Youth Empowerment and Engagement as an Effective Pathway to Achieving Community Resilience: Outcomes and Goals from NOAA’s New Environmental Literacy Program Community Resilience Education Theory Of Change

Abstract:

NOAA’s Environmental Literacy Program (ELP) has released a new theory of change for how K-12 and informal education assist in building community resilience to extreme weather, climate change, and other environmental hazards. Based on lessons learned from ELP grantees and a review of research literature, the ELP Community Resilience Education Theory of Change articulates the rationale for investing in the education of children, youth, and adults so they are knowledgeable of the ways their communities can become more resilient to extreme weather, climate change, and other environmental hazards, and become involved in achieving that resilience. It provides a conceptual framework for the ways that community resilience education can lead to increased community engagement and civic action, ultimately leading to a healthier, more resilient, and equitable society.

The theory of change includes 6 causal pathways depicting the outcomes that must be met to achieve the end goal of the theory of change, including multiple outcomes that relate to youth engagement and empowerment. Examples include:

• Children and youth learn from older adults within their community about local impacts of climate change and extreme weather events and use storytelling and other arts to share that knowledge with others.
• Educators and students work with local experts and community members to implement their action projects that aim to reduce vulnerabilities through short-term preparedness and long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies.
• Youth leaders are hopeful about their community’s future and understand the progress that can be made to address climate change and other environmental hazards.
• Youth lead on climate and champion equitable community resilience through their civic participation.

Since 2015, ELP-funded projects have focused not only on understanding the threats and vulnerabilities that exist in a particular place, but also how to engage and empower children, youth and/or adults to take action to reduce these vulnerabilities at home, at school, and in their local community. Additionally, these projects are engaging more underserved members within urban and rural communities and partnering with community-based organizations in recognition that a community is only as resilient as its most vulnerable members.