Mass Audubon Youth Climate Leadership Program

Mass Audubon's Youth Climate Leadership Program (YCLP) is a youth-led, action-oriented climate action immersion program aimed at creating a space for:

Learning
Conversation
Networking
and Youth-led climate solutions
In partnership with local schools, nonprofits, research institutions, and universities, the YCLP pairs youth with experts and mentors to guide innovative climate action ideation.

Our year-long program doesn't end with brainstorming. We support our youth in creating, developing, and managing Climate Action Projects—tangible climate actions implemented in local schools and Massachusetts communities. How it Works
The Youth Climate Leadership Program is a multi-level immersion in youth empowerment and leadership, culminating in actionable projects that combat climate change with a local focus.

Step 1 – Ask & Imagine
Youth convene mid-fall through Youth Climate Summits, hosted by Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries, for the first step in the program. In partnership with Mass Audubon staff, local experts, and mentors, youth collectively tackle the question: "How can we act on climate in our communities?" Participants collaborate with each other to begin imagining what community-level climate action could look like and brainstorm the subject of their Climate Action Projects.

Step 2 – Plan & Act
After the Youth Climate Summits, mentors continue to guide participant groups to develop climate literacy and professional skills. The second step in our program equips youth with tools necessary to plan and implement their ambitious, innovative Climate Action Projects.

Step 3 – Evaluate & Share
By the end of spring, youth participants will have not only collectively imagined their projects, they will have also put their projects into action. The final step in our program convenes youth to share the product of their hard work through Youth Climate Showcases. Participants will evaluate their work—along with any data they collected on project outcomes—and navigate how to improve their project for sustainable, and growing, climate action past the program.