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About
The Connecting Climate Minds (CCM) project is a global initiative that has shaped a more inclusive agenda for climate and mental health research, one rooted in real lived experience and expert insight. Led by Imperial College London and funded by The Wellcome Trust, the project brought together communities of practice across seven global regions, empowering them to turn this agenda into meaningful action.
The Ecoanxiety Africa Project (TEAP) proudly contributed as part of the Lived Experience Working Group (LEWG). Our work with the CCM project aligned strongly with our mission to amplify youth voices from the Global South, ensuring they are not just included but actively shaping critical conversations around climate change and mental health.
The Ecoanxiety Africa Project (TEAP) proudly contributed as part of the Lived Experience Working Group (LEWG). Our work with the CCM project aligned strongly with our mission to amplify youth voices from the Global South, ensuring they are not just included but actively shaping critical conversations around climate change and mental health.
Why
- 01
To support research that includes the lived experience of young people and communities in the Global South who are often neglected in these conversations.
- 02
To rejuvenate youth participation in research and policy processes, which have historically been youth-unfriendly.
- 03
To pave the way for mental health solutions that truly serve all people affected by our changing climate.
How Did We Do This?
As part of the project, TEAP hosted three youth dialogues, creating supportive, safe spaces where young people could openly share how climate change is affecting their mental health. These sessions went beyond conversation; they gave young people a platform to voice their ideas, hopes, and solutions, ensuring they were meaningfully involved and represented in shaping the research and action agenda of the CCM project.
Youth Dialogues
Harmony Horizons (Global Virtual Dialogue)
Harmony Horizon provided a powerful space to explore youth priorities on climate change and mental health research. The dialogue was curated for and by youth and was packed with insightful dialogues, icebreakers, a visual storyboard and opportunities to listen to each other. The core priority areas included youth participation in research, coping mechanisms and lived experiences of climate change and mental health issues.
Rising Resilience (Regional Pop-up Dialogues)
Rising Resilience regional dialogues were held in Port Harcourt, Nigeria and Bangalore, India. These dialogues built on the insights and lessons from the global virtual dialogue to inspire participants to explore local contextualised resilient ideas, initiatives, and actions to address the nuanced mental health impacts of climate change. During the session, participants engaged in guided conversations, creative games and storytelling to facilitate meaningful connections.
These dialogues informed the development of the Global Youth Research and Action Agenda on Climate Change and Mental Health.
Other Lived Experience Work
Together with the Lived Experience Working Group (LEWG) team, we inspired a lived experience approach in the project process by developing a Decolonial Approach & Power Mapping Webinar for the global team. We supported dialogues with Farmers, Fisher people and Indigenous communities to gather their lived experiences to inform the global research agenda. Finally, we co-created key lived experience resources, including the Lived Experience Engagement Toolkit, Youth Engagement in Dialogue Terms of Reference, and Lived Experience Story Gathering and Telling Terms of Reference.
Global Event
From 19-21 March 2024, our TEAP project manager, Ayomide Olude, represented SustyVibes at the global Connecting Climate Minds stakeholders conference in Barbados. This event united project stakeholders to finalise the Global Research and Action Agenda on Climate Change and Mental Health. As part of a vibrant global community of practice, we worked collaboratively to ensure the lived experiences of young people were included in shaping the final agenda. By sharing insights and advocating for youth perspectives, we contributed to a more inclusive and impactful global strategy addressing the intersection of climate change and mental health.
TEAP as a Case Study
Visit the CCM Global Online Hub to learn more about the project.