Section 1. Introduction
Are you interested in leading a Wildlife Club? If you want to lead a Wildlife club, then this guide will help you. This guide will help you to start a Wildlife Club of Ghana (WCG), manage the club and lead activities and projects with the club.
What are the Wildlife Clubs of Ghana?
The Wildlife Clubs of Ghana (WCG) is the junior wing of the Ghana Wildlife Society-GWS. The clubs consist of groups of young people interested in animals, plants and the environment. The WCG started with just two clubs in 1985 as part of the Save the Seashore Birds Project-GH and now there are over 700 clubs. The size of clubs vary, but must have at least 10 members to start, with members being aged seven years and upwards. The WCG is recognized as a national voluntary youth movement under the auspices of the GWS. WCG activities are intended to be educational, but above all, they are fun - both for members and for the club leader.
Goals and objectives of WCG
The aim of the WCG is to help young Ghanaians learn the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to help conserve their wildlife and environment. The WCG aims to teach young Ghanaians these skills, knowledge and attitudes in the following ways:
- Club members gain knowledge and awareness of the environment, environmental problems and solutions through lectures, talks, seminars, slide/film/video shows and cultural and drama performances.
- Club members gain important skills such as problem solving and working together through role-play activities, playing games and implementing projects.
- Club members develop good attitudes and values, interest and concern for nature and a
commitment to protecting them through nature walks or hikes, bird watching, workshops, camps and field trips and being actively encouraged to enjoy and care about wildlife and the environment.
Who is a Wildlife Club leader?
All clubs have a leader or advisor who co-ordinates the club programmes with the GWS secretariat (managing body) of the WCG. This is a voluntary position and is usually held by a teacher in a school or a community leader. The leader does not necessarily have to have a science or agricultural background, but should be somebody who is enthusiastic about nature, conservation and energetic. The success and sustenance of a club depends most on the enthusiasm and commitment of the leader.
Rights and Responsibilities of Club Leaders
As a club leader, you will have certain rights and responsibilities. The following explains what you will be expected to do as a club leader and what help you will receive in running your club.
Responsibilities- What you must do
- Direct the club and provide leadership
- Help the club members draw up a programme of activities either termly or annually
- Submit a copy of the action plan to the head of the school, to the GWS regional co-ordinator and to the district director of education
- Ensure that the action plan is implemented
- Ensure and keep accounts of the finances of the club
- Attend quarterly and annual meetings organized by the GWS
- Write an annual report and submit a copy to the head of school and the GWS regional
co-ordinator
- Collect dues and submit them to regional co-ordinators for onward submission to the GWS Secretariat
Rights- What you get from GWS
- Receive free training from GWS
- School visits from co-ordinators for talks, film shows and activities
- NKO magazine and other educational materials
- Free leaders ID card and access to wildlife reserves
- Letters of recommendation from GWS
- Club certificate of affiliation
- All members receive ID cards
- Receive assistance and advice from the regional co-ordinators on the following:
- Organizing field trips
- Relations with school authorities
- Environmental/Wildlife issues
- Education issues
- Fundraising
- Technical assistance in projects
- General day to day activities of clubs
When requesting personnel, resources, etc. from the Secretariat, a written request should be
submitted at least a month in advance. This helps the Secretariat plan.
How club leaders can use this guide to form and run their Wildlife Clubs
This guide has six sections. Each section will help you in your various responsibilities as a club leader:
- Section 1. Introduction- What is the WCG? This section introduces the WCG, tells you what you have to do as a club leader and explains how to use this guide.
- Section 2. Preparing to start a club -This section will help you to form a club if you do not already have a club. By the time you complete this section, you will be ready to have your first meeting.
- Section 3. Activities to start a club -This section will help you establish a new club; to prepare a plan of action, collect dues and hold elections. These pages provide you with step-by-step instructions as to what to do and say during your first meetings.
- Section 4. Activities to learn about the environment - This section provides activities to teach your club about the environment. They include step-by-step instructions on how to undertake the activities.
- Section 5. Projects to help the environment -This section provides instructions on how to undertake projects that require more time and commitment on the part of members and the leader.
- Section 6. Resources to help you run your club - This section provides extra information to help club leaders run their club, plan activities and do fundraising.
