|
Hi friends,
Check-in with us! What or who in the climate movement is bringing you inspiration right now? We’re popping into your inbox today with some cool updates about our ongoing projects and a list of opportunities for youth changemakers in the climate and nature movements.
|
|
|
Storytelling
Since the reveal of our revamped Storytelling Programme earlier this year, our Storytelling Unit has been quite busy! Through our brand-new Storycrafting Lab, our Global Ambassadors have run capacity-building activities in Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania, have collected micro-stories at climate and biodiversity events in Lebanon and Morocco, and have provided online training on storytelling for policy to Syrian youth.
|
|
|
At the same time, our existing Storyteller Community has been meeting online to network, discuss, and learn, and our Community Pot had a second round to financially support our storytellers with learning, resources, digital access, event attendance, and storytelling needs/plans.
|
|
|
INUKA
INUKA is Y4N’s for-youth by-youth Nature-based Solutions (NbS) accelerator pilot project in Kenya, which supports youth working in tangible restoration projects with knowledge, skills, networks, and funding to effectively implement and scale their projects.
Most recently, INUKA conducted its 3rd field study visit, in Marsabit, working in a semi-arid ecosystem. During this visit, our NbS curriculum was focused on listening to our ecosystems for impactful storytelling. Together, participants engaged in storycrafting workshops, video editing workshops, introspection, and sharing circles. Participants also visited the NAPO restoration sites where we delved deeper into Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), and an awe-inspiring trip to the illustrious Marsabit National Park and the iconic Lake Paradise.
Next up, we will be distributing microgrants to each of the project teams to scale-up their local efforts, and heading out on our 4th and final field study early in the new year.
|
|
|
New York Climate Week
In September, four of our talented team members represented Y4N at New York Climate Week, playing a crucial role in leading our organization's advocacy and strategy.
|
|
|
Bulimo kicked off Y4N's presence at Climate Week by participating in the UN SDG Action Summit, where he contributed to the Global Youth Position Paper for the SDG Summit and the "Torchbearers for the SDGs" summary, which was endorsed by the UN!Steph took the stage, speaking at a panel on young people's role in the Governance of Solar Radiation Modification. She highlighted the need for more awareness about emerging climate solutions, emphasizing that this relatively unknown topic is expected to gain prominence in climate and biodiversity discussions in the coming years. On a panel organized by Synchronicity Earth about the launch of a new youth fund, Maria Paula highlighted the unique role of youth in shaping a just and sustainable world and identified that one of the main challenges youth face is accessing unrestricted, long-term funding for our work.
Many more moments of solidarity, connection and hope filled the rest of our week in the Big Apple. We are thrilled about the fantastic work that our Y4N delegates accomplished at New York Climate Week 2023! They demonstrated the power of youth in driving climate action and raising awareness about the importance of including young voices in climate decision-making. We look forward to continuing to advocate for nature and climate action alongside our global allies! 🦦
|
|
|
COP28
What's next? We are excited to continue this advocacy and strategy in Dubai! We are thrilled to announce that our nine-person global youth delegation will attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP28! As we gear up for another critical moment in the fight against climate change, we want to share with you our goals, events, and ways to get involved.
Our Goals:
- Strengthen youth capacity by equipping us with the skills and knowledge to meaningfully make decisions and take necessary actions for climate and nature, locally and globally.
- 🦾 Amplify youth messages and solutions, and advocate for a just and equitable global climate and nature narrative by leveraging the substantial public attention that UNFCCC COPs attract.
- Foster inclusivity by nurturing our community with other youth and allies, creating a collaborative and resilient youth community striving towards a shared vision.
Highlights of Our Events:
- Youth Networking Reception: Join us in-person for by-youth, for-youth networking sessions that hold space for connecting, resting, and recharging, giving young leaders in climate and nature a chill and youth-friendly space for networking that results in (re)new(ed) relationships, solution building, and solidarity.
- Youth-Led Workshops: We'll be hosting several workshops, focusing on topics such as storytelling, Nature-based Solutions (NbS), and youth empowerment.
- Speaking engagements: Our team members will be speaking at various events about our work and our demands for decision-makers.
- Micro-storytelling: We will be collecting stories from youth leaders at COP to amplify online, building the narrative that youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today!
More details to come! Keep an eye on our website and socials to get the most up-to-date information.
|
|
WEBINAR SERIES | Join YOUNGO, BiodiverCities, and GYBN for their Biodiversity Academy, happening on Saturdays in the lead-up to COP28! Register here.
WEBINAR | Join the NbS Youth Coalition on Tuesday, November 21 at 12pm UTC for a pre-COP28 information session about the youth statement on NbS and how to use it in your engagements at and around COP28. Register here.
ONLINE WORKSHOP | On November 21, join Youth in Landscapes for the Restoration Experiences Digital Forum to learn all about landscape restoration and what it looks like on the ground. Interpretation will be available in English, Spanish and French. More information here.
INTERNSHIP - partially paid | Mongabay is hiring Interns for Jan-Jun 2024. Interns will have the opportunity to develop their writing skills and have their environmental news stories published on the Mongabay website. Deadline to apply is November 28. More information here.
VOLUNTEER | The Arctic Youth Network (AYN) is recruiting motivated and engaged youth aged 18 to 35 y.o. to join its Board of Directors and people with extensive experience working in and with the Arctic aged 35 and over to join an Advisory Board. Deadline to apply is December 1. More information here.
FELLOWSHIP | IPBES is seeking nominations for outstanding early-career individuals from all backgrounds and disciplines to participate in the IPBES fellowship programme for the (a) Monitoring Assessment and (b) Task force on scenarios and models. Deadline to apply is December 19. More information here.
TOOLKIT | See the new toolkit - Environmental Justice in Palestine - from Intersectional Environmentalist to learn more about the intersections of social and environmental justice in Palestine through an intersectional environmentalist lens.
|
|
|
|
Thank you for your continued support of youth and youth-led programs. We are reminded that the best we can do daily is to lean into our strengths and collaborate with people who believe in a better world. Let us continue the hard work necessary to combat the very real, very current effects of the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Today, we'll leave you with a good meme because #youth, right?
In love and solidarity,
Y4N team
|
|
|
|
|
