Climate Action Lab Report
Research about youth, by youth
Let’s Talk Science is proud to share the recommendations of our Climate Action Lab initiative. Students want climate action to be a positive experience, one that is social, connected, experiential, nature-based and aligned with their life goals.
A project team of 150 people made this initiative possible through a collective effort to create ways into climate action that make sense for youth. Eighty-two high school researchers aged 15-18, led by 16 university student coaches on 12 teams representing the Canadian provinces and territories, learned to lead ethnographic and community-based research that was used to produce the outcomes detailed in the Climate Action Lab report.
We hope the recommendations are useful in creating/updating youth climate action initiatives to include the needs of diverse youth in Canada.
Goals
- Uncover the barriers that prevent youth from taking climate action,
- Daylight opportunity areas for climate action programming that is relevant for youth,
- Offer a meaningful experience for youth to collaborate with Let’s Talk Science
Key barriers
- Lack of power
- Lack of meaningful feedback around impact
- Denial of pleasure
- Social isolation
- Lack of benefits for youth
Please read the full report to learn more about the youth insights that address the following topics:
- When, where and who - logistic needs and social drivers of student climate action
- Different ways of teaching and learning - pedagogical best-practices to foster and develop youth climate action
- Youth engagement & outcomes for students - head, heart, feet and spirit ingredients of youth climate action
- Science learning - rethinking science as a way to drive youth climate engagement
- Mental health - considerations for supporting student mental health and wellness while engaging in climate learning and doing
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