Bandung, 23-25 ​​February 2024 – “Young people are speaking up,” said the participants in the advocacy training for climate change. Young people are considered the next generation who need support in order to maintain the sustainability of future generations of life. Currently, climate change has become a global problem that requires action and mitigation from all parties. Children and young people are the groups most affected by climate change, therefore, the Indonesian Building Inspiration Foundation (YIIM), IBU Foundation, U-Report, with support from PT Insight Investments Management (INSIGHT), launched the Youth Advocacy for Climate Action (Y4CA) program in Bandung City.

The Youth Advocacy for Climate Action (Y4CA) program aims to empower young people aged 15 to 24 years in the city of Bandung and its surroundings. This program will use the concept of co-creation to support ten youth-led organizations engaged in social and environmental action.

Consisting of various series of activities, this program provided direct benefits to 35 participants who took part in advocacy training for climate change for 3 days on 23-25 ​​February 2024 in Bandung City.

During the 3 days of training, the enthusiasm of the participants was very good, with the delivery of various materials which were also adopted from the UNICEF Youth Advocacy Guide module. Starting from an introduction to climate change and its impact on young people, an introduction to advocacy, meaningful participation vs tokenism, maintaining mental health as an advocate, stakeholder mapping, credibility in preparing advocacy plans, and other topics.

In an effort to support the sustainability of training, this program provides opportunities for children and young people to be actively involved in the process of applying the concepts they have learned. Training participants are invited to formulate concrete action plans that they can implement at the local level and on a wider scale. This process involves identifying the problem, setting clear goals, and designing an effective advocacy strategy.

It doesn’t stop there, this program also provides funding support for action plans that have been designed by participants. This aims to provide real encouragement in realizing the ideas and advocacy efforts they developed during the training. This funding support includes financial resources that can be used for implementing activities, local workshops, social campaigns, or environmental projects related to climate change.

Thus, through this approach, the program not only provides knowledge and skills, but also empowers children and young people to play an active role as agents of change in efforts to face the challenges of climate change. Funding support is key in ensuring that the ideas and initiatives produced can be realized in real terms, have a positive impact, and increase community involvement in advocacy for climate change.

YIIM and Insight continue to be committed to supporting sustainable development goals, and is a form of PT Insight Investments Management (INSIGHT) Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL). It is hoped that this program can inspire various broader elements who care about economic and social empowerment to improve community welfare.

Salam Inspirasi!