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Chapter 11 - Ecological and Intersectional Perspectives to Reduce Young Adults’ Climate Distress

Reflections from a Work That Reconnects Program

from Part II - Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Youth Climate Distress

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2024

By
Aravinda Ananda  and
Margaret Babbott
Edited by
Elizabeth Haase  and
Kelsey Hudson
Elizabeth Haase
Affiliation:
University of Nevada, Reno
Kelsey Hudson
Affiliation:
Climate Psychology Alliance North America
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Summary

In this chapter we reflect on core components of an immersive program for young adults focused on how to come of age in and be in service to the complex matrix of demands of these times. Our program, called the Earth Leadership Cohort (ELC), was an adaptation of the Work That Reconnects for North American 18- to 30-year-olds. We describe the rationale and framework of the Work That Reconnects that shaped our curriculum. We focus on two features of ELC that we found to be essential when working with young adults in the context of the climate crisis. First, paradigms must shift from anthropocentric to ecocentric. Second, we must meet the generational demand for an intersectional approach. We describe challenges that required our willingness to adapt to our participants’ call for greater intersectionality and to attend to the role of systemic racism in the history and practice of climate activism. Throughout, we offer a sampling of our practices and processes for illustration. We conclude with a discussion of inherent limitations and possible applicability and relevance of our program for those working with young adults across multiple settings.

Keywords

intersectionalyoung adultclimate activismWork That ReconnectsJoanna Macyclimate change
Type
Chapter
Information
Climate Change and Youth Mental Health
Multidisciplinary Perspectives
 , pp. 210 - 230
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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