Charles Fletcher, Scottish Borders Climate Action Network (SBCAN) writes about Borders Act for Change’ a programme of meaningful climate action, bringing together 65 organisations and over 3500 people from across the Scottish Borders.
Empowering the young people of the Scottish Borders to take everyday actions to tackle climate change, in their own communities, is at the heart of SBCAN’s work. One of the main ways that SBCAN supports youth climate action in the Borders region is through its Youth Climate Action Fund which has allowed over 5000 young people in the region to take part in activities relating to the environment, climate, and nature. SBCAN works with eco-groups in local high schools, providing a space for young people to come together and make their own decisions on the form of youth climate action. The provision of training and mentoring in youth group settings is the other key element of SBCAN’s youth work that we are developing in partnership with YouthBorders, with an emphasis upon supporting young people and youth workers who want to help lead on climate action within their setting.
If you gathered the students from five high schools and asked them what they felt should be done locally to address the climate crisis, what do you think their response would be?
In the Scottish Borders, when students from Selkirk, Galashiels, Jedburgh, Berwickshire and Hawick did just that, the result was ‘Borders Act for Change’ a programme of meaningful climate action, bringing together 65 organisations and over 3500 people. During February 2025, these schools, community groups and volunteer organisations, organised tree-planting days, community litter picks, circular economy art workshops, clothes swaps, garden re-vamps, hot composter installations, community garden open days, and environmental film screenings. This is what can be achieved when you provide young people with a space in which their voices matter. Whether it is at school, as part of the local youth group or upon the national stage, Scottish Borders Climate Action Network is committed to providing such a space.
Scottish Borders Climate Action Network (SBCAN) is a programme delivered by the Southern Uplands Partnership and is one of 24 regional climate hubs funded by the Scottish Government. Each of these hubs offers place-based support for community-led climate action initiatives, tailored to each specific region. Since the beginning of 2024 SBCAN has provided networking, funding and support for the Scottish Borders region, encompassing a range of communities from former industrial towns such as Galashiels and Hawick to small rural communities of only a few households.
Providing funding for activities that engage young people is one of the important ways by which we support youth climate action. Our flagship fund is the Youth Climate Action Fund, through which we have been able to support 51 youth projects. This has helped over 5000 young people to take part in activities which allow them to: develop sustainable practices; learn new skills; take part in community action which benefits our planet; or discover nature. We have been delighted to be able to support applications from a wide range of organisations, with schools, third sector organisations, and youth-led groups all getting involved and a diverse range of projects being funded.
We work with eco-groups in local High schools, allowing us to listen directly to how the youth of the Borders feel about climate change. Empowering young people to make decisions on the form that youth climate action should take has demonstrated the collective drive and desire for real environmental action within schools. In September 2024 SBCAN helped to organise a ‘Youth Green Summit’ in response to demand from young people to come together for a joint high school climate gathering. Topics for discussion were chosen by the students taking part. The ‘Borders Act for Change’ programme emerged from this gathering and will return later this year. Creating a space in which young people can meet and kick-start a push to achieve real action on the environment has been one of the most rewarding aspects of SBCAN’s youth work so far. The next stage in this work will take place this September at the ‘Act Green Borders Schools for Change High School Gathering’, when young people are going to seize upon an environmental issue of significance to them and take collective action to address it.
SBCAN is also developing support for young leaders in youth climate action, through the provision of training and mentoring, within their youth group settings. A good example of this is our ‘Youth Climate Action-Leaders Training’ programme undertaken in partnership with YouthBorders which will begin in October. Young people who aspire to run climate action activities, will be supported to develop the skills and confidence to lead on sessions within their group, with follow up mentoring to help them achieve this ambition.
Mentioned in this article, are just a few of the fantastic projects that SBCAN has been involved with; we are always looking for new opportunities to help put young people at the heart of community-based climate action in the Scottish Borders, so if you are interested in collaborating, please get in touch with Caitlin, Community Development Lead.
