Zoos Victoria Youth Conservation Leaders Program

We congratulate Year 9 Melton Campus student Astrid, who recently completed the Zoos Victoria Youth Conservation Leaders Program.

The achievement reflects Astrid’s passion for the environment, commitment to sustainability, and growing leadership qualities. She represents Bernard House with integrity and purpose, and her successful completion of the program is a testament to her dedication and drive.

I have no doubt she will continue to make a meaningful impact in conservation in the future.

The Zoos Victoria Youth Conservation Leaders Program is designed for Year 9 and 10 students who are passionate about conservation and leadership. It offers hands-on experience, mentorship from Zoos Victoria staff, and the opportunity to participate in a real-life conservation project.

I invite you to read about Astrid’s endeavours below. Jo Clinton – Bernard House Leader

I recently participated in a Youth Conservation Leaders Program with Zoos Victoria with 35 other Year 9 and 10 students from all over Victoria.

The ten-day program involved developing leadership skills and learning about Leadbeater's possums. We went to different conservation sites to learn about current conservation efforts for the possum.

I spent the first two days at Melbourne Zoo, then had a three-day camp at Healesville, where we went to a future Leadbeater's possum site called Haining Farm, where we could plant trees. 

After a two-week break, I went to another camp at Healesville and visited a conservation site called Yellingbo. At Yellingbo, we saw sugar gliders and helmeted honeyeaters, both of which live in a similar habitat to Leadbeater's possums. 

After the camp, I went to the Parliament of Victoria to learn about public speaking and how to contact MPs. The next day, we went back to Melbourne Zoo to discuss everything we had learned throughout the program. 

During the program, I also developed two projects; one with a group to encourage visitors to come to Haining Farm, and a personal project where I had to find a way to help a threatened species in my area. 

My project was to persuade people who own large blocks of land to plant trees as a habitat for wedge-tailed eagles. 

I enjoyed meeting new people, going spotlighting, seeing the Leadbeater's possums in the wild, and seeing helmeted honeyeaters. I learned about the Leadbeater's possum habitat, details of different conservation efforts Zoos Victoria is working on, and how to improve my public speaking skills. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this program because it improved my leadership skills and my knowledge of the environment. 

Applications for the 2026 Youth Conservation Leaders program will open in February 2026. Click here for more information.