Lynn Gazal
Tree planting to promote hope in young people in the context of escalating climate change.
Climate Change is an existential threat that links humanity. It is predicted to displace 1.2 billion people from 31 countries globally by 2050 (Institute for Economics and Peace, IEP). Children and young people are adversely affected by climate anxiety and eco-anxiety, to varying degrees. Especially those living in places where the threat is greatest.
"Children have little power to limit its harm, making them vulnerable to climate anxiety" (Hickman et al. 2022).
This workshop will promote tree planting as an adaptive response for young people in schools and communities globally. Alongside age-appropriate climate education, tree planting helps to construct feelings of hope and to replace some anxiety with more helpful activity.
Methodology:
A qualitative study capturing the feelings of children and young people before and after tree planting in summer and autumn 2023. The study will focus on young people from the refugee community.
Workshop
Tree planting to promote hope in young people in the context of escalating climate change.
Climate Change is an existential threat that links humanity. It is predicted to displace 1.2 billion people from 31 countries globally by 2050 (Institute for Economics and Peace, IEP). Children and young people are adversely affected by climate anxiety and eco-anxiety, to varying degrees. Especially those living in places where the threat is greatest.
"Children have little power to limit its harm, making them vulnerable to climate anxiety" (Hickman et al. 2022).
This workshop will promote tree planting as an adaptive response for young people in schools and communities globally. Alongside age-appropriate climate education, tree planting helps to construct feelings of hope and to replace some anxiety with more helpful activity.
Methodology:
A qualitative study capturing the feelings of children and young people before and after tree planting in summer and autumn 2023. The study will focus on young people from the refugee community.
Workshop
- Recordings of children's voices, expressing how they feel about climate change.
- Slideshow: Context outlined. Photos and videos showing evidence of tree planting to promoting hope in children and young people.
- The speaker will discuss the methodology of tree planting in Autumn 2023 with the study sample and discuss how tree planting might change how they feel.
- Small groups to choose a home grown tree and to discuss the process of growing these from seeds. How easy is this to do?
- Small groups to discuss the tangible benefits of tree planting for young people (e.g. fresh air, exercise, working together, grounding…)
- Small groups to note the possible steps that could be taken to raise the profile of tree planting for young people, such as being included as part of curriculums.
- Small groups to feedback the findings from their discussions.
