What can we take from the COVID-19 to tackle the climate crisis? From uniting behind science (combating fake news) to the power of small actions. We aim to challenge youth with low civic and political engagement from a rural community in Portugal to promote climate change through co-design of campaigns and advocacy at local,national,European levels. The project brings together groups with different points of view to showcase the possibility of shaping initiatives that protect our common “home”.

Ourém,central Portugal,rural region,13.000 inhabitants,a so-called civic desert.

Ourém is a small rural region of the center of Portugal that can be considered a civic desert due to the fragile cooperation between the few actors and the lack of civic participation spaces. The citizens,especially the youth,are not aware of their own power in local and global change, without exchanging ideas with outsiders and being out of the democratic dialogue. The idea presented is a point of return of the situation, by giving to the youth the leadership of their own future.By promoting a building capacity programme addressed to young people and implementing activities led by them the project will empower the youth and create space for dialogue, bringing them closer to the center of the decisions,at both local and european levels, and giving them the chance to be part of the decision

The main target group of this idea is mainly disadvantaged young people.This group will be the leading actor of the project. Through the design of the activities and methodologies they will be able to advocate the project’s main idea to decision makers, local authorities, volunteers, students, parents, young people from other regions and countries, and spread key messages based on scientific evidence and self experience. The young people will be encouraged to involve in the debate different perspectives from local and european voices. Using this approach, young people will be empowered and see their own action as a potential of changing society and policies locally and to contribute for a sustainable and democratic change, always in dialogue with different points of view.

Our project has 3 main components:
Augmented reality: workshops on Media and Information Literacy with a focus on climate change to empower young people to critically access and analyse information (inc. fake news) and act upon it; co-production of short pitch videos on climate ambition using augmented reality;
Positive drivers: Create and activate local groups to enable disadvantaged young people to become agents of change; development of a Manifesto “Point of (no) return” that will be presented to the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU (1st SEM 2021) and to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26,Glasgow);
Advocacy for change: Co-design and implement local/cross-EU advocacy campaign to respond to climate challenges; development of Advocacy Breakfasts with policy makers.

Success is about acknowledging the importance of people-driven change that is derived from sharing and embedding the experience within a local community.Some expected positive changes include: (INDIVIDUAL LEVEL):young people with strengthened knowledge, skills and attitudes to critically review and create information across various media and contexts; young people develop more positive messages about climate change influencing perceptions and responses; (GROUP LEVEL):young people with enhanced collective capacity to recognise, negotiate and evaluate different points of view; young people with more opportunities to collective exert strengthened pressure upon policymakers on climate change; COMMUNITY LEVEL):Local actors connect, promote and celebrate existing just and sustainable practice

The young people involved in this idea will be empowered to lead the initiatives at local, community and european levels. Focused on a sustainable and fair recovery after COVID-19 crisis, the young people will participate and create debate on the theme in a reflection-action process. They will participate in local and european bootcamps, with young people with different backgrounds, and they’ll also participate in international forums, such as COP26 and meetings with politicians, and in public consultations as well. In this sense, the idea gives the voice to actors who are often forgotten in these decision-making processes. Making their voices heard, based in a well informed opinion, these young people will strengthen their democratic participation and civic involvement.

We are, individually and collectively, co responsible for the future of our planet. Our lifestyles and consumption choices have an impact, mainly on the most vulnerable people. It’s increasingly important to realise that climate justice and social justice are interrelated. Moreover, they are strongly related to access to natural resources and the cycle of poverty. Society shows us that there is a fundamental need for a paradigm shift and to seek alternatives for development. That is why we need a new narrative of human welfare integrated into creation, respecting gender equality, based on solidarity, and an economy that serves society and respects the limits and natural resources of the planet. The project is a sign of hope among youth showing that such transformation is possible.

Human Resources: 25.068,00€
Travel: 3.200,00€
Accomodations & Meal (abroad): 7.302,00€
Insurance: 600,00€
Office expenses: 1.920,00€
Equipment: 800,00€
Visibility: 1.022,00€
Translation: 1.000,00€
Youth Bootcamps: 3.600,00€
Activities led by young people: 4.450,00€
Audits: 1.000,00€

We would like to receive some inspiration on how to engage young people on civic and democratic participation - innovative activities, new methodologies and tools, contents, civic knowledge, skills and competences to make them the leaders of the change in their local communities.