Organizer: Nina Hamilton
Format: Online
Abstract:
Environmental education (EE) can be a powerful tool for building community resilience to social and environmental pressures, and youth around the globe are leading some of the most innovative efforts to educate and empower their peers with the skills and knowledge to take action on a wide range of sustainability issues, both in and outside of school. EE can empower people with the tools to make informed decisions about their natural resources and community wellbeing, and result in more equitable and sustainable solutions. Reaching beyond the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, young people will play a critical role in sustaining this global movement for decades to come. From reconnecting indigenous communities with traditional land-based practices, to empowering citizens to build circular cities, young leaders are using EE to build resilience across the globe. In this session, four young leaders from global and local NGOs, a social enterprise, and a government agency will share their lessons learned from education-based interventions to build community resilience to environmental change. The speakers’ stories will equip attendees with a number of approaches to center the youth voice in planning, implementation, and evaluating impact for anyone working with (or looking to work with) youth and sustainability. Following the panel, attendees will be invited to share about their own youth-led initiatives to further facilitate learning and networking on this topic.
The speakers have all been recognized for their exceptional leadership by the North American Association for Environmental Education’s global EE 30 Under 30 program, which helps young changemakers in EE boost their impact and leadership through recognition, community, and technical support. They represent the diversity of perspectives recognized through this global leadership community, ensuring that session attendees will learn from approaches across a wide range of contexts in both the Global North and South.
Theme: Youth and sustainability