SLYCAN Trust Youth

SLYCAN Trust Youth hosted an Orientation and Capacity Building Workshop on Activities of the Global Youth Forum on Climate Change 2022/2023 on the 11th of February, with the aim of scaling up youth collaboration in identifying key actions that can be implemented under the thematic areas of the Global Youth Forum. Youth in climate-resilient food systems, climate resilience & risk management, youth entrepreneurship and innovation, renewable energy, just transition & youth, and just transition in fashion were the focus areas of discussion.

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The workshop was organized as part of the activities under SLYCAN Trust Youth’s collaborative activities under SLYCAN Trust’s youth programme, which aims to facilitate youth engagement in climate policy and action, as well as empower youth through capacity building for better engagement in decision making processes and activities at ground level aimed at building long term resilience.

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As part of the youth engagement in policy and action, SLYCAN Trust and SLYCAN Trust Youth are working on over the years on activities such as the Global Youth Forum on Climate Change, as well as frameworks and knowledge products for better youth engagement such as the Draft Framework for Youth Engagement in Climate Policy and Action.

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Identifying key initiatives for scaling up climate resilience

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Youth participating at the workshop actively engaged in identifying key activities that could be conducted with youth leadership aimed at building climate resilience through inclusive and participatory processes.

Once the participants shared their individual suggestions, they collectively engaged in identifying key initiatives aligning with thematic focuses to prioritized activities that could be implemented by youth. The activity included also identifying challenges faced by youth to engage and contribute to climate policy and action in Sri Lanka, as well as identifying ways and avenues to address them through the proposed initiatives.

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Climate Resilient Food Systems;

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The participants working on climate action in food systems identified three key initiatives as those they envisage implementing. These include:

Conducting interventions at Grama Niladhari Division-based community interventions based on geography, local resources, and youth engagement
Synergizing platforms and sources of outream to increase awareness on the thematic focus such as in universities, schools and research institutes.
National and international level programmes/ projects in the means of Social media, MOU etc.

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Just Transition in Fashion;

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Working under the ‘Just Transition in Fashion’ thematic area, group members identified their key initiatives to be,

Creating social media trends on platforms such as TikTok and marketing the use of thrifting, handovers and eco fashion
Initiating incubator hubs such as EthicalX, and dispensing practical knowledge through industry experts.
Promoting the ‘green design concept’ for fashion (Indicators for the fashion industry).

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Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation;

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Discussions among the group members in the ‘Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation’ thematic area identified key initiatives to be implemented under two areas,

Change in Consumer and Entrepreneur Behaviors - Conducting capacity building and awareness sessions on carbon product labeling to entrepreneurs and Creating a customized consumer brand using upcycled products.
Lack of awareness & knowledge - Formation of educational programmes and career guidance sessions through a common platform (Eg: EthicalX)

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Climate Resilience & Risk Management;

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Those focused on the thematic area of ‘Climate Resilience and Risk Management’ identified three key initiatives to be taken which were,

Education in terms of providing school and university students as well as workplaces information regarding possible disasters and risk.
Prioritizing the Department of Meteorology through providing financial support and technology needed for early warning systems.
Creating a Government Framework to implement a contingency plan.

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Developing a collective climate action concept

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During the second breakout group discussion, groups were tasked with selecting one initiative to focus on and identify three key actions to be taken while answering the guideline questions.

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Key actions identified:

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Climate Resilient Food Systems;

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Formulating a think tank
Identifying the hotspot areas at the GN division level to implement climate-resilient food system projects
Youth community interventions for project ideas based on food system sustainability
Implementation of the project idea
Merging to sustain with the stakeholders related to food systems.

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Just Transition in Fashion;

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The key initiative- ‘Promoting slow fashion and the green design concept through social media and dispensing practical knowledge through experts’. Key actions to be taken,

Lobbying youth to raise awareness through their own social media platforms
Creating social media platforms to share education and awareness on slow fashion with like-minded youth

Reaching out to industry brands and SMEs to promote green design concepts.

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Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation;

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Conducting research in Sri Lanka on available materials for upcycling, trends & traditions, and available concepts

Creating a platform for youth to learn and engage with successful youth entrepreneurs to network & gain knowledge

Conducting regional training sessions virtually or physically to build awareness of the importance of upcycling and future trends

Encouraging carbon labeling of products.

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Climate Resilience and Risk Management;

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Conducting educational programs to increase awareness

Initiating a Climate Institute that offers secondary education courses

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How are youth involved?

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Climate Resilient Food Systems;

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Mobilizing the community to obtain inputs from their side
Creating awareness through workshops and meetings
Mainstreaming the existing data
Creating GN divisional youth intervention platforms for better communication.

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Just Transition in Fashion;

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Youth being the main ‘influencers’ in promoting slow fashion
Management of the social media platform by a group of youth posting knowledge content to create awareness
Campaigning to reach out to industry brands and clubs such as Leo and Rotaract clubs through networking.

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Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation;

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Engaging youth by appointing them as district coordinators to conduct the surveys.

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Climate Resilience & Risk Management;

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Youth acting as volunteers to conduct relevant surveys
Writing knowledge content such as blogs to be posted online
Carrying out educational programs for capacity building at community organizations
Forming a syllabus with basic knowledge for public access
Approaching schools and universities to conduct awareness programs

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How can this be implemented at national and local levels?

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Climate Resilient Food Systems;

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Identifying the hotspot divisions and the most needed sector of work.
Call for proposals through printed and digital media.
Provide technical support and building capacities.

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Just Transition in Fashion;

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Reaching out to close family, friends and other personal networks to raise awareness
Social media platforms as a way to reach out to youth at a national level
Networking with industry brands and designers through open calls at a national level.

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Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation;

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Conducting regional training sessions to build awareness on the importance of upcycling
Conducting surveys at district/national level
Building a website to reach a national audience

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Climate Resilience & Risk Management;

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Open call for volunteers nationwide to conduct surveys at district/local level.
Creating a website with knowledge content for public access at national level.
Conducting awareness programs at schools, universities, and community organizations at local and national levels.
Implementing a Climate Institute at national level.

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Does this action have a policy link?

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Just Transition in Fashion;

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The ISO 14001:2015 which is the environmental management systems policy links with promoting the ‘green design concept’ within the textile industry.

Climate Resilience & Risk Management;

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Receiving approval from the Ministry of Education and the Central Environmental Authority in order to introduce the syllabus into the national curriculum.

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What are the key outputs?

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Climate Resilient Food Systems;

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Increased engagements of youth at GN Divisional level.
Local and GN-level impactful startups.
Increased food products and livestock

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Just Transition in Fashion;

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Increase reach results in increased awareness and increase youth participation in slow fashion trends
Conduct interviews with industry experts for capacity building
Creating knowledge content for others to access.
Giving recognition to already existing entrepreneurs with eco-friendly concepts
Indicating the carbon/ water footprint of products at production in textile industries through capacity building for industry brands and SMEs to implement the green design concept

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Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation;

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Developing an information note from the gathered data.
Engaging youth by appointing them as district coordinators to conduct the surveys.
Increased knowledge of waste management.
Building awareness on how upcycling contributes in a positive way towards environment & sustainability.
Making people more aware of carbon labeling through awareness creation workshops.
Building a website with the relevant content

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Climate Resilience & Risk Management;

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Basic knowledge for all. ( advocate and raise awareness in climate change via management)
Insist skills on a school/ community level.
Design a long-term solution not dependent on volunteer organizations- sustainable systems.
Contribute to the growth and progress of the field on climate change- engage in research-based work.
Increase engagement and empowerment of youth by collective action
Adapting a sustainable and friendly lifestyle.

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What are the ways of measuring success:

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Climate Resilient Food Systems;

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The number of youth engaged at GN level
Increased household income.
Number of startups emerged or increased.

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Just Transition in Fashion;

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Through the amount of reach received on social media and through networking
Through the number of brands and designers who show interest in applying the green design concept into their work.

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Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation;

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Through the number of people involved in the survey
The number of districts covered
Gender ratio of the respondents
Number of youth that participate in the awareness sessions
Number of programs conducted at the district level
Using the website analytics to identify the number of visitors, downloads etc.

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Climate Resilience & Risk Management;

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Through number of surveys conducted
Number of schools and universities engaged with
Approvals from the MOE and CEA
Endorsements received from UN environment bodies and foreign ministries
Number of institute and schools willing to introduce the courses into the curriculum

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Way Forward

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At the end of the workshop, Mr Kavindu Ediriweera spoke on the next steps He stated the importance of continuing to build the capacity of youth in climate action through providing a platform for youth to share their ideas and experiences as they play a vital role in identifying ways to tackle climate change. He concluded by expressing that the initiatives and actions proposed by each group could potentially be implemented as projects done by SLYCAN Trust Youth in view of the Global Youth Forum on Climate Change and that the necessary support and resources will be provided in order to implement them.

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