is so excited to be part of the Scottish Wildlife Trust Young Leaders program and aims to inspire the next generation to appreciate and protect our natural environment
Ross has had a deep love for Scotland’s natural environment since a young age. He has a strong sense of community, from co-founding the Erskine Riverfront Development Trust that aims are to protect their local ancient woodland, improve local biodiversity and expand on the inner Clyde wildlife corridor, to serving as a councillor and the Treasurer for the local community council, championing various local causes. He is also an avid fell (hill) runner and hiker, and his goal is to complete his first ultra marathon by next year up in the highlands!
Ross has recently graduated from Stirling University with a degree in Economics and is passionate about exploring a career path in environmental management/consultancy. His hope is that by serving as Young Leader for Scottish Wildlife Trust, he can come to better understand the field and the environment more generally by meeting new and knowledgeable people, and using his own unique skills and knowledge to help champion Scottish Wildlife (and have a fun time along the way!).
Passionate – perhaps obsessed – about nature since a very young age, Valle has volunteer and work experience in different fields concerning human and non-human animals. Valle’s love for animal species made her spend her time in various animal charities, from dog shelters to farm animal sanctuaries, as well as at a wildlife rehabilitation centre and currently at the Seabird Centre. She has successfully completed her MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare at The University of Edinburgh, as well as obtained her PADI Advanced Open Water diving qualification.
Valle is very excited to join the Young Leaders. She looks forward to joining both her backgrounds and collaborating with so many people with similar interests. Being an advocate for positive human-animal interactions, she is very keen on exploring the marine and terrestrial wildlife Scotland has to offer, bringing nature closer to the younger generations.