ZSL
Zoological Society of London
Join our Youth Advisory Board!
ZSL’s Youth Advisory Board is looking for new members aged 16-25 who are committed to shaping the future of conservation. If you’re interested in bringing your voice to the table and helping us grow as a board, find out more about applying below, or watch our information session from Tuesday 25 February.
Watch our information session apply now
About the Youth Advisory Board
The ZSL Youth Advisory Board was launched in summer 2023 to bring youth voices to the forefront of shaping our organisation's future. Comprising twelve members aged 16-25, the board advises ZSL on incorporating the needs and perspectives of young people into all their work.
Our mission is to unite and amplify diverse youth voices within ZSL and beyond, fostering an inclusive and equitable future for both people and wildlife.
What does being a member entail?
The core work of the board is contributing to discussions on the work of ZSL, providing your opinion and perspective on various aspects of ZSL’s work and feeding back to staff from all levels of the organisation.
Members also participate in workshops, team building activities and networking events with ZSL and external partners.
- Beyond this, there are optional opportunities for members to be involved in additional projects & events. Some examples of previous projects include:
- Producing an accessible events guide
- Developing and delivering zoo-based conservation workshops to groups from the National Saturday Club
- Video production for the International Zoo Education Conference
- Research project into young people’s career aspirations through surveys and focus groups
Find out more by reading the full role description:
Board member requirements
- Age: We can only accept applications from those who will be 16-25 years old on 19 July 2025, when the new board term begins
- Location: Applicants must be able to attend meetings every two months in Central London
- Other criteria: Applicants must not be a staff member or student at ZSL at the time of joining the board.
- Commitment:
- Board meetings take place 6 times across the year and members are asked to attend all meetings, preferably in person, though hybrid meetings are possible on occasion. These usually take place in ZSL’s main offices, onsite at London Zoo, but at least on meeting per year will be at Whipsnade Zoo.
- If members are unable to attend a meeting, they are asked to contribute in an another way.
- Opportunities to participate in additional projects, events, and meetings arise between these regular meetings.
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and celebrate the value of having a team with diverse skills, experiences, and backgrounds. As such we actively encourage applications from disabled and ethnic minority candidates, as well as those from low-income households, as those demographics are currently under-represented across ZSL.
You also don’t need any prior conservation experience to apply, and we will explain any complex terms related to conservation in our materials. We encourage applications from individuals with varied backgrounds and strengths.
ZSL has active equality networks for our volunteers and staff with lived experience and those who provide active allyship in Race and Culture, Team Pride, Disability Network, and Menopause Network, complemented by our strategic EDI Steering Group.
Member benefits
Core membership of the board is voluntary, with members receiving ZSL’s standard volunteering benefits, including:
- Volunteer ID Pass
- Six free zoo tickets per year
- Discounts on ZSL products, experiences and activities
- Complementary refreshments and lunch on full meeting days
- Complementary student fellowship of ZSL
- Out of pocket expenses for travel reimbursed up to £15 per day. If additional financial support is required beyond this amount, we are happy to discuss.
Projects with financial compensation may arise as part of this role, outside of the core activity.
Please note: if there is a barrier that is stopping you from applying for the Youth Advisory Board, please get in touch with us to see what we can do to support you.
How to apply
Follow the application link below to apply.
As part of your application, you will be asked to submit the answers to the following:
Outline how this opportunity would benefit you and what you would bring to ZSL’s Youth Advisory Board
- Include your previous experience, background, and personal attributes or skills.
- Note: You do not need prior conservation experience to apply. We value diverse perspectives from all backgrounds
Pick two of our board values and outline their importance to youth participation in (a) wildlife conservation or (b) another sector of your choice
- Note: we don’t mind whether you pick wildlife conservation or another sector you are more familiar with, e.g. law, construction, museums etc.
- Our values are:
- Collaborative: Seeking ways to work together to achieve more.
- Sustainable: Future-focused, ensuring we’re building sustainably on what’s come before.
- Reflective: A mindset of continuous growth and reflection.
- Equitable and Inclusive: Working to remove barriers for all and embracing all perspectives.
- Respectful: Building trust through respect.
Application Format
To ensure accessibility, we welcome a variety of application styles. Submissions can include:
- Written responses (800 words max)
- Video (3 minutes max)
- Voice note/speaking (3 minutes max)
- PowerPoint presentation with recorded voiceover (3 minutes max)
Follow the link below for the application form, which will include information on how to submit your answers via any of these formats.
Additional Guidance
- Submissions can be in bullet points rather than full sentences, if you prefer.
- Visuals are welcome in any application style.
- We are open to creative responses that reflect your personality.
- We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all. To ensure we do this, some demographic data will be collected as part of the application. Any information provided will be treated as strictly confidential and will be used for monitoring purposes only, to ensure this opportunity has reach as wide an audience as possible.
Information Session
We held an Information Session on Tuesday 25 February to give people the opportunity to meet current members of the Youth Advisory Board alongside the ZSL staff who facilitate the board.
Watch the session below to hear insights into the application process, what we’re looking for in candidates, and what it’s like to be part of the board, as well as the answers to many frequently asked questions.
Key Application Dates
- Applications close: Monday 31 March 2025 at 11:59pm.
- Interview Day: Saturday 3 May 2025
- First Board Meeting: Saturday 19 July 2025
If you are unable to attend the interview date above, we will be running limited online interviews across the following week.