Co-Exist Australia’s ‘Empowering Youth for Conservation Leadership’ program

In our latest round of grants, distributed in July 2025, we awarded $99,000 to Co-Exist Australia, to enable the expansion of their Empowering Youth for Conservation Leadership program further into Victoria and south-eastern Australia.  

Co-Exist Australia is a youth-led environmental movement focused on reconnecting young Australians with nature through community-driven conservation efforts.

Funding from the Trust will enable the organisation expand conservation efforts across Victoria, Tasmania, and Southern Australia, by supporting three existing Collectives and establishing two new Collectives in Melbourne and Adelaide. It will also enable the appointment of a part-time Community Coordinator.

Australia faces a biodiversity crisis due to habitat loss, urban expansion, and climate change, necessitating immediate action. Co-Exist Australia provides structured opportunities for youth engagement in conservation.

The project aims to engage a significant number of young volunteers and enhance biodiversity through various initiatives, including:

• Engaging up to 1,500 young volunteers in conservation work
• Contributing up to 3,000 volunteer hours, equating to an estimated in-kind contribution value of up to $120,000
• Planting 1,500 native plants to improve biodiversity and restore habitats

Visit Co-Exist’s website for more information on their successful projects in Queensland and New South Wales.