The impact of climate change is uneven: often, low-income, highly racialized urban areas with fewer resources are harder hit. Young people living in these communities want to be part of the solution, but they are under-represented in environmental leadership spaces and can face significant barriers to participating in climate action. Skills for Change, an employment resources organization based in Toronto, sought to address both of these challenges by creating the Youth Climate Action Initiative (YCAI) in 2023. The program provides climate education and skills-based leadership development for participants aged 16 to 29 and was designed with youth from newcomer, racialized, and underserved communities in mind. Over the course of the 6-to-10 week program, participants develop the knowledge, skills, networks, and confidence they need to take meaningful action in local sustainability initiatives. 

In designing the climate education workshops, Skills for Change sought to include a variety of perspectives and to not just teach knowledge but provide tools for building participants’ confidence. Workshop content includes long-term visioning, community engagement and needs assessments, project management, grant writing, and professional communication skills. Some workshops have explored sustainability through an Indigenous lens, teaching traditional knowledge about our relationship to land and climate action. The program also builds interpersonal connections between participants, most of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of colour, with many living in Toronto's identified Neighbourhood Improvement Areas. YCAI participants value being part of a community that shares similar lived experiences and backgrounds and that offers them a space where they can feel welcome, represented, and fully able to contribute.  

An important component of the program is the opportunity to work on a hands-on project. Participants have the opportunity to act on what they've learned by designing and implementing local sustainability initiatives in a leadership role. Past projects, which addressed issues ranging from food insecurity to biodiversity, have included podcasts, educational campaigns, and even a fashion show highlighting sustainable fashion. One group created a social enterprise that upcycles food waste from local businesses to create soaps and beauty products – which are now sold in stores and farmers’ markets throughout the city. The tangible experience of working on a community project builds practical skills and is especially beneficial for students who are considering postsecondary study programs.    

Since its launch in 2023, YCAI has engaged more than 200 young people across seven cohorts. The organization is now working on preparing youth to participate in Toronto’s growing green economy through the Youth Climate Workforce Ambassador Program. Delivered collaboratively by Skills for Change, the Toronto Community Benefits Network, and the City of Toronto, the program combines education (about both climate issues and the green economy) with professional development and experiential project work. Participants, who are paid, explore Toronto’s climate priorities and green career pathways, and apply their learning by creating a “green jobs toolkit.” Future plans include expanding YCAI's mentorship circle of local leaders in sustainability (including some YCAI alumni), making guidance and support from community members more readily available to participants. 

By equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to take meaningful action in their local communities, YCAI is bringing new voices into climate action leadership and building a more sustainable and resilient Toronto.