CEESP_SC_meeting

=**Report of the CEESP Intergenerational Advisor on the CEESP steering committee meeting held in Delhi, 9-11 November 2011** = Catie Burlando CEESP Intergenerational Advisor November 22, 2011

Dear Youth Leadership Team, In October we submitted to our CEESP chair Aroha Mead a report on “Contributions to CEESP’s component program and draft mandate for 2013-2016.” In the report, we (1) outlined the vision and goals developed by the CEESP Youth Leadership Team; (2) briefly described some of the accomplishments that the Youth Network achieved between June and October 2011; (3) issues we would like to see moved forward; (4) the level of support that we may be able to devote and (5) ideas that might help us move towards a direct contribution to CPA2.

Specifically in point (3), we wanted to (a) strengthen the CEESP Youth Network; (b) foster intergenerational partnerships within CEESP; (c) increase youth representation within CEESP; and (d) work towards a youth fund. Participation in the CEESP Steering Committee (CEESP SC) held in Delhi between November 9 and 11, 2011, as well as a separate meeting with the YLT members Khuraijam Jibankumar and Sajid Idrisi, provided an opportunity to identify specific ways to strengthen the CEESP’s Youth Network. Jiban and Sajid both participated on Day 2 of the Steering Committee meeting. On day 2 I was also asked to deliver a presentation on the “Cross-Commission Survey Report: Youth Engagement and Intergenerational partnership” that was released in October 2011.

A meeting minute report for the three days will be available in the next month. Here I provide a summary of the expected outcomes of the meeting (Part 1), main discussions held and results obtained from the CEESP SC meeting (Part 2), and opportunities for the CEESP Youth Network (Part 3).

In summary, Part 3 outlines the following areas for action: 1. Reframe objectives of CEESP Youth Network to reflect a greater commitment to contribute to CEESP’s work through intergenerational partnerships. 2. Identify active youth members and develop specific responsibilities for the YLT. 3. Contact thematic and regional chairs to strengthen cooperation and to develop regional teams. 4. Focus on different types of communication (including a pamphlet for our group, a link of major accomplishments on the CEESP website, development of our own blog/website, and contribution to IUCN publications such as Arborvitae). 5. Support the World Conservation Congress.

**__Part 1: Expected outcomes of the CEESP Steering Committee meeting__**

 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Identification of key priorities and approaches for the CEESP component programme and mandate for 2013-2016, and agreement on the process to complete these two documents for submission to the IUCN Council on January 31, 2012;
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Key elements of an Operational and Development Plan for the Commission 2013-2016, and agreement on how to complete a first draft living document;
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Agreement on how CEESP will use the World Conservation Congress as well as other activities in 2012 to position itself strategically for delivering the 2013– 2016 programme (including with regard to Forum events and motions).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">**__Part 2: Main areas of discussion at the CEESP SC and some of the results accomplished__**

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Core Programme 2 (CPA2) offers CEESP a clear mandate and space for action within IUCN. At the same time, CEESP needs to work within the parameters of the IUCN One Programme approach, which fosters communication and action across Commissions.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">There were lively discussions on the concepts and terms used in the IUCN draft programme for 2013-2016; i.e., oversimplification of the IUCN draft program that has led to loss of important issues; concerns with the use of specific terminology (i.e., natural resources governance framework, ‘knowledge products’, ‘governing’, ‘valuing’) and the need for a stronger emphasis on equity, traditional/local knowledge, accountability, and climate change adaptation, to name a few.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Presentation of 2011 achievements by all CEESP thematic and regional Chairs present at the SC showed the extent of CEESP’s reach and potential. CEESP can continue to contribute to the IUCN programme for 2013-2016 in several ways. It can provide technical advice, increase the capacity of Indigenous people to participate in natural resource governance and in IUCN, lead to policy reforms, enhance tools, knowledge and standards of practice (i.e., Rights-based Conservation approaches), and build on a new conservation ethic.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The Sharing Power conference (see [|Conference report]) and past resolutions should provide a plan for action for CEESP. The conference recognized the need for a new conservation ethic that is inclusive, participatory, respectful and accountable; the need to monitor the activities of extractive industries; reshape our view of economics, and promote intercultural dialogue.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The CEESP program priorities that were debated at the SC included the need to (1) promote a new conservation ethic within IUCN (including the need to promote learning within the IUCN); (2) refocus attention on economic policies within IUCN, and enhance an understanding of conservation as having deep economic implications; (3) strengthen social and cultural equity in natural resource management, and strengthen local organizations to gain rights and influence policies (i.e., rights-based approaches to conservation; recognition of different types of knowledge and values); and (4) review IUCN’s association with the private sector.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The CEESP programme priorities are aimed at all CEESP themes, rather than specific to themes. These priorities are a draft and will be redefined in the next two months, as all CEESP chairs will have an opportunity to review them and provide comments.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">CEESP will choose 4 proposals that represent the work of CEESP at the World Conservation Congress. A pavilion named “A just world” for CPA2 will be an open space where CEESP can organize ‘journey’, provide a space for creative and innovative communication, coordinate or introduce workshops and knowledge cafes. CEESP will also work on motions that engage CEESP members and build on the priorities identified.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Issues specific to CEESP’s management included the need to find new sources of funding (IUCN is facing revenue declines); and develop a guide for list-serv etiquette. Policy Matters 18 (a CEESP publication) was released November 11. “Macroeconomic policies, Livelihoods and Sustainability” was edited by Alejandro Nadal, chair of the Theme on Environment, Macroeconomic, Trade and Investment (TEMTI).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">**__Part 3: Summary of areas of action for the CEESP Youth Network__**
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">__**1. Mission and objectives of the CEESP Youth Network**__
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Jiban, Sajid and myself discussed the need to change our mission and goals to reflect a greater commitment to CEESP’s work through intergenerational partnerships. The CEESP SC appreciated this change as they stressed the need for the youth group to work closely with CEESP, rather than become its own independent entity.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Revised version:__** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(a) Our vision is an intergenerational community of leaders who learn and work together within and through IUCN, for a just, sustainable and peaceful world. (b) Our mission is to contribute to CEESP’s work program through intergenerational partnerships between emerging leaders and CEESP thematic and regional groups. (c) Our goals for 2011-2013 are 1) to recognize and support emerging leaders in the structures, policies and activities of CEESP; 2) promote the involvement of youth in development of CEESP policy and in policy-making; and 3) foster cross-commission collaboration.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 1:__** Approve change in mission and objectives; update the wikispace.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">__**2. Strengthening the CEESP Youth Network**__
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In addition to the points that were raised in the “Contributions to CEESP’s component program and draft mandate for 2013-2016,” we discussed the need for the Youth Leadership Team to:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(a) Identify our active members within the facebook group and within CEESP. (b) Develop specific responsibilities for the members of the group.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 2:__** Find a way to identify our membership in facebook by theme and region (i.e., through a very short survey); and identify active young members within CEESP themes and regions that we can work closely with. Contact Executive Officer Elizabeth Erasito as well as theme and regional chairs. For example, at the CEESP there were two young representatives for TGER and TILCEPA that could become part of our group and keep us on the loop with regards to the specific work of those themes.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 3:__** Develop roles and responsibilities for the YLT (see also other Young Professional Groups for similar example). Let me know which areas you would be interested in following more closely. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">__**3.** **Fostering intergenerational partnerships**__
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We discussed the need for the CEESP Youth Network to find its own identity, and become more focused, while building on greater interactions with the different thematic and regional chairs of CEESP. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As underlined by CEESP Chair Aroha Mead, the Core Programme 2 (CPA2) on Sharing Nature’s Benefits (the title is under discussion) represents the best opportunity CEESP ever had to have a specific area of contribution. Further, the CEESP SC supported the need to base CEESP’s future work on the outcomes of the Sharing Power Conference (see [|Conference report]), as well as on the Resolutions that directly relate to CEESP.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In order to achieve greater cooperation within CEESP around CPA2, we discussed ways to work towards (1) increased **interactions of CEESP young members with senior colleagues** around issues of common interest and around the four CEESP program priorities (i.e., promoting a new conservation ethics within IUCN, discussing the role of economics in IUCN, and the role of the private sector, and strengthening rights-based approaches to conservation and equity), as well as work towards the (2) pro-active **involvement of youth from communities we work with**. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We agreed to:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(a) **Facilitate processes of exchange** (for example through a **‘Buddy Program’**) while enabling individuals to match their own interests to those of commission members. (b) Increase **regional collaboration** to foster greater integration between youth members and CEESP chairs and IUCN Secretariat, by developing regional youth groups; and coordinating events at the regional level to gain leverage on the ground and to receive feedback and suggestions regarding the development of the youth group and its contributions to CEESP. In our previous report we highlighted the need to strengthen youth participation in resource management, for example by developing a focus on three, four regional contexts (that we work directly with) to get at the driving issues of concern and to understand how youth visualize change. (c) Communicate with **thematic Chairs** to understand issues/priorities/process, and __identify areas of convergence__ where youth can become involved. For example, in our preparatory report, we had expressed interest in contributing to the Conservation and Human Rights Initiative.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 4:__** The CEESP SC will be working until January 31 to develop a CEESP Programme. The YLT will be kept informed on the areas of interest under development, and able to contribute suggestions that will ensure our participation in the future programme activities.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 5:__** The Co-Chair of the Theme on the Environment, Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment (TEMTI), Alejandro Nadal (Mexico), asked for cooperation from the youth regarding a project to highlight through on-line media the link between macro-economic policies, livelihoods and sustainability. We can ask for further clarification on the project and seek individuals interested in macro-economic policies and online applications.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 6__****:** Strengthen cooperation with Vivienne Solis, Regional Vice Chair of Meso America, about the proposal to bring young fisherfolks to the World Conservation Congress.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">//__Please note that information on CEESP, membership, themes, regions and topics is accessible at: []__// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">__**4. Strengthening strategic and creative communication**__
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We discussed ways to improve strategic and creative communication and information sharing.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(a) Jiban suggested the [|EBI conference] (30-31 December 2011) as a space to present the CEESP Youth Network, facilitate interactions between youth and scientists, get suggestions and feedback on the role of the group, and broaden CEESP’s visibility through press releases and newspapers (a task that Jiban is familiar with). The EBI conference can provide an important opportunity for developing a pamphlet that will outline 1. Background information on CEESP; 2. CEESP Youth Network objectives; 3. What we do; 4) Message from the CEESP Chair and message from the CEESP Intergenerational Advisor; 5) contact information; 6) front picture. (b) Currently the Youth Network is not associated to CEESP. We need to link the youth group to the [|CEESP webpage]. (c) Provide a space for youth to share their stories, experiences and challenges in conservation and natural resource management, and make more visible the range of activities that CEESP youth are involved to create synergies and partnerships with regions and themes within CEESP.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 7:__** Communicate with Georgina regarding use of IUCN and CEESP’s logos, and integration into CEESP’s goal of creating their own pamphlet (as discussed in CEESP SC meeting). Also submit to Georgina posts or links to be loaded on the CEESP website. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 8:__** Development of a CEESP Youth Network website and/or use the soon to be launched IUCN portal. The website could include different pages; i.e., a blog, news updates, events, a youth newsletter (monthly? Every 3-4 months?), a message from CEESP Chair and Intergenerational Advisor (Jiban recorded a short video from Aroha and myself). Question: Should this be independent or should it be on the wikispace? See example from [|CEL].

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 9__**__:__ Participate in the IUCN publication of Arborvitae with articles on intergenerational partnerships and youth experiences.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Recently, the editors of Arborvitae have contacted CEESP for contributions and I suggested that perhaps this could be an outlet for a youth project. One option would be a whole issue from a youth perspective or intergenerational perspective (involving other Commissions), and another option would be that for every issue in the future, IUCN editor Daniel Shaw gets in touch with Commission focal points to see who could contribute. // Please see recent issues here: www.iucn.org/forest/av. // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">__**5.** **Participation in the World Conservation Congress**__
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We also aim to participate in the work leading to the World Conservation Congress.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(a) Support the knowledge café on marine governance. I had a side discussion with Vivienne on the CEESP Youth Network participation in the knowledge café on the subject of **Marine Conservation, Governance and Coastal communities’ participation.** Vivienne and Daniela will develop a process to select young participants that can travel to the WCC, express their own ideas and aspirations, and integrate social issues in fisheries management. Our YLT needs to discuss our interests and what kind of input we can bring to the process. (b) Participate in the Youth workshops proposed both at the commission and inter-commission levels (if accepted) (c) I agreed to work with Kenneth Iain MacDonald (Theme on Culture and Conservation), Georgina Peard (CESP Network Officer and our main contact at IUCN headquarters) and IUCN on the use of a pavilion located at the entrance of the World Conservation Congress Venue that will showcase Core Programme Area 2 (CEESP’s area of interest). Here CEESP can have posters, pamphlets, publications as well as presentations. This could also be a venue for the inter- and cross-commission youth events. (d) I also agreed to volunteer with Richard Cellarius (Financial Officer at CEESP) on planning the agenda for CEESP SC’s next meeting, which usually occurs one to two days before the Congress. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 10__****:** Need for CEESP Youth Network to have our own discussion on our interests and what kind of input we can bring to the process. Plan the HOW on the knowledge café with Daniela. Some ideas include the option of developing a website where young fisherfolks can tell their stories and experiences with marine governance. Daniela can also explain the rational for the event and her role and the role of the different organizations involved. For example, Janis Alcorn, co-chair of TGER supported a project on “[|Voices of the Chaco]” and an example from Daniela’s organization which also posted a [|video] from fisherfolks.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">**__Action 11:__** Coordinate with Catie volunteering opportunities for the World Conservation Congress, including the ones that I volunteered for. Depending on commitment and interest expressed by the YLT members, we can also try to get seed money for a small group of members to go to the Congress.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">__**6.** **Youth fund:**__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">CEESP SC agreed to allocate seed money for the EBI Conference provided we present a budget. In the medium term, CEESP might provide access to seed money that we can use to leverage funding from other sources.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">__**7.** **Mandate**__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As we weave through these different actions, we need to develop our own identity within CEESP. Whether this will be an output ‘product’ for our group, a work program or a project that we develop with regional or thematic chairs, and within CEESP’s work program, we need to develop a process that will help us build our mandate for 2013-2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The above list contains ideas and opportunities to strengthen the CEESP Youth Network. They are entirely reliant on the time and commitment of our youth members. They are also suggestions that need to be prioritized and can be modified so that we can all become involved in something we truly believe in and cherish. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Please let me know which priorities you would like to be involved in, and in which capacity, and whether you have other suggestions.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Best regards, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Catie Burlando <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Winnipeg, November 22, 2011