UK Youth Climate Coalition

UK Youth Climate Coalition
Abbreviation UKYCC
Motto UK Youth united for a clean, just future.
Formation June 2008[1]
Type Non-profit company limited by guarantee[2]
Purpose Youth representation
Headquarters London
Region served
 United Kingdom
Official language
English
Co-Directors
 Jake Leeper,[3] Hannah Smith[4]
Key people
 Casper ter Kuile and Emma Biermann, Co-Founders[5]
Affiliations ActionAid, Amnesty International, British Youth Council, Diana Awards, Envision, Friends of the Earth, Liberal Youth, LJY Netzer, Made in Europe, Medsin, National Union of Students, Otesha Project, Oxfam, People & Planet, RSPB, Scottish Youth Parliament, Stop Climate Chaos, Unicef, The Woodcraft Folk, Young Scot[6]
Staff
0[4]
Volunteers
20[4]
Website UKYCC.org

The UK Youth Climate Coalition (UKYCC) is a non-profit youth organisation in the United Kingdom.[7][8] The organisation is run entirely by unpaid volunteers, who are all under the ages of 25.[4]

Formed in 2008, the mission of the organisation is to inspire, empower and mobilise a coalition of UK youth organisations and young people to take positive action on climate change.[9][10] To achieve their aims and objectives, the organisation provides training to young people on public narration whilst coordinating a series of projects, campaigns and events each year, including youth delegations to the United Nations Climate Negotiations.[5]

The organisation is supported by a coalition of non-governmental organisations.[6]

Organisation

Formation

In June 2008, the United Kingdom ambassadors to the World Wide Fund for Nature's Voyage for the Future programme, Emma Biermann and Casper ter Kuile, returned from the Arctic to found the UK Youth Climate Coalition (UKYCC) after being inspired by young people undertaking similar projects across the world, such as the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and the Energy Action Coalition in the United States.[10][11]

By bringing together a number of youth organisations and a coalition of non-governmental organisations, the co-founders intended to unite the work of their partners.[5] Following on from this, the co-founders formed a coordinating team who worked on a number of projects, campaigns and events over the duration of the next year.

Aims and objectives

The mission of the organisation is to inspire, empower and mobilise young people to take positive action on climate change. To achieve their aims and objectives, the organisation provides training to young people on public narrative, using the techniques developed by Marshall Ganz who was part of the U.S. President Barack Obama's election campaign, whilst coordinating a series of projects and events each year, including sending a youth delegations to the United Nations Climate Negotiations.

The UKYCC places strong emphasis on the need for its messaging to be positive and relevant, reflected through projects such as the "How old will you be in 2050?" awareness campaign launched by the International Youth Movement in 2009 and the "Get Gordon Some Vision" fundraising campaign which ran in early 2009. Ben West, former Communications Coordinator for the organisation, called for environmental groups to communicate their aims more effectively and become more innovative in their approach.[12]

Similarly, the organisation aims to bring together a number of diverse youth organisations, both national, regional and local, to work alongside youth led organisations and other coalition partners to fulfil their goals.[5]

Governance

The UK Youth Climate Coalition (UKYCC) is run by a team of young volunteers under the ages of 25.[13] The organisation itself is a registered private company limited by guarantee, with no share capital, which means it is run for non-profit purposes.[14] The daily activities are managed by two co-directors, who supported by eight coordinators who are in turn supported by a team of appointed volunteers.[5] The volunteers are supported by an Advisory Board, who advise on issues relating to finance, legal issues and communications.[4]

The UKYCC is supported by a coalition of non-governmental organisations. As of 2011, the coalition includes ActionAid, Amnesty International, British Youth Council, Diana Awards, Envision, Friends of the Earth, Liberal Youth, LJY Netzer, Made in Europe, Medsin, National Union of Students, Otesha Project, Oxfam, People & Planet, RSPB, Scottish Youth Parliament, Stop Climate Chaos, Unicef, The Woodcraft Folk and Young Scot.[6]

Alongside the coalition partners, the UKYCC boasts a membership of over 2,250 young people.[3] The organisation is open to any young person to join, in addition to their coalition which is open to any organisation.[4][6]

Internationally, the coalition affiliates to the Youth Climate Movement, with sister organisations in America, Australia, Canada, China and India.[13] The UKYCC has also formed a partnership with the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change - Kenyan Chapter, with whom they share resources, experience and training.[5][15] In 2009, the UKYCC committed to raising over £11,000 for their partner organisation.[16]

Funding

The UKYCC advertises that its core funding comes mainly by donations from its supporters.[13] Projects undertaken by the volunteers have previously been funded by foundation grant applications, such as the Youth Funding Network, and in-kind support.[17][18][19] For example, Seventeen Events provided pro-bono support to the volunteers to ensure their Powershift event was sustainable.[20]

Activities

2008

In 2008, the UK Youth Climate Coalition undertook a number of activities. Some of their projects included:

2009

The UKYCC worked with the International Youth Movement, in particular the European Youth Climate Movement to contribute to the "How old will you be in 2050?" campaign, launched at the United Nations Climate negotiations taking place in Bonn, Germany.[5] The slogan has been used by an array of organisations since then and was also the focus for the International Youth "Young and Future Generations Day" in December 2009.[24] The campaign seeks to emphasise the need to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 on 1990 levels, as young people will be the ones to inherit this world and decisions made today will have a direct impact on their lives in 40 years time.

From 9–12 October 2009, the organisation organised an event called Power Shift, which was held at the Institute of Education in London.[17] Modelled on a similar event to one organised by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and carrying the same name as the Energy Action Coalition event in the USA, the event was designed to provide training to young people on how to take action on climate change and also provide them with support to undertake their own initiatives within their local communities[25] The training was based on the techniques developed by Marshall Ganz, a civil rights activist who is credited with devising the grassroots organising model and public narrative training for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign.[26][27]

Three days before the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, Kirsty Schneeberger, one of the 2009 Coordinators for the UKYCC, chaired a question and answer debate between a panel of government ministers and 80 young people.[28][29][30][31] The panel included former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband and Former Minister of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office Baroness Glenys Kinnock.[32][33][34][35]

A day later, members of the UK Youth Climate Coalition participated in the Wave, organised by coalition partner Stop Climate Chaos.[36] It is estimated that between 40,000-50,000 individuals attended the march in London, in addition to over 7,000 participants in Glasgow.[37][38]

Similarly to previous years, the organisation sent a second youth delegation to the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference.[7] In preparation for the talks in Copenhagen, the Youth Delegation met negotiators from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.[39] Darran Martin, one of the youth delegates, was reported to have cycled from the United Kingdom to Copenhagen, Denmark.[40][41][42][43] Prior to and whilst in Copenhagen, the youth delegation recorded a series of documentaries, with the goal of providing inspiring stories directly to young people within the UK.[44][45][46]

Midway through the Climate negotiations in December, the UKYCC also organised a Day of Action as the UK Delivery partner for the Global Campaign for Climate Action, also recognised as "TckTckTck". Alongside 1,600 actions taking place around the world, the UKYCC organised a flash dance outside the Houses of Parliament and projected an image onto the House of Commons, with the slogan, "the World wants a real deal".[5][47][48] The day of action was designed to call on world leaders to create and agree on a fair, ambitious and legally binding deal as the outcome of the Climate negotiations that month.[49]

2010

On 12 January 2010, over 150 young people came together to explore ways in which young people can join the fight against climate change, in an event organised by the UK Youth Parliament. The event was supported by the UK Youth Climate Coalition and coalition partners Oxfam, Plan UK and UNICEF.[50]

A month later, the Department for Energy and Climate Change launched a Youth Advisory Panel, including representatives from the UKYCC. It is reported that this followed a proposal suggested by the UK Youth Climate Coalition and their coalition partners People & Planet and Plan UK.[51][52][53]

In April, the UKYCC launched a viral video campaign called "Shake your money maker" to raise awareness of ethical banking amongst their supporters. The campaign ran with the slogan, "It might not come with a free popcorn machine, but an ethical bank account will sow the seeds for a cleaner, brighter future." The organisation estimated that if each of their 2,000 supporters had £500 in their account and they were all to switch to an ethical bank, this would total £1 million.[54]

Prior to the May General Elections, the UKYCC supported the British Youth Council Manifesto and the Vote Global campaign which intended to raise awareness of key issues during the election campaign.[55][56]

Following the general election and to coincide with the formal opening of Parliament and the Queen's Speech on Tuesday 25 May, the UKYCC also launched a project called "Adopt an MP". The scheme intended to see 650 Members of Parliament in the UK "adopted" by a young person in their constituency, who would communicate the activities of their MP back to their communities.[3]

2011

At the start of 2011, the UK Youth Climate Coalition began providing training and resources to young people across Europe to enable them to organise Power Shift conferences. Alongside this event, the organisation co-ordinated a campaign, called "Push Europe" to encourage the European Union to commit to higher emission reduction targets.[57]

A delegation of 13 young people also attended the climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa.[58][59]

Reception

In 2009, following the UK Youth Climate Coalition's Powershift conference and activities on 350.org's International Day of Action, Casper ter Kuile, co-founder of the organisation, was awarded Climate Community Citizen of the Week Award by the Climate Community.[60]

In 2010, Kirsty Schneeberger, former Coordinator with the UK Youth Climate Coalition, was awarded an MBE for her work with the organisation.[61] In the same year, 6 volunteers with the organisation were featured in The Guardian's list of youth climate leaders.[62]

In 2011, Ellie Hopkins, former Co-Director of the UK Youth Climate Coalition, received the 'Most Inspirational Young Person' award from Climate Week.[63]

Although the UKYCC has not formally won any awards, the organisation was recognised by Seventeen Events, one of the judges of the MediaGuardian Innovation Awards, for their ability to use the internet to communicate, network and organise.[64]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Who are we?". Our Time is Now. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  2. ↑ "UK Youth Climate Coalition". Taking IT Global. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  3. 1 2 3 "Young climate campaigners adopt an MP". London: The Guardian. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Team". UK Youth Climate Coalition. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "UK Youth Climate Coalition Annual Review 2009" (PDF). UK Youth Climate Coalition. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "The Coalition". UK Youth Climate Coalition. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  7. 1 2 "Profile: Guppi Bola". Lancet Student. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
  8. ↑ "The consequences of tomorrow, today". Department of Energy and Climate Change. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
  9. ↑ "Bristol teenager takes Britain's green message to climate conference". Bristol Evening Post. 26 November 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  10. 1 2 "Climate change Young Ambassadors". WWF. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  11. ↑ "Speakers". Oxford Climate Forum. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  12. ↑ "Green movement needs a different approach to appeal beyond the usual audience". The Guardian. London. 15 September 2010.
  13. 1 2 3 "What makes us different". UK Youth Climate Coalition. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  14. ↑ "UK Youth Climate Coalition". Companies House. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  15. ↑ "Youth Delegate to Copenhagen". NE Combined Transport Activists Roundtable. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  16. ↑ "UK Youth Climate Coalition". ClimateBytes. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  17. 1 2 "Power Shift". UK Youth Climate Coalition. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  18. ↑ "Nov 25 event raised over £6,000!". The Youth Funding Network. 16 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  19. ↑ "Youth groups bending the ear of business at COP15". Reuters. 11 December 2009. Archived from the original on 19 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  20. ↑ "Doing it for the kids - Power Shift 09". Event Magazine. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  21. ↑ "National Climate March 2008". Campaign against Climate Change. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
  22. ↑ "Using bike-powered theatre to communicate climate change". The Ecologist. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  23. ↑ "About GreenFinger". My Green Finger. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  24. ↑ "'How old will you be in 2050?': Copenhagen slogan of the day". London: The Independent. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  25. ↑ "Power Shift: Global youth climate movement comes of age". London: The Guardian. 20 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  26. ↑ Martelle, Scott (15 June 2008). "Famed organizer sees history in the making". LA Times. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  27. ↑ "Shake your booty in Big Ben's shadow – teenagers dance to save the planet". London: The Guardian. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  28. ↑ "PM tells young people climate deal is achievable". Number 10. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  29. ↑ "Question Time for young people". Oxfam. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  30. ↑ "Gordon Brown answers young people's questions on climate change". London: The Guardian. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  31. ↑ "Climate change 'greatest challenge'". London: Channel 4 News. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  32. ↑ "Gordon Brown answers young people's questions on climate change". London: Natural History Museum. 4 December 2009. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  33. ↑ "Climate change 'greatest challenge'". London: Daily Star. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  34. ↑ "Climate change 'greatest challenge'". London: Daily Express. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  35. ↑ "Climate change 'greatest challenge'". Glasgow: Herald Scotland. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  36. ↑ "The Wave floods into London in show of rising clamour for climate action in Copenhagen". Journalism.co.uk. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  37. ↑ "50,000 fill London's streets for The Wave ahead of Copenhagen". Airport Watch. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  38. ↑ "Climate change protests ahead of Copenhagen summit". BBC News. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  39. ↑ "UK Youth Climate Coalition meet DECC negotiators". Department of Energy and Climate Change. 7 September 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  40. ↑ "How to travel to Copenhagen without a massive carbon footprint". London: The Guardian. 17 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  41. ↑ "Green warrior off to Copenhagen climate change summit". Hounslow Guardian. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  42. ↑ "Liverpool University graduate is cycling to help save planet". Liverpool Echo. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  43. ↑ "Climate campaigners blast council's decision". This is Derbyshire. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  44. ↑ "We're Not Done Yet". Yes Magazine. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  45. ↑ "Young Blood". Do the Green Thing. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  46. ↑ "UKYCC Films". Northern Ireland Environmental Link. 13 November 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  47. ↑ "Flashdance in Parliament Square". Indy Media. 12 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  48. ↑ "Glow-in-the-dark dancers demand climate justice". UK Youth Climate Coalition. 12 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  49. ↑ "Join the Youth Climate Coalition in a worldwide call for a Real Deal at Copenhagen!". Greenpeace. 2009-12-10. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  50. ↑ "'Climate Revolution' as young people fight climate change". UK Youth Parliament. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  51. ↑ "Ed wants you to join his team!". UK Climate Coalition. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  52. ↑ "People & Planet joins DECC's pilot Youth Advisory Panel on Climate Change". People & Planet. 15 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  53. ↑ "Government department pilots YAP equivalent". Plan UK. 15 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  54. ↑ "May 2010 Newsletter". The Otesha Project UK. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
  55. ↑ "Manifesto Supporters". British Youth Council. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  56. ↑ "Endorsing organisations". Vote Global. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  57. ↑ "What is Power Shift Europe?". Power Shift Europe. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  58. ↑ "Climate Conversations - Getting young people heard at U.N. climate talks". Trust. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  59. ↑ "Matt and Cat head off to UN climate talks". Malvern Gazette. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  60. ↑ "Climate Community Citizen of the Week Award – Casper ter Kuile". Climate Community. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  61. ↑ "Order of the British Empire". Debretts. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  62. ↑ Rowley, Sylvia (10 December 2010). "Meet the youth climate leaders". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  63. ↑ "Most Inspirational Young Person". Climate Week. 18 March 2010. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  64. ↑ "Green Living: Keeping in touch". The Wharf. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-29.

External links

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