On Wednesday 30th October 2024 we held the first ever Lancashire Youth Climate Conference. This LancsCAN event took place at The Blackpool Sixth Form College. 94 young people aged between 16 and 19 attended as delegates from 16 school sixth forms, colleges and youth groups across Lancashire. In all, over 50 organisations were involved in some capacity at the conference.
Two Young Climate Activists in Residence, Vlad Basiuk and Josh Brayshaw, led the organisation and hosting of the conference, supported by Blackpool Sixth, Blackpool Council and the Boingboing Foundation who funded their posts.
The event included:
- Round table discussions linked to climate action
- An overview of progress to ‘carbon neutral’ from Blackpool Council and Lancashire County Council
- Workshops delivered by experts on energy, nature, creativity and the development of a youth-focused climate action app
- A ‘green skills and opportunities’ marketplace with over 20 different organisations and voluntary/community groups represented
- Performances from the wonderful Ludus Dance and Tenderfoot Theatre
- Staff CPD sessions
The conference was extremely well received and will act as a catalyst for further engagement of young people and educators in climate action in Lancashire and beyond.
97% of young people attending said that the conference increased their knowledge about how to take action on climate change.
Quotes from attendees:
‘I just wanted to say thank you very much for organising and inviting us to the conference. It was a really interesting and thought-provoking day. I am hoping to follow up with the students I brought to attend and I am hopeful that they will have a hand in starting an Eco-Club. Already looking forward to next year.’
‘I can honestly say that was one of the most enjoyable conferences I’ve had the pleasure of attending. You clearly put a tonne of work into making it happen and it paid off massively. Huge congratulations!’
“Keep up the great work Josh, Vlad and everyone involved!”
Gallery of photos from the day:
Please contact Jon McLeod [email protected], Schools and Youth Lead, LancsCAN for more information or interest in participation in further events and activities.
Social Media
Hashtag for the event was #LYCC24, the event was supported by the Lancashire Climate Action Network.