Abstract
In the context of complex intergenerational challenges such as climate change and sustainable development, it is increasingly important for scientists and policy-makers to actively engage with and support the meaningful participation of youth in policy and decision-making. This research evaluates the effectiveness and impact of the Youth in Landscapes Initiative in supporting the active participation and leadership development of youth (aged 18–30 years old) participants at the 2014 Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), an international science-policy forum. This ‘youth program’ comprised a Youth Session, skills workshops and mentoring programs to empower youth through leadership and capacity building opportunities. Results show a high demand for youth participation: 34% of GLF conference delegates expressed interest to attend the Youth Session, over 22% of GLF session organisers requested youth to take on leadership roles, and the youth program itself received over 770 applications for the ‘facilitator’ and ‘pitcher’ leadership positions. The skills-based ‘masterclasses’ successfully built the confidence and knowledge of youth participants, as shown by post-evaluation survey responses. This translated into active and substantive youth participation throughout the forum. Senior professionals connected to the program praised it highly, seeing it as an opportunity for mutual, intergenerational learning. The Youth in Landscape Initiative is presented as a model and distilled into a framework to inform future youth engagement strategies in international conferences and associated science-policy processes.
Highlights
Empowering young people to play an active role in development and policy processes is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and meeting urgent plans to address climate change
3 Results Amongst Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) participants there was a high level of interest in youth activities, as demonstrated by the 34% of 2014 GLF participants registering their interest in taking part in the Youth Session; approximately three times the capacity of the session itself
There was a strong demand for participation in both the masterclasses and Youth Session: 114 applications were received for the masterclasses and over 600 GLF participants registered to attend the Youth Session (205 capacity)
Summary
Empowering young people to play an active role in development and policy processes is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and meeting urgent plans to address climate change. There is a growing recognition of the importance of promoting the active and meaningful participation of young people in science-policy and decision-making processes. Many youth possess strong skills in information and communication technologies (ICT), and are able to harness these to effectively mobilise, and bridge the gap between, diverse groups in order to promote civic and political engagement (MacKinnon et al 2007; Riemer et al 2014). A growing body of literature highlights the importance of building knowledge and leadership skills of youth in order to promote their engagement in environmental issues and empower them to affect positive change in their local and global communities (Arnold et al 2009; Browne et al 2011)
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