Native Scientists publishes its Annual Report

Native Scientists has published its 2024/2025 Annual Report, highlighting a renewed commitment to creating bridges between children and scientists

A year of milestones and strategic direction

The past school year was defined by consolidation, expansion, and a deepened focus on equitable science education for the Native Scientists team. Now in its twelfth year, the organisation continues to scale its mission, reaching more children, supporting more scientists, and strengthening the structures that sustain our long-term impact.

Emphasising our strategic growth, Native Scientists reached almost 40,000 child–scientist interactions since its foundation, including 4,876 children engaged in the 2024/2025 school year. These numbers demonstrate the continuity, relevance, and necessity of the organisation’s work in promoting scientific literacy and tackling educational inequalities where they persist most.

To further reinforce our strategy, in 2025 Native published the organisation’s five-year strategic plan, which included the restructuring and expansion of the core team to ensure that skills, capacity, and long-term vision support Native’s next phase of development. Finally, the launch of the Native Internship Programme strengthened this commitment, supporting people who aspire to contribute to science, education, and social impact.

Strengthening programmes and organisational culture

As highlighted in the Annual Report, Native Scientists continue to deliver its educational programmes with consistency and purpose across Portugal and Europe.

• The Same Home Town programme established 3,881 child–scientist interactions, with 50% of participating children meeting a scientist for the first time and 99% reporting they learned something new.

• The Same Migrant Community programme reached 995 children, creating 4,248 interactions and receiving excellent satisfaction ratings from participants.

• The organisation trained 327 scientists, equipping them with tools to engage effectively and inclusively with children in underserved communities.

Geographically, the programmes expanded across Portugal’s 14 districts and 11 islands, and across 28 cities in 10 European countries, ensuring that science reaches children regardless of their background, location, or heritage language.

Moreover, the report also highlights significant progress in Equality, Diversity & Inclusion , supported by data from the core team and programme partners.

   ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE & INCLUSION

  90% ○──────────────────────────────🔴

  Wellbeing rating (4.5 / 5)

  95% ○───────────────────────────────🔴

  Core team feeling appreciated

  Strong ○──────────────────────────────🔴

  Organisational Culture Survey

These results reflect a motivated, diverse, and healthy organisational culture, essential foundations for sustainable impact.

Children’s voices at the centre

The Annual Report also celebrates the creativity and curiosity that Native’schildren express through the Native Awards 2025, showcasing drawings and reflections from workshop’s participants. 

Their contributions,  from questioning human behaviour to imagining new scientific discoveries,  highlight the transformative power of creating bridges between children and scientists. As one child expressed: “I’m much more inspired because I’ve discovered that I can be a scientist too.”

Looking ahead: 100,000 interactions by 2030

Native Scientists reaffirms its long-term ambition: to establish more than 100,000 meaningful child–scientist interactions by 2030. Supported by a growing network of scientists, partners, donors, teachers, and coordinators, the organisation is well positioned to continue expanding its reach and deepening its impact.

As the Executive Director, Joana Moscoso and Deputy Director, Joana Bordalo note in the report, this work is only possible thanks to the trust and collaboration of all those who believe in the mission. Together, they are opening doors for generations to come.