Together with Friends of the Earth we've been supporting young people to develop a environmental leaders in their communities through our My World My Home programme.  We’ve released a report which brings together our impact in numbers, as well as some examples of the difference the programme has made to the students who have been part of our work.

We’ve released a report which brings together our impact in numbers, as well as some examples of the difference the programme has made to the students who have been part of our work.

My World My Home has been running since 2016 and is one of 31 projects funded through the National Lottery Community Fund’s Our Bright Future programme. Each project funded by the programme is designed to support young people (aged 11-24) to act as catalysts for delivering change for their communities and the environment.

Students are at the heart of My World My Home, with the personalised approach to supporting them to contribute and lead on issues that are important to them, both individually and collectively, providing the following benefits:

• Opening up issues they have previously felt excluded from, providing an opportunity for contributing their ‘voice’ and to be heard: “As a young person [I] wouldn’t usually feel like I have a much of a voice on environmental issues, this has shown that I do.
• Building a knowledge and awareness of fundamental issues facing society – the climate crisis and interconnected environmental harms – alongside an understanding of policy, politics, influence and change.
• Through challenge and support to work beyond their comfort zones, students report improved levels of self-confidence and belief in their ability to achieve: “This course changed what I thought was possible.”
• Provided opportunities to reach out beyond their usual friendship groups, making new connections within and beyond their peer groups and communities, and learning to understand different perspectives from within these groups/communities: “I really enjoyed the residential and meeting new people from other colleges and organisations. I have talked to people that I never met before and I learnt a lot from them. My confidence has improved a lot and I’m more ambitious to keep going to make a positive change in my community and the whole world.”
• Planning and delivering campaigns has also developed vital skills amongst the students taking part, skills such as time and budget management, communication and team-working that can support achievements beyond the project, for example in formal education or employment: “My world my home has helped me to become more confident in class, when completing my assignments I am more focused and believe that I can achieve it.”
• A developing sense of their potential, as young people, and ability to lead action to protect the environment, but additionally the development of a more general sense of leadership in their communities

For further information about the programme, please visit the Friends of the Earth website.