EcoYouth Ottawa: Mobilizing Youth for Climate Action in Ottawa

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EcoYouth Ottawa (short for the National Capital Environmental Youth Project) is Ecology Ottawa’s youth-led climate program. We empower young people who care about the environmental issues and the impending climate crisis by providing space, support, and leadership opportunities to take action.

Our Program Includes:

• EcoYouth Council: Monthly meetings led by youth, supported by Ecology Ottawa, where members develop school presentations, plan initiatives, and collaborate on city-wide environmental education.

• School Presentations: Council members design and deliver workshops to engage Ottawa students on environmental issues and solutions, building leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.

• Youth Summit: An annual gathering where youth lead in organizing speakers, workshops, and activities to connect, learn from experts, and strengthen advocacy skills.

• Eco Awards: highlighting the people, places, plants, and animals of Ottawa that inspire our communities to take action, find innovative solutions, and work together to protect our environment.

• Pollinator Gardens: Ecology Ottawa collaborates with school across Ottawa to bring pollinator gardens which are native plant pollinator gardens at two beautiful sites in Ottawa. These gardens will be a haven for bees, butterflies, and other crucial pollinators, while adding natural beauty to our community.

Our Mission

We meet the growing demand from educators and youth leaders for engaging, action-oriented workshops. With our experience in community organizing and environmental advocacy, we created EcoYouth to connect youth with local nature, environmental justice, and peer-led change.

Our Goals

We aim to:

• Engage youth in local environmental solutions.
• Respect and amplify youth voices.
• Deepen knowledge of environmental issues in Ottawa.
• Center justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Build resilience and leadership among young people.

Our Objectives

Through EcoYouth, we are:

• Building a diverse youth council across Ottawa.
• Supporting youth to lead workshops in schools.
• Fostering school gardens and hands-on environmental projects.
• Highlighting pathways for change, from personal actions to collective and systemic solutions.