Youth Work Ireland launches a new Youth Climate Justice Programme.
2021
Youth Work Ireland launches a new Youth Climate Justice Programme.
Youth Work Ireland has recently launched a new youth climate justice programme – Our Fair Planet: Youth Actions for Climate Justice. The programme supports young people to become change-makers and advocates for a fairer and more just world. The programme shifts the focus of climate action away from a pure environment issue to look at the injustices and inequalities that arise from climate change. Through youth empowered actions, the programme supports young people’s voices to be heard in developing new ways for local communities to transition to a greener world. It also ensures that young people are at the forefront of innovation and change with regard to climate justice in their local communities.
The programme consists of 3 one-hour interactive and creative sessions that introduce young people to climate justice concepts such as human rights, just transition, sustainable development, and equality. The complete programme can be downloaded by clicking here>>
Youth workers delivered the Our Fair Planet programme in 18 of Youth Work Ireland Member Youth Services in late 2020. As part of their participation in this programme, each youth group decided on one community action that they would devise and carry out in their locality. These community actions were diverse and dynamic and saw young people use their newly found knowledge of climate justice to influence others in their community to reflect on how they live, how they consume, and the impact all our actions can and do have at a global level. Each youth groups' actions are showcased on the Our Fair Planet website www.ourfairplanet.ie
As part of the launch event, we were thrilled to have Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, take part in a panel discussion with some of the young people who participated in the Our Fair Planet programme – you can watch the full video here https://youtu.be/2-8Jq3hZE8w
They also launched a new Climate Injustice Report, which uncovers a range of injustices and inequalities in Ireland due to climate change. The research was driven by young people. It founds that 71% of landfill sites and waste incinerators in the country are located in areas below the national average of deprivation. It also considers how communities whose livelihoods rely on climate-damaging industries are left behind in the fight against climate change. It emphasises the need for “Just Transitions;” a concept that looks at how to support these communities as we move into more sustainable ways of living.
Find out more at www.youthworkrieland.ie
