The AYCAN Community Climate Data Project will encourage young people to observe, document and understand environmental challenges in their communities.Many environmental problems are visible, but the information needed to understand them properly is often limited at the local level.AYCAN will train young people to collect and document community-level information about issues such as flooding, waste, tree survival, land degradation, water challenges, environmental changes and other locally relevant concerns.Young people can use observations, surveys, interviews, photographs, simple measurements, maps and available datasets to build a clearer picture of what is happening around them.
Instead of beginning with a predetermined solution, participants will begin with a question:
What problem is affecting my community, and what can I do about it?
Young people can submit ideas individually or as teams.
Selected teams may receive training, mentorship, technical guidance and, when funding is available, support to develop or test their ideas.
Solutions can come from different fields, including environmental action, agriculture, waste management, energy, education, community resilience, research, digital innovation and other relevant areas.
Identify → Research → Design → Develop → Test → Present → Improve
The strongest ideas can be presented to potential partners, institutions, companies, researchers and other stakeholders.
To create a platform where African youth can turn local problems into locally relevant ideas and action.
This model of giving young people agency to identify, investigate and test responses is also reflected in existing youth climate programmes.
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