5 National Youth Organisations launch the “Youth Climate Justice Challenge”

A consortium of 5 youth organisations, led by ECO-UNESCO, Ireland’s environmental education and youth organisation is launching the second #YouthClimateJusticeChallenge, with partners Gaisce The President Award, The No Name Club, Irish Girls Guides & Young Irish Film Makers.

The Youth Climate Justice Challenge is aimed at encouraging and empowering young people to take on local action projects on Climate Justice and will include: a series of workshops, a week of Youth Action on Climate Justice, the development of resource materials and a Youth Climate Survey to garner young people’s opinions more broadly on climate justice and environmental issues including barriers and opportunities for young people’s engagement. The project will also be hosting an event for COP26.

In 2020, 22,780 people were impacted by the Youth Climate Justice Challenge and over 380 people joined the week of action.

“Taking part in the Climate Justice Challenge has really opened our eyes to environmental issues that occur daily in our society. It made us realise that our planet is special, and we must do everything we possibly can to keep it safe’’ – Girls Brigades participant 2020.

National Director of ECO-UNESCO, Elaine Nevin, said:

‘We are delighted to be once again leading the Youth Climate Justice Challenge. This is the second year of the project and this year we are working in collaboration with our partners; Irish Girl Guides, No Name Club, Gaisce and Young Irish Filmmakers.  Climate change is one of our most pressing environmental issues and we know that the effects of climate change are not felt equally by all. At ECO-UNESCO we educate, inspire, and empower young people to take action on environmental and sustainability issues of concern to them; this project helps raise awareness of climate justice in young people, provides them with the skills and supports they need to take action and with opportunities to liaise with policy makers.’

CEO of No Name Club, Stephen Plunkett, said:

“It’s been a great experience for all involved as No Name Club worked in partnership with ECO-UNESCO developing a better and brighter future while learning lessons from the past. Everyone has had a really great time and we are all very excited as we gear up to go again with this year’s project”.

CEO of Irish Girls Guides, Claire Barkey said:

“We are delighted to be part of this consortium again, giving our members opportunities to voice their opinions on such a worthy topic and one that many of our members are very passionate about!  We look forward to seeing the fantastic projects that come as a result of this Climate Justice programme and we thank DCEDIY for their funding to enable this piece of work.”

To find out more about the Youth Climate Justice Challenge you can visit www.ecounesco.ie or ECO-UNESCO’s social media channels.

Gaisce – The President’s Award CEO , Yvonne McKenna said:

“Climate justice, and the quest for equitable stewardship of the world’s resources is not only an urgent conversation for all of us, but one that needs more attention than ever. Gaisce is delighted to be playing our part in supporting the Youth Climate Justice Challenge led by ECO-UNESCO.  

The Youth Climate Justice Challenge will enable young people to actively get involved, develop their knowledge and skills, and take action while also completing a challenge area of their Gaisce Award. 

 This partnership is aligned with our Gaisce Glas initiative which encourages Gaisce participants to make a difference in their communities as well as wider society as engaged and informed global citizens.

 Gaisce – The President’s Award is proud to deliver the Youth Climate Justice Challenge alongside partners ECO-UNESCO, the Irish Girl Guides, Young Irish Filmmakers and the No Name Club.”

About the Youth Climate Justice Challenge

The goal of the Youth Climate Justice Challenge is to give young people a platform to have their voices heard on this important topic. Groups of young people will be engaged, educated, encouraged and empowered to take action on climate justice! They will raise awareness of Climate Justice through their own Action Projects, and through direct work with their communities and local policymakers.

Through the Youth Climate Justice Challenge we are:

• Providing Capacity building workshopsfor both young people & youth workers. This will include workshops on climate justice, action project planning and implementation and filmmaking. The workshops will provide a framework under which young people can decide upon, plan, and undertake action on a Climate Justice topic they feel strongly about.
• Rolling out aWeek of Youth Action on Climate Justice with a series of online and face to face talks (where possible), workshops, films, and an opportunity for young people to highlight their work.
• Developing resource materialsto allow groups of young people to act locally.
• Running the Youth Climate Survey – and want to hear from young people and garner young people’s opinions more broadly on climate justice including barriers and opportunities for young people’s engagement and to get young people’s views on ‘What is the world they want to create?’

The Youth Climate Justice Challenge is funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs Youth Climate Justice Fund.