The 2025 National Landcare Conference on the Gold Coast kicked off with a burst of bold, hopeful energy thanks to the NextGen Landcare Summit—a highly collaborative, youth-focused event designed to celebrate, inspire, and empower the future of the movement. Greater Sydney Landcare’s Sophie Blair, who created Wildventure, was part of the NextGen Landcare Steering Committee and took part in a panel discussion, sharing insights and learning from others on strengthening youth engagement in Landcare.
The Challenge: Why Young Voices Matter
Engaging young people in Landcare is a national challenge. The younger generation often faces a lack of support, representation, and empowerment in broader conversations. This is compounded by issues like eco-anxiety, financial barriers, volunteer burnout, and confusing career paths. Recognizing that this is a multifaceted problem, Landcare Australia appreciated that a one-size-fits-all solution wouldn’t work. A new approach was needed.
The Solution: A Summit by Youth, for Youth
In early 2025, a committee of passionate young Landcarers from across Australia was formed to create and deliver the NextGen Landcare Summit. Their mission: to provide a powerful voice for their peers on a national stage.
The committee designed a free and accessible 6-hour forum packed with inspiring stories, expert panels, and collaborative activities. It was a space for young people from across the country to connect, network, and tackle these pressing issues together, turning challenges into ideas and inspiration.
The Impact: Hope, Connection, and a Call to Action
The summit was a resounding success! The key highlights include:
- Attendance: Over 160 young adults and their supporters filled the room with an atmosphere that was hopeful and full of ideas.
- Leadership: A committee of 7 young Landcarers and 10 additional speakers were supported to lead the event and share their expertise.
- National Platform: To close the conference, committee members spoke on a final panel in front of over 600 attendees, driving home the key messages from the summit and advocating for a more age-inclusive future for Landcare.
The event proved what happens when young people are given the space to connect, share, and lead. Participants discovered they weren’t working in isolation, finding solidarity and inspiration. New friendships were formed, and potential career partnerships were sparked, breaking down regional barriers and fostering a truly national network.
We’d like to extend a huge congratulations to our very own Local Landcare Coordinator, Sophie Blair, who represented Greater Sydney Landcare on the NextGen Landcare Steering Committee and at the event. Sophie worked tirelessly all year to help deliver this incredible summit. Her passion and dedication were instrumental to its success, and we are so proud to have such a passionate Landcarer on our team!
A special thank you also goes to Intrepid Landcare, Coexist, the entire steering committee, and Landcare Australia for creating these vital opportunities for young people. We can’t wait for the next one!
