A young adult from Anglesey is spearheading efforts to empower her generation to take climate action in their local communities.

Megan Parkinson, 22, is a Youth Development Officer at the North Wales Wildlife Trust and plays a key part in the Stand for Nature Wales project, which has brought together all six Welsh wildlife trusts.

The project, powered by almost £2.5m in National Lottery funding, seeks to inspire young people to take action through a range of projects from nature walks to surveys - and Parkinson extolled the virtues of getting outside and in touch with nature.

“I go to schools and engage with the students there, supporting the teachers with outdoor learning and I also facilitate a youth group of 11–24-year-olds, mainly from Anglesey as well as some university students from Bangor,” said Megan.

“I went to the university in Bangor and was part of the forum which gave me the skills and the knowledge to have the confidence to apply for the role when it came up after I graduated.

“I was familiar with the trust, the forum, and knew how I wanted it to run in the future.

“Conservation is a really hard sector to get into, especially as a young person. That’s something we talk about a lot in the Trust.

“Being part of the forum and the Stand for Nature Wales project gave me the skills and confidence to think I could do the job, and know I am good enough to do it.”

Parkinson is spearheading efforts in North Wales as part of the pan-Wales project, that is focused on getting Welsh youngsters outdoors and in touch with nature.

“By engaging more people and seeing how totally disconnected some people are from nature, it makes you want to reach more people and makes you want to make people as excited about nature as you are,” she added.

“We want to get the word out that nature is amazing, and we need to connect it as much as possible.”

Figures released today show that more than £3 Billion of National Lottery good causes funding has been invested over the last decade into projects like Stand for Nature Wales which specifically support and develop children and young people.

Over the past 10 years, this huge investment which has had a positive life-changing impact on children and young people  across the UK, has supported over 58,000 projects which has helped them learn new skills, develop their communities as well giving them the tools to enhance their lives and the lives of others.

Thanks to National Lottery players, the funding is providing greater opportunities in life for many children and young people across the environment, arts, education, community, heritage and sport – with a big proportion of the money helping to connect young people with their environment and teaching them how to protect it.

The environment is an issue close to the hearts of young people. Many of the volunteers in our communities who seek to drive change and educate people about how to look after our environment are the younger generation. The National Lottery distributors are dedicated to helping young people continue that passion through funding incredible projects across the UK to help them unlock their potential.

Megan added: “Through volunteering and the project, which is about young people engaging their communities, it has made me realise how crucial community engagement is as an aspect of conservation, and one that is often overlooked.”

National Lottery players have contributed over £3 billion to projects that support children and young people in the last 10 years within the arts, education, environment, health, heritage, sport, and voluntary projects across the UK; see the difference it’s making near you at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk