On Thursday 20th May, Ocean Generation ran a small pilot of our new programme for 16 – 25 year-olds called Wavemakers. In preparation for our debut on the world stage at this year's G7 summit in Cornwall, this pilot session was a great opportunity to get the final feedback from participants before the big reveal on World Oceans Day.  

Our Wavemaker programme supports the development of young “Wavemakers” by providing the education, tools and resources needed to protect our Ocean and scale up impact. Our Wavemaker programme accelerates social action, incubates innovation and facilitates sustainable career opportunities while actively seeking to engage with those most affected by Ocean threats. 

The programme entry point is a free, open to all workshop, built to inspire inspiration and facilitate a roadmap to generating real world change. We do this through a network of masterclasses, mentorship opportunities and a safe drop in space to incubate campaign ideas and develop concepts. The cherry on top? Our entire programme has been designed with young people's future at the heart. Meaning, Wavemakers has a continued focus on employability. Through our partnership with Acre recruitment, we see our Wavemaker programme as springboard into the green economy.  

How did it go?

Our pilot programme proved a success, and final amendments to our workshop are currently in development by our outreach and engagement team. But a programme like this will always grow and expand in new directions, as it is catered to support the participants, not the organisation. Our first Wavemaker participants felt:  

• 33% increase in understanding of ocean threats. 
• 66% increase in importance of connecting with local community. 
• 66% said this workshop made them feel more connected to the natural world. 
• 100% participants said this workshop positively impacted their wellbeing. 
• 100% of participants said this workshop helped them gain relevant skills for accessing employment of any kind.

Our goal?

As we roll out our new programme internationally, we will be supporting young Wavemakers around the world to drive campaigns, generate creative solutions to Ocean threats and explore career opportunities in the green economy.