On Saturday, January 8th, 2022, 26 Junior Ambassadors logged on for their 3rd Advocacy Training of the program. This virtual training focused on stakeholder engagement and citizen science. Junior Ambassadors participated in a detailed workshop of stakeholder engagement and grouped together to employ stakeholder analyses for real and hypothetical community and environmental issues. This allowed Junior Ambassadors to gain a deep understand of stakeholders and how to properly engage the appropriate stakeholders for certain issues. This exercise helped prepare the Junior Ambassadors for the required Advocacy Project each student must complete in order to graduate the program.
Junior Ambassadors also learned about citizen science and how it is an invaluable tool in research that utilizes the public for data collection. Citizen Science is a data collection tool used all around the world that aids in the research of pressing issues- like marine debris and ocean pollution. The Junior Ambassadors were also introduced to one of their required service projects- a letter writing campaign! They will pick an environmental issue unique to south Florida or their community and write to local elected officials informing them of the issue and persuade them to help find a solution. Thanks Junior Ambassadors for all you do!
Originally published at https://www.miamiwaterkeeper.org/junior_ambassador_advocacy_training