World Environment Day 2024: Celebrating #GenerationRestoration at The King’s Trust International

As we celebrate World Environment Day 2024, we are taking the time to reflect upon the ingenuity, passion, and resilience of young people around the world who are working to fight climate change and join #Generationrestoration.

Since 1973, World Environment Day has been used as a global platform for inspiring positive change, putting a global spotlight on the pressing environmental changes of our times (United Nations). At The King’s Trust International this is an opportunity for us to celebrate young people around the globe who are the next generation of leaders in green industries, and who are leading the way on seeking and creating sustainable solutions for climate related issues in their communities.  

Lower income countries, where four in five young people live, are particularly affected by the climate crisis (The King’s Trust International Impact Report 2023), and as a result 73% of young people are looking towards a role in the green economy for their future (The King’s Trust International Upskill Struggle Report). Our education, enterprise and employment programmes aim to equip young people to thrive in the future of sustainable industries. Through embedding climate literacy, a focus on green industries and bespoke initiatives we work to empower young people to feel confident in developing their skills and ideas into sustainable solutions and careers.  

Young people like Hairul, who joined our TEAM programme in Malaysia. TEAM is a full-time nine-week programme aimed at young people aged 18-30 who are not in education, employment or training. There is a strong emphasis on learning by doing, and the programme is split into different modules, each lasting one or two weeks. 

Hairul’s favourite part was his two-week work experience placement with a rainforest conservation centre. The centre clearly enjoyed hosting Hairul too, because as soon as he completed the programme, they took him on as an assistant researcher. Hairul now works in the forest every day, tending native saplings and monitoring wildlife. He is thriving in his role, with a newfound sense of purpose and connection. 

“The work that I’m doing now is more meaningful,” he explains. “I’m not only focusing on myself, but more on what’s around us, like community, nature and the environment.”

 

Read Hairul’s full story here.

For the third year in a row, our Future of Work survey found that young people are excited about the prospect of working in the green economy, however many do not see green jobs as a viable career option (The King’s Trust International Future of Work Report 2023). Many young people look to creating their own businesses to support themselves and their communities, such as Team Bideiepa, who took part in our Green Enterprise Challenge competition in Ghana. 

Team Bidiepa won the 2023 Green Enterprise Challenge competition in Ghana with their business plan to produce and sell smokeless fuel briquettes made from waste palm kernels. Their name means ‘good charcoal.’ The judges were particularly impressed with the way the team’s idea tackled three environmental issues at once, clearing and re-using waste materials while also promoting alternatives to burning wood and charcoal – and minimizing smoke from cooking. Crucially from a business point of view, the judges could also see a broad and immediate market for the team’s product.  After winning £500 in seed funding as their prize, the Bidiepa team have now taken forward their business concept in real life. 

“It was an opportunity for me to see how I could best help our environment” – Jessica, The Bidepa Team. 

 

Read Team Bidiepa’s full story here.

Whilst we recognise the work that is left to be done on building and maintaining sustainable green initiatives in communities across the world, we take today as an opportunity to celebrate the young people we have worked with. With the support of our brilliant partners worldwide, they have utilized and developed their skills and knowledge to create a more sustainable future, not only for themselves but for their communities worldwide.