Curiosity Project

OVERVIEW

Since 2020 Citizen Zoo has partnered with the Kingston Carers Network, with funding from Children In Need, to deliver their Curiosity Project, which is enabling young carers to engage with the natural world.

PROJECT DETAILS

Where: Kingston Upon Thames, London

Partners: Kingston Carers

Since: 2020

BACKGROUND

At Citizen Zoo, a key component of our work is to rewild people, not just the landscape. We believe that connecting people with the natural world is essential for inspiring them about wildlife and empowering anyone and everyone to become a budding conservationist. To us, education and engagement are vital to reversing the declines in biodiversity.

One project we joined in 2020 is the Curiosity Project, led by the Kingston Carers Network, which has the core aim of enabling young carers to engage with the natural world. Our role in the project is to deliver education sessions on local nature reserves to bring young people into the great outdoors and experience the wildlife on their doorstep.

In its first year, we ran sessions on the Hogsmill River catchment and Moated Manor nature reserve, using a seasonal theme for each session to educate participants about bird migrations and the incredible wildlife found in Kingston. We also taught the children about our water vole reintroduction project, focusing on the ecology of the species and their preferred habitats.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we were unable to continue face to face delivery for the remainder of 2020 but have since delivered online educational sessions for the young carers. As the project enters its second year, we are hoping that last year’s cohort will take on a mentoring role for new participants. This was even built into the first session of the year, which focused on the mentoring behaviours of many species, including yellow meadow ants that the young people saw first-hand on a trip to the Moated Manor nature reserve in Tolworth last year.

Get Involved

To support the project why not donate today and help us rewild young people? Or to pledge your support long term, why not become a member?