We are pleased to announce that Manu Maunganidze, who runs Nature Youth Connection & Education, has accepted an invitation from the directors of Bristol Green Capital Partnership CIC, the company that supports the 850+ members of the Partnership in their work, to join the board of directors.

Manu spoke with passion and insight around engaging young people – including those within Bristol’s diverse communities – in nature and the environmental sustainability at April’s Green Mingle.

Drawing on his experience teaching in the city, Manu has engaged with hundreds of individuals and families to raise awareness of pressing environmental sustainability issues, coordinating events and activities through schools to raise awareness and drive action.

He set up Nature Youth Connection & Education recently which aims to use build skills through making connections with nature, providing ecological education for marginalised young people in Bristol.

Manu joins the Partnership Company’s board of directors, which oversees the community interest company for the benefit of its members, agreeing strategic priorities for the Partnership’s staff team and steering it activities.

In his new role, he will bring his expertise to the Partnership’s environmental equality priority, focusing on engaging young people and other diverse communities with nature and the environment.

Manu said,

‘I have a keen interest in how education, environmentalism and the economy interact. I have worked with young people for the past 10 years, and have been hugely inspired by how adaptable and resilient they can be. I have worked as both a teacher and camp leader, always aspiring to  help children to be more aware of their potential to play a positive role in nature and their communities.

I firmly believe there is real potential to place the protection of the environment, making ecologically conscious consumer choices, and greater awareness of nature at the forefront of how we educate and  guide young people to engage with the world around them. There are also genuine opportunities within a city like Bristol, to put environmentally sustainable businesses at the centre of the city’s economy.

By reaching out and engaging with more diverse communities, there is potential to move ‘eco-businesses’ out of the alternative and into the mainstream. The Bristol Green Capital Partnership has a unique role to play in these issues through its immense reach with the city’s eco-businesses and creating possibilities for meaningful networking that leads to practical solutions.’