Award nomination for Western Isles youth climate action group

A group of young people from the Western Isles who used their time during lockdown to campaign for climate action have been nominated for a National Youth Work Award.

The National Youth Work Awards celebrate youth work and the youth workers who make a difference every year in the lives of young people.

Organised by Youthlink Scotland, the national agency for youth work, this year’s awards will take place in Glasgow in June.

Asked how it felt to be nominated, Gabi Mackay from the youth climate action group, said: “This is amazing news.

“I hope that this group being nominated for a National Youth Work Award will help to raise the profile of climate issues in our island communities.

“I think it’s also a really positive story about young people who really care about the environment and their impact on it.”

Young people from across the islands came together virtually, meeting regularly and sharing their concerns about the changing climate of the Outer Hebrides.

Supported by community learning and development youth workers, the group contacted their MSP, spoke to conservation organisations and took part in a virtual international climate summit, connecting with young people from as far away as Mozambique and Nepal.

The highlight for the group was attending a national youth climate event in Edinburgh, where young people from Lewis, Harris, the Uists and Barra met up in person for the first time and shared their ideas on climate action with other young people from across Scotland.

The group now keep in touch informally, continuing to raise awareness in their own island communities and tackling the climate crisis one small action at a time.