The Youth Climate Ambassador Project (YCAP) empowers K–12 students to step into roles as climate leaders in their communities.

Addressing emotional resilience, climate justice, and the importance of community-based efforts, the YCAP aims to provide students with the necessary tools to face the future of the climate crisis. With support from Be The Change Earth Alliance (BTCEA), YCAP provides accessible educational workshops to students across the Metro Vancouver area, supplementing existing resources with information about how high school students can become “Climate Ambassadors” and encourage their local communities to take action on climate change. By empowering young people to act and demonstrating how effective their actions can be, we aim to foster a sense of agency and purpose.

 

Volunteer facilitator opportunities

Current climate narratives often focus on the apocalyptic, hopeless aspects of the climate crisis, which can be paralyzing, demoralizing, and overall ineffective for mobilizing students to act. YCAP offers an alternative perspective that highlights how the climate movement can be filled with hope, community, and purpose.  Facilitators tell their own Climate Story, sharing the personal experiences that have motivated them to take action towards climate justice. Offering vulnerability and openness will help youth participants relate to and connect with the facilitators. This peer-to-peer connection is crucial for bringing more youth into the climate movement.

Facilitated peer-to-peer workshops will introduce community students aged approximately 10-18 to concepts of climate justice, systems change, and community-based climate solutions through honest, vulnerable conversations led by Sustainability Ambassadors and volunteer facilitators. 

HOW TO APPLY

  1. Review Commitments: Thoroughly read the information on this page to ensure you understand the responsibilities and can commit the necessary time to participate.
     
  2. Prepare Your Application: Our online application will ask you to answer questions about why you want to be a Facilitator, your Spring Term availability, and to describe key strengths or qualities you will bring to the role. 
     
  3. Update Your Resume: You will need to provide a current resume in PDF format.
     
  4. Submit Your Application: Submit your application online by clicking the button below. Successful applicants will be contacted for an interview. Before hiring, candidates must successfully pass a criminal record check.

     

Apply Here

The application deadline for the 2025-2026 Facilitation Team is November 24, 2025.

 

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

We encourage anyone interested in climate justice and youth empowerment to apply to join our facilitation team! Beyond developing public speaking skills, facilitators will be part of a warm, fun and supportive community, and are bound to meet like-minded folks and learn a lot! Facilitating these workshops offers the opportunity to guide and mentor younger students as they navigate their role in the climate crisis. 

Time commitment

This is a volunteer commitment for the upcoming academic year from February 2025 to June 2025, with the opportunity of continuing into the summer. All successful applicants will be trained in facilitation skills and storytelling techniques in an initial training in late January. Volunteer facilitators are required to travel to the schools in Vancouver for in-person workshops. Virtual workshops are only offered to selected schools outside of the YCAP travel radius.

Qualifications

  • Youth-identified UBC students in any faculty
  • Passionate about climate change and social justice 
  • Public speaking or facilitation experience (Experience working with youth is an asset) 
  • Excellent interpersonal skills 
  • Strong time management skills to balance other commitments

     

Expected Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Lead Climate Workshops: Facilitate 60-90 minute workshops to youth (virtually or in-person, depending on context).
     
  2. Manage Pre-workshop Duties: Practice and develop a personalized presentation for the workshop, as well as tailor the workshop content to the specific group. This may include adapting and modifying the workshop design to meet the group’s needs and desired learning outcomes.
     
  3. Follow-up Post-workshop: Gather participant feedback and communicate with teachers or students when needed.
     
  4. Attend Required Training Session: Attend training sessions in late January.