Climate change in today’s changing world can feel overwhelming for young people, and can lead to anxiety, confusion, sadness or overwhelm. One proven way to help turn hopelessness into hope for the future is to take positive climate action in our local communities.
Youth for Climate Justice (Y4CJ) aims to equip diverse youth with essential skills, tools, and knowledge to build the capacity of youth for lifelong climate justice work. Y4CJ will empower youth (ages 12-18) across Metro Vancouver to become climate changemakers in their communities through building leadership skills and youth networks, developing social emotional resiliency, and catalysing local community climate projects.
Metro Vancouver youth bring different levels of experience, confidence, and skills to climate action. Y4CJ offers a flexible support system that allows participants to identify their own needs and choose the most relevant resources to help them launch a climate action project in their community, including:
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An in-person Onboarding Day - a 2.5 hour in-person interactive workshop - to kick off the program and meet other young climate activists
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Hands-on mentorship and guidance to design and implement community climate projects
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Virtual Speaker Series of training workshops, in partnership with Greenpeace Canada Education Fund
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Seed funding to develop and launch climate projects
Hear what 2025-2026 program participants have to say: “BTCEA has encouraged me and my school's environmental club consistently along our journey towards educating our school about climate change. They are thoughtful and compassionate as well as organised and realistic group that I would recommend to students all across the lower mainland to connect with.”