The main objective of the Youth Sustainability Corps is to empower young people by educating them about their citizen rights, and by developing their skills to monitor, collaborate, and advocate for the use of best practices in effectively managing and utilizing Mongolia’s natural and cultural resources.
About Us
Mongol Ecology Center (MEC) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2010 to ensure a thriving future for Mongolia by transferring best practices to preserve the environment, natural resources and cultural heritage of Mongolia through protected area management and youth education. Our organization has been running “Youth Sustainability Corps” program since 2019, “Rally for Rangers” program since 2014, “Junior Ranger” program since 2013 as well as “Protected Areas Management” since 2011.
Protected Areas Management
Protected Areas Management
In order to introduce international best practices in protected area management, Lake Hövsgöl National Park was selected as a model site and in 2015 markings of access points, roads and information centers were produced in accordance with the standard at the Yosemite National Park Marking Factory in the United States. Since then the door for joint collaborations between the US and Mongolian Special Protected Areas opened and in 2015, Ulaan Taiga, Horidol Saridag Strictly Protected Areas, Lake Hövsgöl, and Tengis-Shishged National Parks formed a sister park relationship with Yosemite National Park of the U.S.A; and in 2017, Otgontenger Strictly Protected Areas has established a sister park relationship with Denali National Park in the United States.
Junior Ranger Program
Junior Ranger Program
One of leading aims at the MEC in this work is to inspire Mongolian youth to love and protect nature, while helping them learn about the place where they live. With this goal in mind, the MEC has started a “Junior Ranger” program in 2013, targeting 4th-8th grade students of Secondary school of Hatgal village and Hankh soum which are gateway towns of the Lake Hövsgöl protected area. Students study the natural, historical and cultural heritage of the area, to recognize its value and importance, learn traditional conservation techniques in hopes of maturing into future leaders.
Rally for Rangers Program
Rally for Rangers
Launched in 2014, the Rally for Rangers campaign has expanded into a program to help rangers not only in Mongolia but around the world. Within the framework of this program, the beautiful Lake Hövsgöl National Park (2014), the Ulaan Taiga State Special Protected Area (2015), the Otgontenger State Special Protected Area (2017), the Mongolian Altai Mountains National Park, which preserves the valuable natural, historical and cultural heritage of Mongolia. protected areas (2018) and national parks of the Republic of Argentina (2018), Munkhkhairkhan National Park (2019), Har Us Lake Strictly Protected Area (2019), and the rangers working in the protected areas of Nepal (2019) were provided with a total of 103 high-quality and reliable motorcycles with the donations and support of kind people from all over the country, and were able to perform their duties quickly and without hindrance. In 2020, rangers of Dariganga National Park (3), Nömrög Strictly Protected Area (5), and Section B (7) of the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area will have new vehicles. The program also plans to support rangers in the Kingdom of Bhutan in November.
Core Programs
To empower youth aged 18-22 by educating them of their citizen rights and by developing skills to monitor, collaborate and advocate for the use of best practices in effectively managing and utilizing Mongolia’s natural and cultural resources.
Common Space Training Classroom
In order to create designated community areas where 9-12th grade students can carry out after-school project activities, learn valuable skills such as teamwork, the Youth Sustainability Corps will renovate and equip existing classrooms or common areas with the latest technology and tools at local schools for long-term use as training centers.
“Leadership” Summer Training Camp
A week-long advanced training summer camp is a place of opportunity where 9-12th graders from remote and urban areas can meet each other to exchange experiences, learn from each other and form friendships. Students gain new knowledge about the environment and sustainable development goals in the areas where they live through learning how to identify problems in the local and school environment and working together to find solutions in an innovative way. Through the summer camp program, students will discover their passions and skills, as well as learn many communication techniques.
After-school Activities
The main purpose of the program is to provide students with non-traditional knowledge and skills not covered in the school curricula. Skills such as communication, time management, creative thinking, stress management, personal financial management, career choice, mental health education will be taught. Systematic learning of these skills will lay the foundation for students to make the right career choices, live purposefully, and pave a path to success. Extracurricular activities are prepared by specialized scholars and researchers and delivered to students in innovative teaching methods.
Community Projects
Students can initiate and implement community projects in innovative ways in order to identify and contribute to the ecological, economic, and social issues faced by the school and the local community. We believe it is possible to reach Mongolia’s sustainability goals through increased participation of young people initiating projects related to environmentalism and social issues.
Career Counselling/ Practicums
By doing short-term internships in workplaces related to the protected area and tourism, students will be able to make an informed future profession choice by gaining an understanding of the specifics of different professions related to sustainability and the environment. The offered internships and practicums increase students’ personal character, their ability to work independently and in a team, to make decisions, to plan, organize, and perform tasks. It also provides an opportunity to recognize one’s strengths and weaknesses.
International Exchange
This sub-program is open to students who have been proactive and were able to make a difference in all program activities. A summer camp in a selected country of the European Union provides an opportunity for children from all over the world to learn, share experiences and exchange techniques with students from all over the world.
Location
Schools that are participating in the Youth Sustainability Corps (YSC) program are the secondary school of Mankhan soum of Hovd province, the secondary school of Munkhkhairkhan soum of Hovd province, School #5 of Dalanzadgad soum, Secondary school of Gurvantes soum of South Gobi, School #119 of Nalaikh, School #12 of Ulaanbaatar. YSC has evolved from our Junior Ranger program in Hatgal and Hankh soums on Lake Hovsgol and is an advanced continuation of the ecological education program for youth.
Hatgal village, Hovsgol province
One of the first schools in Hovsgol province with a history of 97 years, Hatgal village school with advanced English language training currently has 4 administrators, 44 teachers, 38 employees and about 750 students. The school has 21 teachers with leading professional degrees and 12 teachers with teaching degrees, accounting for 68.7 percent of all teachers. Twenty-three percent of all teachers are teachers with 12 degrees in education, 10 with master’s degrees and 1 with doctoral degrees.
Hankh soum, Hovsgol province
Hankh soum secondary school named after L.Gelegbaatar, a hero of remote Mongolia, offers in-depth Russian language course. The school strengthened its material base and expanded its foreign relations through successfully producing graduates year after year.The school staff have 7 leading professional degrees, 15 teaching method degrees, 31 Leading Public Education Officers, 11 master’s degrees, and 90 percent of all teachers have professional degrees, indicating that the teaching staff is adequate.
Mankhan soum, Hovd province
The secondary school of Mankhan soum of Hovd province was established in 1928. It is now one of the oldest schools in its 90-year history. In 2018, the school celebrated the 90th anniversary of the school and decorated our exterior and interior. It provides 12 years of school training and has 2 classrooms for junior and senior students, as well as a dormitory with kitchen and integrated heating system. The school has a total of 53 teachers, 20 staff and 730 students.
Munkhkhairkhan soum, Hovd province
Munkhkhairkhan soum primary school of Hovd aimag, which is the cultural and educational center of the Altai Uriankhai people in the far west, was established in 1948 with 63 students, 2 teachers and 4 employees in 1 class and 2 groups. Currently, the school has 447 students in 8 primary, 6 middle and 3 high school groups. It has 2 classrooms, a dormitory for 80 children, a computer lab, a library with 12,000 books, 4 administrators, 25 teachers and 24 staff. The Munkhkhairkhan secondary school has been awarded a “North Polar Star” for its outstanding achievements in education. The school has a total of 447 students, 53 teachers and staff (95.7 percent of the teachers have graduate degrees in education).
Dalanzadgad soum, Umnugobi province
Dalanzadgad soum of Umnugobi, School #5 has 1,343 students and 89 teachers and staff. Established in 2017, the school has 10 leading professional degrees, 26 staff with teaching methods certificate, 4 leading educators and 10 with masters of education, making 87.7% of the teachers have education and professional degrees, which shows that the teaching staff is very well provided.
Gurvantes soum, Umnugobi province
The secondary school of Gurvantes soum of South Gobi was established in 1957. The Gurvantes school has 70 teachers and staff, and 927 students. The school named after D.Sain-Eri, Honored Builder of Mongolia, was established in 1957 in Urtyn Denj, Gurvantes soum, Umnugobi aimag with 1 teacher, 3 employees and 24 students. It was expanded in 2008 with 12 years of training, has 3 classrooms with a capacity of 800 children, and 1 dormitory for 120 children, and is connected to the central heating and sewerage system. The school has a total of 70 people with 45 teachers, 21 staff and 3 administrators.
Songinokhairkhan district, Ulaanbaatar
School #12 from the Songino-Khairkhan district of Ulaanbaatar was established in 1948. Ulaanbaatar General Education Laboratory School No. 12 started its first class on September 1, 1948. Today, the school has 98 teachers and educators, 39 administrative staff, and more than 2,845 children in 64 groups. There are currently 2,845 students in 64 groups.
Nalaikh district, Ulaanbaatar
School #119 of Nalaikh district of Ulaanbaatar started its operation with a new building with a capacity of 1,500 children by the Decree No. A / 425 of the Capital City Governor dated June 13, 2012. It has 12 years of training, 105 teachers and 37 staff members, a dedicated library, art and gymnasium, and a cafeteria.
Our partners
About Us
Mongol Ecology Center (MEC) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2010 to ensure a thriving future for Mongolia by transferring best practices to preserve the environment, natural resources and cultural heritage of Mongolia through protected area management and youth education. Our organization has been running “Youth Sustainability Corps” program since 2019, “Rally for Rangers” program since 2014, “Junior Ranger” program since 2013 as well as “Protected Areas Management” since 2011.
Protected Areas Management
Protected Areas Management
In order to introduce international best practices in protected area management, Lake Hövsgöl National Park was selected as a model site and in 2015 markings of access points, roads and information centers were produced in accordance with the standard at the Yosemite National Park Marking Factory in the United States. Since then the door for joint collaborations between the US and Mongolian Special Protected Areas opened and in 2015, Ulaan Taiga, Horidol Saridag Strictly Protected Areas, Lake Hövsgöl, and Tengis-Shishged National Parks formed a sister park relationship with Yosemite National Park of the U.S.A; and in 2017, Otgontenger Strictly Protected Areas has established a sister park relationship with Denali National Park in the United States.
Junior Ranger Program
Junior Ranger Program
One of leading aims at the MEC in this work is to inspire Mongolian youth to love and protect nature, while helping them learn about the place where they live. With this goal in mind, the MEC has started a “Junior Ranger” program in 2013, targeting 4th-8th grade students of Secondary school of Hatgal village and Hankh soum which are gateway towns of the Lake Hövsgöl protected area. Students study the natural, historical and cultural heritage of the area, to recognize its value and importance, learn traditional conservation techniques in hopes of maturing into future leaders.
Rally for Rangers Program
Rally for Rangers
Launched in 2014, the Rally for Rangers campaign has expanded into a program to help rangers not only in Mongolia but around the world. Within the framework of this program, the beautiful Lake Hövsgöl National Park (2014), the Ulaan Taiga State Special Protected Area (2015), the Otgontenger State Special Protected Area (2017), the Mongolian Altai Mountains National Park, which preserves the valuable natural, historical and cultural heritage of Mongolia. protected areas (2018) and national parks of the Republic of Argentina (2018), Munkhkhairkhan National Park (2019), Har Us Lake Strictly Protected Area (2019), and the rangers working in the protected areas of Nepal (2019) were provided with a total of 103 high-quality and reliable motorcycles with the donations and support of kind people from all over the country, and were able to perform their duties quickly and without hindrance. In 2020, rangers of Dariganga National Park (3), Nömrög Strictly Protected Area (5), and Section B (7) of the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area will have new vehicles. The program also plans to support rangers in the Kingdom of Bhutan in November.
Core Programs
To empower youth aged 18-22 by educating them of their citizen rights and by developing skills to monitor, collaborate and advocate for the use of best practices in effectively managing and utilizing Mongolia’s natural and cultural resources.
Common Space Training Classroom
In order to create designated community areas where 9-12th grade students can carry out after-school project activities, learn valuable skills such as teamwork, the Youth Sustainability Corps will renovate and equip existing classrooms or common areas with the latest technology and tools at local schools for long-term use as training centers.
“Leadership” Summer Training Camp
A week-long advanced training summer camp is a place of opportunity where 9-12th graders from remote and urban areas can meet each other to exchange experiences, learn from each other and form friendships. Students gain new knowledge about the environment and sustainable development goals in the areas where they live through learning how to identify problems in the local and school environment and working together to find solutions in an innovative way. Through the summer camp program, students will discover their passions and skills, as well as learn many communication techniques.
After-school Activities
The main purpose of the program is to provide students with non-traditional knowledge and skills not covered in the school curricula. Skills such as communication, time management, creative thinking, stress management, personal financial management, career choice, mental health education will be taught. Systematic learning of these skills will lay the foundation for students to make the right career choices, live purposefully, and pave a path to success. Extracurricular activities are prepared by specialized scholars and researchers and delivered to students in innovative teaching methods.
Community Projects
Students can initiate and implement community projects in innovative ways in order to identify and contribute to the ecological, economic, and social issues faced by the school and the local community. We believe it is possible to reach Mongolia’s sustainability goals through increased participation of young people initiating projects related to environmentalism and social issues.
Career Counselling/ Practicums
By doing short-term internships in workplaces related to the protected area and tourism, students will be able to make an informed future profession choice by gaining an understanding of the specifics of different professions related to sustainability and the environment. The offered internships and practicums increase students’ personal character, their ability to work independently and in a team, to make decisions, to plan, organize, and perform tasks. It also provides an opportunity to recognize one’s strengths and weaknesses.
International Exchange
This sub-program is open to students who have been proactive and were able to make a difference in all program activities. A summer camp in a selected country of the European Union provides an opportunity for children from all over the world to learn, share experiences and exchange techniques with students from all over the world.
Location
Schools that are participating in the Youth Sustainability Corps program are the secondary school of Mankhan soum of Hovd province, the secondary school of Munkhkhairkhan soum of Hovd province, School #5 of Dalanzadgad soum, Secondary school of Gurvantes soum of South Gobi, School #119 of Nalaikh, School #12 of Ulaanbaatar.
Hatgal village, Hovsgol province
One of the first schools in Hovsgol province with a history of 97 years, Hatgal village school with advanced English language training currently has 4 administrators, 44 teachers, 38 employees and about 750 students. The school has 21 teachers with leading professional degrees and 12 teachers with teaching degrees, accounting for 68.7 percent of all teachers. Twenty-three percent of all teachers are teachers with 12 degrees in education, 10 with master’s degrees and 1 with doctoral degrees.
Hankh soum, Hovsgol province
Hankh soum secondary school named after L.Gelegbaatar, a hero of remote Mongolia, offers in-depth Russian language course. The school strengthened its material base and expanded its foreign relations through successfully producing graduates year after year.The school staff have 7 leading professional degrees, 15 teaching method degrees, 31 Leading Public Education Officers, 11 master’s degrees, and 90 percent of all teachers have professional degrees, indicating that the teaching staff is adequate.
Mankhan soum, Hovd province
The secondary school of Mankhan soum of Hovd province was established in 1928. It is now one of the oldest schools in its 90-year history. In 2018, the school celebrated the 90th anniversary of the school and decorated our exterior and interior. It provides 12 years of school training and has 2 classrooms for junior and senior students, as well as a dormitory with kitchen and integrated heating system. The school has a total of 53 teachers, 20 staff and 730 students.
Munkhkhairkhan soum, Hovd province
Munkhkhairkhan soum primary school of Hovd aimag, which is the cultural and educational center of the Altai Uriankhai people in the far west, was established in 1948 with 63 students, 2 teachers and 4 employees in 1 class and 2 groups. Currently, the school has 447 students in 8 primary, 6 middle and 3 high school groups. It has 2 classrooms, a dormitory for 80 children, a computer lab, a library with 12,000 books, 4 administrators, 25 teachers and 24 staff. The Munkhkhairkhan secondary school has been awarded a “North Polar Star” for its outstanding achievements in education. The school has a total of 447 students, 53 teachers and staff (95.7 percent of the teachers have graduate degrees in education).
Dalanzadgad soum, Umnugobi province
Dalanzadgad soum of Umnugobi, School #5 has 1,343 students and 89 teachers and staff. Established in 2017, the school has 10 leading professional degrees, 26 staff with teaching methods certificate, 4 leading educators and 10 with masters of education, making 87.7% of the teachers have education and professional degrees, which shows that the teaching staff is very well provided.
Gurvantes soum, Umnugobi province
The secondary school of Gurvantes soum of South Gobi was established in 1957. The Gurvantes school has 70 teachers and staff, and 927 students. The school named after D.Sain-Eri, Honored Builder of Mongolia, was established in 1957 in Urtyn Denj, Gurvantes soum, Umnugobi aimag with 1 teacher, 3 employees and 24 students. It was expanded in 2008 with 12 years of training, has 3 classrooms with a capacity of 800 children, and 1 dormitory for 120 children, and is connected to the central heating and sewerage system. The school has a total of 70 people with 45 teachers, 21 staff and 3 administrators.
Songinokhairkhan district, Ulaanbaatar
School #12 from the Songino-Khairkhan district of Ulaanbaatar was established in 1948. Ulaanbaatar General Education Laboratory School No. 12 started its first class on September 1, 1948. Today, the school has 98 teachers and educators, 39 administrative staff, and more than 2,845 children in 64 groups. There are currently 2,845 students in 64 groups.
Nalaikh district, Ulaanbaatar
School #119 of Nalaikh district of Ulaanbaatar started its operation with a new building with a capacity of 1,500 children by the Decree No. A / 425 of the Capital City Governor dated June 13, 2012. It has 12 years of training, 105 teachers and 37 staff members, a dedicated library, art and gymnasium, and a cafeteria.
Our partners
International Counselor Position
The Youth Sustainability Corps (YSC) is a project of the Mongol Ecology Center that aims to empower youth around Mongolia by developing skills necessary to participate, promote, monitor, and advocate for the sustainable development of Mongolia. As one of 12 International Counselors, you will help our staff and national counselors at YSC summer camp, a 10-day program that provides 9-12th graders from Hovd, Hovsgol, South Gobi and Ulaanbaatar with practical, hands-on learning experiences on conservation, sustainability and leadership in one of four national parks in Mongolia.