Youth Organisations in Ireland have been encouraged to apply for financial support under a fund centred on climate change by Minister O’Gorman.
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman has encouraged funding applications from eligible youth groups for the Youth Climate Justice Fund 2021
The fund, which totals €500,000, is planned to support the further development of climate justice and youth engagement throughout the country.
The fund was set up in 2020, as a post-initiative step after the United Nation’s focus on youth engagement towards the global response and fight against climate change.
The funding aims is to support youth-headed organisations taking action against climate justice at the local to national level.
“I would say spreading action, awareness, and knowledge is really going to make change happen,” Niamh Harrington, Brand Design Officer for DCU Sustainable Living Society, said.
“Kids especially are good at tapping into sensory ways of spreading knowledge in their communities so there is huge potential there through music, through dance and film-making for example”
The Stop Climate Chaos campaign is an example of youth action, this is a coalition of 20 Irish environmental, youth, and development organisations to drive political action and create public awareness of climate change.
“This allocation of resources to facilitate is crucial because everyone, especially those who wouldn’t normally or those under-encouraged, should have their voice and their unique contribution platformed,” Harrington said.
Minister Roderic O’Gorman said: “The Government is keen to enable and empower young voices in the ongoing conversation on climate justice.
“This also aligns with the ambition of our national Climate Action Plan to enhance citizen and community engagement to support climate action activities across the country.”
Since the fund was established in March 2020, young people, youth workers and volunteers have innovated and collaborated to advance a variety of initiatives within their area.
“They are acutely aware of the threat,” Minister O’Gorman said.
“That climate change poses as well as its uneven and unequal impacts. I am delighted to be able to provide this funding to support and leverage these important youth perspectives and actions.”
“I suppose the main point is the sensory transfer of knowledge and encouraging under-encouraged,” Harrington said.
“And these things are made much more possible from a collaborative perspective.”
“Hopefully schools encourage the kids to collab and organize stuff,” Harrington added.
Ria McGuire
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