The Be Leaders: Inspire, Stand, Teach, and Transform (BLISTT) Youth Envirocamp was held on August 21-23, 2023, at Avong Nen Romy, Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet. The camp was held in celebration of the recent World Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the 9th of August, with the theme “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination”.
This initiative desires to tap into the power and potential of the youth to make change in their communities through building knowledge and encouraging cooperative and collaborative efforts within the sector to create policies and programs in response to the negative and damaging effects of climate change.
The group has come up with Environmental Action Plans (EAPs), which covered the following focal points:
a.Creative and Innovative Solution(s): Their EAPs included fresh and innovative solutions that would solve problems that are context specific.
b.Wide-reach Networks and Collaborations: Their EAPs were inspired by the advancement of technology and how this tool can be utilized to advance their plans/ advocacies.
c.Governance and Participation: Their EAPs were written to inspire active involvement with their Local Government Units (LGUs) to inspire and advocate local policies on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management – Climate Change Action and Mitigation.
d.Peer and Institutional Influence: Their EAPs included knowledge dissemination within their peer groups to their affiliated schools/ academic institutions.
These plans can be integrated in their existing Youth for Environment in Schools-Organization (YES-O) annual plans, or in any organizations existing in their institutions that also advocate for environmental protection and preservation. The BLISTT Youth Envirocamp is deemed pivotal for the upcoming formation of the BLISTT Youth Network. This network will serve as an avenue for youth sectoral consultations, which will be substantial in the formulation of policy papers for the youth focusing on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management – Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation.
