Our environmental challenges have been affecting individuals and communities all over the globe. It is undeniable that the planet is in crisis. Many people have deceived themselves into thinking that humans are separate from nature, which has negatively impacted to our relationship with nature and depleted our natural resources. 

• How do we fundamentally rebalance that relationship?  
• How can we engage decision-makers in creating shared well-being and a healthier planet?  
• How can we bring unlikely allies and disbelievers on board?  
• What is the role of young changemakers in leading sustainability change? 

Ashoka believes that everyone, everywhere, should have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills they need to build a sustainable future, for the current and the new generations. To help unlock young people’s power as changemakers in sustainability, Ashoka Changemakers created the Sustainability & Changemaking course, an introductory course for young changemakers eager to develop the skills they need to be climate changemakers and take the first steps towards being leading agents of change. 

Young people’s exceptional mobilization and advocacy around the world on issues of climate, equity, and more shows the immense power they have to hold decision-makers accountable, propose innovative solutions, engage new partners, and build new frameworks and practices that will inform the systems of the future.  

This crash course helps you, young changemakers, activate your changemaking abilities by going from “OBSERVATION” to “ACTION.” The audience of this course is composed of young people interested in sustainability, climate, and environmental matters. While we do not have age limits, most participants are between 15 - 21 years old. 

Through 3 modules, you will access videos, articles, assignments, and practical examples of young leaders creating real change in their communities and in the world. At the end of the modules, you will: 

• Understand the key role of youth in fighting environmental challenges; 
• Feel empowered to identify opportunities to take action; 
• Have the basic tools to create a sustainability project prototype; 
• See yourself as a sustainability changemaker - someone who takes creative action to tackle a social problem 
• Be inspired to build a team or to engage other youth in environmental solutions 

Learning Methodology 

This is a crash course composed of 2 modules and 1 final review: Each module shares a short lesson and stories to inspire your own changemaking. Over this course, you will be motivated to find a problem that sparks your changemaking passion, better understand those impacted by it, and mobilize your friends and family to take action. You’ll finish the course by applying these learnings to take action – taking what you’ve learned and putting it into practice. After completing the course you’ll be ready to start your own changemaker journey, from identifying a problem to sharing your passion with your peers. 

• Module 1 - Sparking Changemaking Through Observations - Activate your change-making power by looking for new experiences and new perspectives, growing deeper self-awareness, and developing a solution-oriented environmental mindset. 
• Module 2 - Prototyping and Practicing Solutions - Take small actions of impact, build confidence, and start mobilizing friends, family, adults, and other young people who also want to be part of the solution 
• Module 3 - Review and Next Steps - Reflect on your learning journey and prepare for your next steps as an environmental changemaker.
   

General Instructions and Course Completion 

We encourage you to follow the course in the proposed order.  

There is no time limit to complete the modules. The whole course can be completed in approximately 40 minutes. We recommend doing one module at a time, so you have time to reflect in between topics and evaluate how the subjects apply to your own journey as a young changemaker.  

You can do it in 3 weeks (one module for each week), 3 days (one day for each module), or a few hours. You are free to define your own schedule. 

Each course module is composed of: 

• An introduction, containing a short summary and the learning goals of that module 
• Articles, videos, and success stories
• An exercise to practice your learnings from the module
   

To complete the course, you must go through all the material from the three modules and complete the final survey on Module 3. You will be asked to send a copy of the two exercises of Modules 1 and 2.

A certificate will be issued for participants who submit the final survey and the two exercises. The exercises are NOT graded, as they are ways to encourage learners to practice their skills.

Ready to start?

Hit "Start Course" at the bottom of the course outline on the left.