Youth of this country are taking the climate lead

Young people are increasingly calling for and involving themselves in projects that seek to address, not just the disasters themselves, but also the causes of devastating events that traumatise rural communities caught in their wake.

Young people want their voices heard and their actions to count, now and into the future.

Later this month, School Strike for Climate (SS4C) returns to a physical presence on the streets.

SS4C is made up of school students of all ages, races, genders, backgrounds and sexualities from every part of Australia.

They are united by concern for the future of the planet, and they want change, specifically:

It is clear that climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent and are having more dire impacts, so it's highly likely that climate change, disasters and their impact on rural communities will be leading issues at the upcoming elections.

And young people, who have the greatest stake in a liveable future, want their views heard.

The Speaking Up: Young People's Experience of Bushfire and Recovery report produced by the Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic), showed that young people want to be included in disaster recovery and response, and they want to be involved in the future of their communities.

Young people can already do many things at a local level to help address the impacts of climate change on the local environment.

They can join local Landcare and Coastcare groups which care for local environments, plant trees to allow local wildlife to thrive, manage invasive species and reduce the impact of climate change.

Young people can also become members of the local junior CFA brigade and learn how to prevent and respond to local fires, or the local SES where they gain numerous skills and can help in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.

Young people in Warrnambool joined Green Futures Now last year to build their knowledge and solutions to address climate change in partnership with local Beach Patrol, green industries and community groups.

Joining local activities is a powerful step that can help overcome feelings of helplessness, which enhances young people's wellbeing as well.

Yet we can go even further.

Recently the Australian government announced the recipients of the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants, with many successful projects targeting and meaningfully including young people across rural and regional Eastern Victoria.

Some of the standouts include the Disaster Recovery and Climate Change Adaptation Leadership program, the North East Victoria's YOUTH L.E.AD, East Gippsland Hub for Learners and Youth Project and the redevelopment of skate parks in Cann River and Corryong.

A 14-organisation consortium led by YACVic Rural will receive funding for an exciting two-year project Future Proof: Young People, Disaster Recovery and (Re)building Communities to drive recovery outcomes for fire-affected young people and communities across eastern Victoria.

Future Proof recognises the importance of place-based activities and will apply youth work principles to engage and connect young people and support them in youth-led recovery projects and community decision-making.

Passing the leadership torch to young people will have a long-term impact on keeping regional communities going.

Future Proof includes qualification pathways for 150 local young people in emergency management and community services, meaning that young people won't have to travel to Melbourne to kick-start their careers.

Importantly, these young people will have wrap-around supports from local, frontline youth workers and peer workers to get their future-proof ideas off the ground.

Future Proof will fund local youth workers and young peer workers to support youth-led activities, the creation of local youth advisory groups, and dedicated training for young people and youth workers across eight different local government areas (Mansfield, Wellington, Towong, Indigo, Wodonga, Alpine, Wangaratta and East Gippsland).

Quinn Obran, a student who was born and raised in Corryong believes young people should be front and centre in disaster recovery.

"We will be inheriting everything after this so we should be involved. I am confident that the community would listen to us," Quinn said.

Young people in rural communities will continue to be some of the most affected by climate change and disasters.

They can lead important actions to future-proof their community's livelihoods.

And our communities can support and rally behind them the entire way.