Activate (You)th currently offers three workshop types: the Pop-Up Lab, the Policy Jam, and the Toolbox.
The Pop-Up Lab
-
and connect to resources that can help accelerate their goals. Through these spaces, youth will build capacity and foster connections that spark new partnerships and initiatives.
The Policy Jam
-
and Radical Collaboration methodologies in order to co-create effective, peer-reviewed policy ideas.
The Toolbox
-
to help the climate curious of all ages develop the skills and creativity needed to address the climate crisis.
Learning Objectives
Support participants in co-creating the foundation(s) for effective, innovative climate actions
Introduce and expand on multi-solving. design-thinking and Radical Collaboration methodologies
Deepen participants’ understanding of climate justice and climate action through an equity-based, intersectional lens
Develop Radical Collaboration skills, including sharpening empathy, communication, and critical thinking
Nurture hopeful attitudes towards climate change and making a difference through climate action
What does it look like to give youth the space to co-create actions that move us toward the just, climate-resilient future we all deserve?
Pop-Up Labs are collaborative spaces that enable youth to share their ideas, innovate together, and connect to resources to accelerate climate justice goals.
The Pop-Up Lab
-
Pop-Up Labs use multi-solving and Radical Collaboration methodologies to catalyze effective, innovative climate solutions. Through these workshops, youth will gain skills, build capacity, and foster new and lasting connections. Participants will leave feeling activated and hopeful, knowing they have the support and resources needed to take action.
Experience
-
Youth Climate Lab has hosted Pop-Up Labs in 4 countries and reached more than 10,000 people on topics ranging from governmental climate solutions to climate finance.
In Canada, as part of Youth Climate Lab’s Our2030, 7 labs were hosted across the country to empower and equip young people to tackle the Sustainable Development Goals while preparing for a changing Future of Work.
-
Youth Climate Lab hosted a Pop-Up Lab at MacGregor Public School with support from the Waterloo Global Science Initiative, Waterloo Community Foundations and the City of Waterloo, and in partnership with the #MacGregorClimateInitiative.
Following the Pop-Up Lab, Youth Climate Lab provided a project worksheet for the #MacGregorClimateInitiative to continue the momentum of the event, and offered three two-hour coaching sessions with the team. These helped connect students to further resources and ensure continued support beyond the workshop.
What does it look like to bring a group together to critique and co-create policy recommendations that would move us towards the just, climate resilient future we all deserve?
Policy Jams are interactive spaces where participants are guided through design thinking and Radical Collaboration methodologies in order to co-create effective, peer-reviewed policy ideas.
The Policy Jam
-
Policy Jams support participants in deepening their understanding of policy as a form of climate action. In each Policy Jam, participants are supported in deepening their understanding of one or more policy issues, including exploring relevant governance systems and jurisdictions, to develop the confidence and skills to influence policy decisions.
Experience
-
The Policy Jam is a proven method of youth engagement that has been tested at various national and international-level policy processes, including the G7 Youth, Women and Oceans Roundtable, the United Nations Youth Summit, and the COP15 Biodiversity Conference.
-
The Youth, Women and Oceans (YW&O) Roundtable in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2018, aimed to foster ideation and collaboration on oceans-related challenges with the view to co-develop policy recommendations for G7 countries, as well as Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Youth Climate Lab hosted a Policy Jam at the Roundtable, and one of the four policy recommendations that were co-created by participants was adopted by the G7 Environment Ministers.
Toolbox workshops explore and expand on Youth Climate Lab tools to help the climate curious of all ages develop the skills and creativity needed to address the climate crisis.
The Toolbox
-
Youth Climate Lab is dedicated to creating accessible and inspiring educational materials, found in our Youth Climate Lab Toolbox. These “tools” have been sparked by Youth Climate Lab programs, sessions, and partners, resulting in by-youth, for-youth resources for actualizing just, climate resilient futures.
Youth Climate Lab is currently offering workshops on a select number of our tools, and will be working on expanding our offerings over time. If you would like to run a session on a Youth Climate Lab tool not found in “Current Workshops”, contact us to discuss building out a workshop to suit your needs.
Current Toolbox Workshops
Municipal Infiltration Manual
How can we take local climate action within our municipal governments?
Let us walk you through the Municipal Infiltration Manual, a guide to demystifying municipal governance structures and leading readers through the steps of addressing climate change at the municipal level.
The Municipal Infiltration Manual was developed in collaboration with Climate Caucus with funding from the McConnell Foundation.
-
This workshop will provide participants with practical knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to take action in their community. Participants will have the opportunity to explore how the Manual can be put into practice through real-world examples, as well as the opportunity to ask questions to our expert facilitators.
-
Since publication, Youth Climate Lab has shared the Municipal Infiltration Manual with a wide range of audiences across Canada, including presentations for Canada’s Local Conference of Youth (LCOY), GreenPAC’s FLIP Summit, Leading Change Canada, ICLEI Canada, and beyond.
Rad Collab Toolkit
How do we foster more equitable, sustainable partnerships?
The Rad Collab Toolkit workshop invites you to reflect on our Principles of Radical Collaboration, and how to put these principles into practice in pursuit of climate justice.
-
This workshop helps you deepen your ability to practice Radical Collaboration in your work through a guided and interactive reflection process. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their guiding values and goals, to ensure they are connecting with the right partners in the right ways for the right reasons.
-
Our Principles of Radical Collaboration are a foundational part of all our work, articulated and integrated early in Youth Climate Lab’s journey by our Co-Founders. These principles led to our award-winning RAD Cohort program, where we directly supported youth in developing their own Rad Collab practices and developed the RAD Toolkit. We are grateful for the support of Alliance 2030, the Community Foundations of Canada, and Employment and Social Development Canada, in trusting us to evolve this methodology.
In 2022, Youth Climate Lab provided our Rad Collab Toolkit workshop to the public in partnership with Youth Challenge International. Together, we explored how to foster effective and meaningful partnerships that center on climate justice.