Last week in Nairobi, Kenya, the second batch of Blue Deal Young Experts came together for their second-year return training - a week designed to reflect, grow, and connect.
Exploring strengths and leadership
Throughout the week, the Young Experts focused on identifying their personal values, exploring how these relate to their future goals, and how to apply them in their (personal) leadership. Sessions on facilitation skills, delegation, and responding vs. reacting helped participants sharpen their leadership toolkit.
One key insight was the magic of delegation – not just assigning tasks, but ensuring the right support is in place. Sometimes, this even means delegating upward: asking your manager for the resources or backing needed to succeed. Another powerful takeaway was the difference between reacting impulsively and responding thoughtfully – a subtle shift that can make a big difference in how leadership is perceived.
Pictured: Focused on the tray in front of them, a group of Young Experts is identifying insects in the water. Other Young Experts measure the dissolved oxygen and pH of the water. The Blue Deal Young Experts take part in a river health assessment at Twin Falls near Thika Dam, together with the local community as part of the excursion in their second year return training.
Hands-on learning at Twin Falls
Midway through the programme, the Young Experts headed out for a hands-on river health assessment at Twin Falls near Thika Dam. Together with the local community, they identified aquatic insects, measured dissolved oxygen and pH levels, and discussed how to make such assessments inclusive and impactful.
The group reflected on questions like:
- How do we involve local communities meaningfully?
- What criteria should guide participant selection?
- How are results shared and used?
Pictured: The Young Experts perform a river health assessment with the local community
This fieldwork brought theory into practice and sparked important conversations about community engagement and environmental monitoring.
Climate action with ClimateFresk
On the final afternoon, the group participated in a ClimateFresk workshop, exploring the causes and consequences of climate change. They brainstormed actions that could be taken at different levels; from personal choices to organisational strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate impacts within the Blue Deal programme.
Pictured: The Young Experts brainstorm ideas to mitigate climate change in the ClimateFresk workshop
Connecting with the network
The training week closed with a networking dinner with Young Experts based in Nairobi and representatives from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kenya, including YEP alumnus Jelmer van Veen, now First Secretary for Water, Food Security and Climate at the Embassy.
Ready to influence
Whether the discussions were about personal strengths, leadership, or climate action, one Young Expert summed it up beautifully: “I have more control than I think. And I can influence in different ways.”
With these insights, the Young Experts are ready to continue growing and making meaningful contributions to their organisations and to the ambitions of the Blue Deal programme.