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Inclusion & Diversity RC

Inclusion & Diversity

Bridging Voices: Empowering Youth Diversity For Climate Justice

By providing tools, training and opportunities to create partnerships and build coalitions with youth workers, youth leaders and trainers, this project seeks to amplify their voices, ensuring that climate justice is both inclusive and equitable.

This long-term project coordinated by SALTO Inclusion & Diversity aims to explore the intersection of the the horizontal priorities Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, Inclusion & Diversity, and Participation in Democratic Life. While young people with fewer opportunities (YPWFOs) are the most impacted by climate crisis and environmental degradation, they often have the least representation in climate movements, environmental projects and decision-making spaces.

Why This Initiative?

Climate change is not just an environmental issue—it is a social justice issue. Recognising the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, this project aims to bridge the gap between environmental action and social equity. This initiative aligns with the EU Youth Programmes 2021-2027, which prioritise environmental sustainability, participation and inclusion as key pillars.

Bridging Voices for Climate Justice is built on three core pillars:

  • Transnational Partnership & Cooperation

    • Creating stronger networks between youth organisations, policymakers, and climate justice advocates.

    • Centralising resources to empower inclusive climate initiatives.

  • Capacity-Building & Empowerment

    • Supporting youth workers and young activists with tools to integrate intersectionality and climate justice into their projects.

    • Encouraging participatory decision-making and advocating for the representation of marginalized voices in climate discussions.

  • Knowledge Building & Awareness

    • Sharing best practices and lived experiences of young people affected by climate change.

    • Promoting intersectionality in climate justice by addressing themes like post-colonization, gender differences, disability, and economic inequality.

Objectives

The Bridging Voices project aims to foster cooperation, build competences and make systemic changes across the inclusion and environmental sectors to create green projects benefiting all.

Through collaboration, training, research, and advocacy, Bridging Voices for Climate Justice will:

  • Increase youth workers’ competencies in intersectionality and climate justice.

  • Foster awareness among environmental organizations about the lived experiences of YPWFO.

  • Provide networking opportunities for organizations to build inclusive partnerships.

  • Develop policy recommendations for EU Youth Programmes post-2027 to ensure an equitable green transition.

How We Work

Our project is structured into four areas:

  1. Youth Work & Project Development – Training youth workers and creating spaces for partnership-building.

  2. Advocacy & Policy Influence – Lobbying for inclusive climate policies and amplifying marginalized voices.

  3. Continuous Research & Mapping – Understanding the strengths and challenges of youth work in climate justice and exploring cross-sector collaboration.

  4. Policy development and Support - a Climate Justice Think Tank will guide the initiative, bringing together organizations, researchers, policymakers, and young activists to shape a shared vision for climate justice in Europe.

Activities and outputs:

  • February 2025 - Study Bridging Voices: Empowering Youth Diversity in the Pursuit of Climate Justice: The results of a study that explores the role of youth work and youth-led climate action in the European Union, focusing on how these initiatives engage young people from diverse backgrounds. More info here.

  • 19-20 February 2025 - Climate Justice Think Tank Consultative Meeting: it brought together 17 activists, youth organisations championing inclusion, diversity, environment and climate action, and institutional representatives for an inspiring brainstorming session to lay the groundwork for a Climate Justice Think Tank within the European Youth Programmes. (Read the briefing here).

  • 19 May - Webinar for Inclusion & Diversity officers and Green Contact Points: insights how to combine the two horizontal priorities (inclusion and green) and provide a space for exchanging experiences and ideas.

  • 2 June 2025: Webinars for TCA/NET officers: insights how to support the two horizontal priorities (inclusion and green) and provide a space for exchanging experiences and ideas.

  • September - November 2025: Climate Justice Think Tank (1st phase)– 10 expert members envisioning the Climate Justice work in youth field. setting up the bigger picture guidance for the project. Developing recommendations, guidelines and materials. Call for members: June 2025

  • 13-17 October 2025: Climate Action and Intersectionality Training for Youth Workers. Call for participants: April 2025

  • October - December 2025: Europe Talks Solidarity Podcasts on Climate Change. More info soon.

  • More to come!

Join the Movement!

Bridging Voices for Climate Justice is a call to action for youth organizations, policymakers, and climate advocates to work together towards a more just and sustainable future. Whether you are a youth worker, an activist, or an organization committed to climate and social justice, we invite you to join us in making climate action more inclusive and impactful.

Together, let’s ensure that no voice is left unheard in the fight for climate justice.

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