VUPK

Voices Unheard: From Pyrenees to Kibera highlights the lived realities of young people in two territories highly exposed to the impacts of climate change: the French Pyrenees and the informal settlement of Kibera in Nairobi. The project responds to the observation that young people are rarely included in the design of local climate adaptation policies, despite playing a crucial role within their communities.

The main objectives are to:

• strengthen youth skills in participatory research, community leadership and advocacy;

• document local vulnerabilities linked to climate change in both territories;

• create structured dialogue between youth, local authorities and international institutions;

• produce a documentary and an international communication campaign that amplifies youth perspectives and proposals.

Key Activities

The project is organised around several components carried out in parallel in both the Pyrenees and Kibera:

• Local training sessions on qualitative research, storytelling, civic participation and public communication.

• Community-based research carried out by youth, including interviews, observations, social mapping, field visits and narrative collection.

• Co-creation workshops to transform research findings into locally relevant policy recommendations.

• Documentary production showcasing the challenges, experiences and solutions identified by young people in both territories.

• International “Voices Unheard” digital campaign, featuring stories, video materials, research results and calls to action.

• Advocacy events with local, regional and international decision-makers to present the project’s conclusions.

Target Groups

The project primarily engages young people aged 16 to 30 in the Pyrenees and in Kibera. It also involves local authorities, youth organisations, educators, researchers and policymakers at local, national and international levels.

Expected Impact

The project aims to enhance the capacity of young people to contribute meaningfully to public policies related to climate adaptation and territorial resilience. It will deepen understanding of local climate realities in two distinct contexts that nonetheless face similar challenges. Youth-led recommendations will be presented to public authorities in France and Kenya, as well as to European and African institutions, opening a transcontinental dialogue on sustainability and inclusion.

Sustainability

All resources produced (documentary, educational materials, research summaries, policy briefs) will be openly accessible for reuse by youth organisations, municipalities and educational actors. Both project partners are committed to continuing collaboration beyond the project period, particularly through future initiatives on civic participation and youth advocacy.