CONNECT: Creativity & Eco-Anxiety
As part of the CONNECT workshop series, the Young Activist Network hosted three free creativity & eco-anxiety workshops for young people aged 11-25.
The workshops were lead by Isa Graell, the founder of P.O.S.T.O. Água.
P.O.S.T.O. Água is an ‘initiative centred around the teaching and research of ecological systems, with a particular focus on the carbon cycle.’ Their work ‘stems from awareness that the current evidence around climate change, global warming and carbon emission creates discomfort when regarding one’s ability to change things.’
Each workshop sought to address and offer some guidance on how to approach the issues, anxieties & personal or political questions that stem from the climate crisis. They centred around questions like ‘do we have an individual responsibility for the climate of the planet?’ and ‘can personal understanding and grassroots power eventually bring large-scale beneficial changes?’
The climate crisis can feel overwhelming
The workshops offered practical tools to manage eco-anxiety so that we are best equipped to deal with the climate crisis.
We talked about the science of the carbon cycle and our own connection to plants, and spent time with the plants around us both indoors and outside in nearby green spaces.
We explored how mindfulness can help us to overcome anxiety by taking part in breathing and drawing exercises and taking time to pay attention to our surroundings.
CONNECT Workshops
The Young Activist Network will be offering regular free workshops for young people aged 11-25. These will be a space to develop your activism and campaigning skills.
The sessions will focus on:
- Wellbeing & burnout support
- Connecting young activists
- Promoting innovative learning & creativity within activism
If you have an idea for a workshop you would like to facilitate or take part in, get in touch!
We are currently exploring ways to stay connected whilst practising physical distancing.
