Young people today aren’t waiting around for someone else to take action. Here are seven youth-led organizations empowering young people for the betterment of their communities and the climate. Many have been founded by or have SOI alumni on their teams. 

Check out their websites for ways to learn more and potentially get involved with their programming. If you are interested in starting your own youth-led organization, we recommend starting by reading our previous article “5 Steps to Launch a Successful Community Action Project”. It can be intimidating to start something new but, as all of these youth organizations prove, it can be done! 

Student Energy is a global youth-led organization empowering young people to accelerate the sustainable energy transition through a variety of initiatives. They work with a network of 50,000 young people from over 120 countries to build the knowledge, skills, and networks they need to take action on energy. You can find two of our alumni on their management team, Shakti Ramkumar and Rodala Aranya.

What they offer for youth: University-based Chapters, a digital Energy System Map, and the largest student-led energy conference in the world.

Youth Climate Lab is a “Canada-based, global non-profit organization that accelerates youth-led climate policy, projects and businesses”. Their mission is three-fold: to mobilize, elevate and bridge. Their Co-Founder and Executive Director, Dominique Souris is also an SOI alum!

What they offer for youth: A toolbox full of resources and workshops, 4-8 month long fellowship-style programs for youth, and several large-scale, multi-partner initiatives. Plus, they help with facilitating our Climate Action Cohort program!

The Arctic Youth Network is a youth-founded and youth-led non-profit organization supporting a global network of young Arctic leaders through international cooperation and capacity-building. You can find SOI alum Danielle Wendehorst on their team!

What they offer for youth: A member group, AYX Chapters, Working Groups, The Exchange, AYN Global Team

Youth4Nature is a youth-led, international non-profit organization that educates, empowers, and mobilises young people to lead on solutions for the ecological and climate crises. Solutions are rooted in science, aligned with traditional, local and Indigenous knowledge, and grounded in climate and intergenerational justice. This organization was also founded by one of our alumni, Marina Melanidis, with a few other alumni on their team, including Caroline Merner and one of our former SOI staff Rachel Boere!

What they offer for youth: Knowledge sharing (podcast, blog, events), capacity building (delegations and workshops) and storytelling (global youth climate-nature storymap).

Kids4Climate is a non-profit student-led initiative that provides a free virtual advocacy-based climate camp for youth ages 9-12 residing in the Ottawa and Saskatoon area. They want to equip our future climate leaders with the basic skills and resources they need to create an equitable, sustainable, and resilient future! Check out our Q&A we just did with one of the co-founders, and SOI alum, Rodala Aranya.

What they offer for youth: Five-day summer camps during July and August with a zero-cost camp kit delivered to your door!

Ayda Women (Arctic Youth Development Agency) is a youth non-profit based out of Inuvik, Northwest Territories. Their mission is to equip, empower, and support. They do this by building the collective power of Indigenous women by investing in their visions, leadership, and holistic development.

What they offer for youth: Trapping camps on the land, self-care kits, workshops, berry picking.

CRE (Canadian Roots Exchange) builds bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth in Canada by facilitating dialogue and strengthening relationships through leadership programs. You can find SOI alum Avery Velez on their team!

What they offer for youth: Youth Reconciliation Initiative, CREation grants, Indigenous Youth Policy School, Research Hub and many more programs.

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