Youth-Led Climate Change Action: Multi-Level Effects on Children, Families, and Communities

Empirical studies of children’s climate change action are rare, especially beyond the formal classroom and among pre-teen youth. This mixed-methods study examined the multi-level impacts of climate action by ten- to twelve-year-olds following an after-school program that used participatory methods to encourage children’s action at household and community levels. Through surveys and focus groups, children reported engaging in a variety of climate-protective actions to reduce their energy use and waste, with some children becoming more physically active as they left behind electronics to play outdoors. Children also provided abundant examples of sharing their climate change knowledge and inspiring action among family and friends, as well as being influential in school and community settings. Findings of the present study shed light on the importance of action opportunities in climate change educational settings, not only for children’s mental and physical health, but for its transformative potential through children’s intra- and intergenerational influence.