My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered UK entity and has a London-based address.
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions
1
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Last Name
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Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Initiative Title
GET ON BOARDS. LEARN. LEAD
Lead Organization Name
EVERYONE ON BOARDS
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2020
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://www.everyoneonboards.com/
Initiative Stage
Idea (You have a solid concept and are hoping to get started in the future)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
We raise climate awareness by engaging young people in climate action workshops co-designed with youth who are active in skateboarding and board sports communities.
Challenge Focus: What topic does your initiative most directly relate to?
Climate action through awareness and engagement
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
Young people from ethnic minority and low-income communities in London are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis, yet excluded from outdoor sport and climate decision-making. Sport England (2023) shows Black and Asian children’s activity rates rising slower than white peers, and girls are underrepresented in sport, despite 54% wanting to help shape sports spaces (London Sport). Climate education is abstract and disconnected from urban life, with few pathways into action (DfE, 2022). Financial, cultural and social barriers limit access to skateparks. This creates a dual exclusion: from outdoor spaces that build environmental connection and from platforms where climate decisions are shaped. The young people most affected are 11–18-year-olds from ethnic minority and low-income communities in London, many with poor access to climate learning. Through skate and board sessions, we will reach those not engaged. By combining inclusive board sport with climate literacy, we support young people to move from passive recipients to active leaders. Our partnership is rooted in London communities: Everyone On Boards has worked with 8,000 young people; Shred.Eat.Sleep has 600 members and has introduced 150+ people to board sports; Protect Our Winters UK has trained 1,000+ people in Carbon Literacy. Through our existing work in London communities, we see this gap firsthand.
Your approach: How are you addressing the problem outlined above? How are you using the power of sport and physical activity to build awareness, shift behavior, and enable sustainable participation for all in response to the climate crisis? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
Get On Boards. Learn. Lead. is a participation-led youth programme connecting young Londoners within the board sports community to climate education and action, delivered via co-designed workshops and an educational documentary. We address a critical gap: climate education often feels inaccessible, abstract, or disconnected from the lived experiences of ethnically diverse and low-income young people. Sport, however, is a trusted and aspirational space. We embed climate literacy directly into skateboarding culture with EOB & Shred.Eat.Sleep mentorship, in partnership with Protect Our Winters UK, combining movement, storytelling and environmental science. Young people learn through participation. Skateboarding becomes the entry point for exploring air quality, urban heat, waste reduction, fast fashion and sustainable transpor.t Workshops are co-designed with participants to ensure cultural relevance and local resonance. Alongside riding, participants develop leadership, storytelling and advocacy skills - equipping them to influence peers, families and local sports venues toward lower-carbon behaviours. The programme culminates in a youth-led documentary shared across six London boroughs, amplifying young voices and modelling replicable climate engagement through sport. Our “aha” moment came from recognising that people protect what they feel they belong to. By connecting skaters with peers, alongside climate science and practical actions, we make climate change tangible, emotional and actionable. Over one year, we will train at least 160 young people aged 11–18 from ethnically diverse, low-income communities across six London boroughs, culminating in a short educational documentary to extend reach and impact. This reach can then be expanded in years 2 and 3.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
Young people are co-creators, not passive beneficiaries. They will be engaged through existing skate communities and will shape the programme from the outset - developing storytelling themes to approaching how climate issues are explored. Climate action workshops will be dialogue-based, grounded in lived urban experience, bringing together 20 young people to shape the content. They will: Shape the narrative, tone and messaging of the documentary Select priority climate issues affecting their communities (e.g. air quality, access) Co-design Climate Action workshop activities and lead peer discussions Act as ambassadors within skate networks and schools Everyone On Boards ensures cultural relevance, safeguarding and trusted relationships, particularly with young female skaters and underrepresented communities. By working through established skate networks, we meet young people in spaces where they already feel belonging and ownership. Shred.Eat.Sleep connects participants to mentors who reflect diverse pathways into sports and climate action. Protect Our Winters UK supports youth-led advocacy and climate action with the ability to engage elite Athletes to inspire youth in their climate action journey. Participants will be supported to: Reflect on identity and belonging in outdoor spaces. Build confidence through physical movement Increase their knowledge about climate change Translate lived experience into credible local storytelling. This initiative is built around their culture, their spaces, and their leadership. The documentary amplifies youth voice - the story is told through their lens, not about them. Capturing this content enables us to share climate education beyond the groups we physically work with.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in raising climate awareness, shifting behaviors, or reducing environmental impact or harm? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had¡, and/or what impact do you envision having in the future?
Young people from underrepresented London communities will gain the knowledge, confidence and leadership skills to take meaningful climate action, shift everyday behaviours within their skate and school networks, and see themselves as credible voices shaping a more sustainable future. Community sport spaces will positively change as a result of this project, by taking key actions to reduce their carbon footprint. We will: Engage at least 160 young people (aged 11–18) across 6 boroughs Deliver 24 climate-integrated skate sessions and 12 Climate Action workshops Achieve a min 40% increase in climate literacy (pre- and post-programme surveys) Achieve a min 40% increase in confidence to advocate and take action (pre- and post-programme surveys) Support a min 40 participants to take a defined climate action (e.g., active travel commitment, waste reduction initiative, peer workshop delivery) Train 20 youth climate ambassadors to lead peer conversations/community actions Reach an additional 5,000+ young people and families through the documentary and digital dissemination This approach builds climate awareness, shifts behaviour and enables inclusive, resilient and youth-focused participation in sport. Building on Protect Our Winters UK’s work, it will drive long-term change in communities by encouraging local sport organisers to adopt more sustainable practices. Community sport models show stronger retention when identity and culture are centred. Shred.Eat.Sleep’s inclusive snowboarding events demonstrate increased participation among underrepresented groups; created in October 2024, they now have 600 members. By documenting the approach, we create a replicable model for urban youth sport communities nationally.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
We are bridging two spaces that rarely intersect: board sports culture and climate literacy. Most climate education is classroom-based and policy-led. Most youth sport programmes focus on participation without embedding environmental leadership. Our approach integrates climate literacy directly into boarding culture, making sport the delivery platform rather than the engagement hook. The programme is co-designed with young people shifting them from recipients of climate messaging to authors of climate narrative. Participants shape workshop content, define relevant climate issues and lead storytelling through a youth-led documentary. This moves beyond consultation to shared authorship. We also connect urban skate communities with skate mentors and climate-affected environments, creating a lived bridge between city-based participation and visibly impacted ecosystems. Climate change becomes embodied and relational, not abstract. Innovation lies in applying existing climate expertise (through POW UK) within a culturally grounded youth sport setting that has historically been disconnected from environmental leadership. A key innovation is the development of a replicable toolkit. This will document workshop models, youth co-design processes, climate action pathways and guidance for embedding sustainability into skate settings. The toolkit will enable other urban youth sport organisations to adapt and adopt the model, extending impact beyond London. We are tackling disconnection - between cities and ecosystems, between youth culture and climate advocacy and between those most impacted and those leading. By embedding climate action within trusted spaces, we shift norms around who belongs in environmental leadership and how sport can drive systemic change.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
This initiative is delivered through a clearly defined partnership, with complementary expertise and shared accountability. Everyone On Boards (EOB) leads youth engagement, safeguarding and programme delivery. EOB coordinate recruitment across six London boroughs through established networks of schools, families and community partners, ensuring access for ethnically diverse and low-income young people. The team delivers skatepark-based and board sport sessions, providing culturally relevant facilitation, pastoral support and clear leadership progression throughout the programme. Shred.Eat.Sleep leads mentorship, co-design facilitation and documentary production. They connect participants with diverse skateboarders and snowboarders as role models, support youth storytelling and oversee filming, editing and distribution. They contribute expertise in inclusive board sport pathway development. Protect Our Winters UK (POW) leads climate literacy and advocacy curriculum development. They design and deliver structured climate workshops, provide carbon literacy expertise, and support participants to identify credible post-programme action pathways. They advise partner organisations and local sport organisers on practical sustainability measures, building on their experience of training over 1,000 individuals in Carbon Literacy. All partners design programme structure and share responsibility for monitoring, evaluation and learning. A joint steering group will meet regularly to review delivery, participant feedback and impact data, ensuring the programme remains youth-led and outcome-focused.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your organization up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
This initiative builds on strong existing infrastructure and communities. EOB provides a trusted grassroots platform with deep reach among young people and underrepresented communities in board sports. Shred.Eat.Sleep brings an engaged community and production capacity, POW UK offers tested climate education frameworks and national advocacy. This reduces start-up risk and embeds delivery in established networks. We will develop confident climate advocates in ethnic minority and low-income communities. Operational sustainability is built in: young people access credible climate education; sport organisers gain tools to run sessions more sustainably; and a documentary and replicable toolkit extend reach and impact. Key outputs include culturally relevant climate resources, a documentary screened in skateparks and shared digitally, and measurable improvements in sustainable practices across sites. Financial sustainability will be strengthened through distribution partnerships, aligned brands and festivals, and integration with POW UK’s education networks, including schools. Scaling is phased: Year 1 pilot and refine model; Year 2 expand and train alumni as peer facilitators; Year 3 support national adoption through toolkit dissemination and school and youth organisation partnerships; creating a repeatable, youth-led model embedding climate literacy in urban sport nationwide.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/ to grow.
Year 1 Plan Phase 1: Partnership alignment & programme design (month 1-2) Formal partnership agreement and governance structure confirmed between partners. Identification and initial engagement of three youth skate groups. Planning sessions between Everyone On Boards, Shred.Eat.Sleep and Protect Our Winters UK to align project goals. Identification of priority climate issues relevant to skate culture and young people from ethnic minorities and economically disadvantaged communities in London Development of co-design framework and workshop materials (inc. climate literacy, sustainable sport practices and action pathways). Phase 2: Co-design workshops (month 2-4 overlapping delivery) Engaging youth in design sessions for Climate Action workshops (20+ youth participants) Map sustainability opportunities within skate spaces to inform the design of supportive resources and approaches Youth input into documentary narrative and storytelling themes. Phase 3: Programme delivery to six boroughs (month 4 - 8 during school holidays) 24 climate-integrated skate sessions - to introduce youth to the topic and engage them in Climate Action workshops Climate Action workshops to 180 youth across 6 boroughs, through 2 workshops in each borough (12 in total) Engagement of Shred.Eat.Sleep role models to inspire participation and progression pathways Protect Our Winters UK facilitation of climate literacy sessions connected to real-world sport practice Identification of practical sustainability commitments within participating skate/sport spaces. Phase 4: Documentary production (month 6-9, overlapping delivery) Filming during workshops and sport sessions Youth-led storytelling interviews and reflective sessions Editing and production of documentary Youth review and approval of final narrative. Phase 5: Dissemination & growth (month 9-12) Community screening events in participating boroughs Online launch and digital distribution across partner networks Sharing sustainability learnings with skate locations and sport organisations. Participant feedback and action commitments, capturing learning, participation and behaviour shifts. Initial partner conversations for replication. Outcome Year 1: A tested, youth-led model, documented toolkit, documentary resource, and evidence base for scale. Year 2: London expansion and alumni leadership • Expansion to additional boroughs • Training alumni as peer facilitators • Strengthening partnerships with skate venues and youth organisations • Increased screening and digital reach Outcome Year 2: Multi-site London delivery model with youth-led facilitation capacity. Year 3: National replication • Toolkit dissemination nationally • Partnerships with schools and youth sport organisations • Integration into wider climate education networks • Support for adoption in new urban sport communities Outcome Year 3: Replicable national model embedding climate literacy within youth sport culture.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details (LINK).
In order to participate fully in the 8-week capacity building programme, the primary cost barrier would be travel to in-person sessions. We anticipate that up to three team members (1 per partner) may need to attend. Assuming: • One in-person session per week over 8 weeks • Average return rail travel of £25 per person per session • We have assumed no overnight stays required Estimated travel costs: 3 participants x 8 sessions x £25 average return travel = £600 Contingency for accommodation = up to £1000 Total estimated requirement: up to £1,600 We understand that salary costs are not eligible and we are not requesting support for staff time.
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