Youth Systemic Advocacy and care training program

We know from experience that young people care deeply about systemic issues - think climate change, human rights and social justice. Young people are motivated, passionate and ready to create change in their communities. But, we also know that some young people are already burning out and being negatively impacted by their participation in these movements, which sucks. So, we wanted to do something about it.

In 2022 CJU ran a 7 week training program co-designed by young people for young people interested in systemic advocacy (aka changing the world for the better) and collective care (aka staying well and avoiding burnout). This brought together an awesome group of critical thinkers and leaders between 12-19 years old living across Noongar Country. 

CJU learned heaps from the young folks, Noongar Elders and advocates involved in the training and we've put together some of those learnings in a report.

Read the Report HERE

What's inside:

• This report provides an overview of the program, it's aims, who was involved and how we went about it.
• We share some of the child safeguarding processes and principles CJU has developed for creating a  or safe and caring ways of supporting young advocates, which participants and their guardians were supportive.
• We also explain why more programs like this and done in this way are needed, not just in schools and with young folks but with all climate justice advocates!
• We share the range of emotions young people told us they feel in response to climate change - particularly how the responses we are often told to do just don't add up! This includes important but individualistic things like recycling or riding to school to reduce emissions and seeking counselling or meditating to calm climate anxiety.
• Wanting to shift the emphasis from individual to collective and systemic change we developed the concept of collective care and a Climate Justice and Care Framework for Making Change.

Funding and Partnerships

This project is made possible thanks to YACWA’s Youth Sector Grants Scheme, supported by Lotterywest. 

A PhD research partnership with Kylie Wrigley from the Centre for People Place and Planet at Edith Cowan University supported the program.

training and consulting opportunities with CJU:

CJU has been asked to deliver versions of this training program to other groups, in schools and with organisations interested in creating positive change for a more just world while taking care of people and planet.  

Depending on what is, need CJU can work with other groups to co-design and deliver a program that is appropriate for specific contexts and budgets.

We can offer consultation and training about:

• Climate justice 101
• Having effective conversations and collective organising for change
• Recognising and dismantling unjust systems power, privilege and oppression
• Building relationships and communities of practice with influence
• Peer support, collective care, safety & well-being

As important as what training we can offer is how CJU enacts justice through our training:

• CJU advocates to never speak on behalf of those communities with lived experience of climate injustice so we work to include often marginalised and intersectional perspectives in training from people with important stories to share. 
• We try to engage skilled and experienced speakers and trainers across different sectors and issues to ensure our trainings help building coalitions.
• Our trainings will be grounded the wisdom and stories local Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Elders.
• We prioritise time for critical reflection balanced with planning ways to get into collective action. This doesn't necessarily mean doing more or new projects, it can be about finding ways to bring climate justice into your community and work.
• When appropriate, people are offered honorariums for their time and participation in co-design and evaluation processes. 
• Our fee for service reflects these ways of working in fairness and solidarity and is adjusted for the organisations we train/consult with.

Contact CJU about your training needs at admin@climatejusticeunion.org