Exciting Opportunity: Apply for the 2025 Global Youth Climate Training Programme (includes £3,000 bursary for COP30)

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Exciting Opportunity: Apply for the 2025 Global Youth Climate Training Programme (includes £3,000 bursary for COP30)

Closing Date: 21 March 2025

Exciting Opportunity: Apply for the 2025 Global Youth Climate Training Programme (£3,000 bursary for COP30)

Overview

The Global Youth Climate Training Programme (GYCT) is a free, fully online capacity development programme that equips people aged 16-35 with the knowledge and confidence necessary to engage in international climate policy. Young people are increasingly being given a seat at the table in domestic and international climate policy, and therefore require appropriate capacity-building to ensure their interventions are cogent and relevant.

This programme was launched May 2023 to provide greater clarity on the negotiation tracks of the UNFCCC ahead of COP28.This project is a collaboration between the Global Youth Coalition (GYC), a coalition of climate youth changemakers, and researchers at the University of Oxford (Oxford Net Zero, Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment).

With the generous support of the ClimateWorks Foundation, the GYC is running its third iteration of the programme weekly from 21st May to 16th July. This includes preparation for the June UNFCCC conference in Bonn, where participants can apply their newly-learned skills and work collaboratively with other participants to prepare position papers. There is one session prior to COP30 on 4th November, preparing the cohort for anticipated opportunities and outcomes of the conference.

The programme brochure for this year includes details such as the schedule, focus of this year’s course, and applicant criteria. It can be found here as a PDF and here as a Word version (if using a text-to-voice reader).

Focus of the 2025 Programme

Last year, the Global Youth Climate Training programme centred on the integrity and ambition of non-state climate action. This year, the programme focuses on understanding how international climate policy evolves, is challenged by, and has new opportunities emerge within a changing global geopolitical landscape. Alongside lecture style sessions with expert speakers, participants will be able to access interactive peer-learning sessions and practice advocacy skills through assignments.

Key Dates

February 27: Applications open.
March 21st: Applications close. All applications will be assessed after this date, so take your time with your application – no extra points for submitting early!
April 21st: All applicants informed of the outcome of their application & preparatory materials released for participants, including optional pre-readings.
May 21st: Course start date.
July 16th: Course end date.
November 4: Pre-COP 30 reunion session.

Applicant Profile

Demonstrated experience in climate activism (e.g., campaigns, projects, community engagement).
Some knowledge of the UNFCCC process and recent COP outcomes
Demonstrated ability and experience in advocating effectively for change (e.g., communication, persuasion, collaboration).
Strong passion for climate action and a desire to make a difference.
Preference for applicants representing diverse regions and groups most impacted by climate change.

This programme will help participants

Gain an in-depth understanding of key topics in international climate policy.
Understand how to make the most of their participation at COP30.
Practice advocacy and engagement tactics for UNFCCC fora.
Learn from other youth activists and network within a peer learning community.
Develop independent research and project management skills.
Pitch climate policy solutions to high-level organisations.

Other outcomes:

Participants will be eligible for a certificate of completion by attending all sessions of the Global Youth Climate Training and passing the final assignment.
Participants will be able to apply for a bursary up to £3000 to assist with attending COP30.

Group assignment

The goal of this group assignment is to create a strategy that drives corporate climate action. Participants will assess a corporation’s climate policies, pinpointing strengths and weaknesses, and develop targeted strategies for engaging stakeholders that will be reviewed by those corporates.