Youth & Education

Youth workers, teachers, and young people are aware that climate change is a big issue, but it is a complicated and heavy topic. How can youth workers engage young people in the issue without them zoning out? How can professionals prepare themselves for discussions on this subject?

What's happening in Leeds?

One example of a youth group taking climate action is Green Futures. They are a South Leeds-based youth group, funded by Community Committees from Leeds City Council and Young Game Changers from Global Children’s Fund, and supported by Health for All. They believe that young people have the power to create a more sustainable lifestyle in their communities and to help spread awareness of climate change in their local environment.

Green Futures youth workers started by asking young people to
research what climate change is and how it is affecting people.
They then invited young people to come up with fun and
engaging ways to take climate action.

These have included:

An allotment visit to learn about food miles
A nature photo competition conducted on social media
Sustainable cookery workshops
A meal and presentation to elderly residents in the
local community
Stalls at community festivals with giant photo frames,
making paper flowers and giving out fresh fruit
Visit to low-carbon housing development CITU
Attending a climate action event at Leeds African &
Caribbean Centre, where they took part in public
speaking around climate change
Running a recycling workshop for primary
schoolchildren
Leading an assembly at a local high school
Hosting a low-carbon cooking workshop
Getting involved in litter picking
Supporting community gardening projects
Running a plastic-recycling workshop

Green Futures members were nominated for two Global Learning Awards (organised by Leeds DEC) in 2024 and 2025 because of their creative outreach work.

Resources

Leeds DEC have created a set of Climate Action posters which enable young people to explore positive actions that are happening around the world and suggests actions that they can take. Get in touch with Hannah hannah@leedsdec.org.uk for a set.
The Clothes We Wear film, created by Climate Action Leeds, is a good conversation starter
WWF's "Green Ambassador 4 Youth" resources, for 5-14 year olds, are free to download