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Youth involvement in infrastructure planning in response to climate change can benefit both the youth and the communityYouth are consistently underrepresented in community planning processes for climate change, even though they are recognized as the future of their community. The focus of the research was on a program referred to as “Youth Advocacy for Resilience to Disasters” (YARDs), which was designed to help youth gain the knowledge and skills needed for meaningful involvement in the planning process. The YARDs program teaches youth about natural disasters, resilience, data communication, green infrastructure, and presentation skills. “The goal of YARDs is to empower marginalized youth to advocate for their communities that are at risk due to climate change.”
Two groups of middle school students participated in the pilot testing of YARDs. One group of 12 students (age 11-13) participated in the program over the period of one week during the summer. The other group of 12 students (age 12-14) participated in the program as an after-school activity, meeting twice a week over a seven-week period. Students in this group attended a school serving a high number of low-income students. Three questions were used to guide the related research: (1) What are the types of infrastructure solutions that youth develop or generate through the YARDs program? (2) How can the YARDs curriculum support youth in marginalized communities in understanding intersecting disasters and identifying infrastructure projects to address issues in their communities? (3) How can advocating for these infrastructure projects through maps or posters enable youth and their communities to become more resilient? Focus group discussions with the participating youth and with the adults involved with the program were used to gather feedback about the project. Surveys completed by the students before and after the program were also used. An analysis of students’ proposed solutions to climate-related issues in their community and a critique of their presentation skills in sharing their ideas provided additional data. Researchers’ and authors’ field notes based on observations throughout the delivery of the YARDs program were also used.
Data relating to the first question indicated that students were mostly concerned about issues that directly affected them or alarmed them. Their ideas for infrastructure solutions focused more on reducing disaster risk than on the provision of opportunities for recreational and educational activities. Data relating to the second question indicated that the YARDs program helped students understand how investment in green infrastructure could benefit the community. Data relating to the third question indicated that the involvement of youth in planning for climate change can help communities become more resilient to climate change disasters. The infrastructure solutions presented by the students to the community included community gardens, community centers, parks, and green space. These solutions were deemed to be practical by the adults.
Youth participating in the YARDs program gained “an increased positive attitude toward advocacy in terms of outcome efficacy and their ability to be assertive and heard.” This research indicates that both youth and the community can benefit from youth involvement in infrastructure planning in response to climate change impacts on the community.
The Bottom Line
Youth involvement in infrastructure planning in response to climate change can benefit both the youth and the community