SUBMIT BY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 @ 11:59pm PST

Climate breakdown is destroying lives around the globe; we know we need urgent action to avert further devastation. However, the fossil fuel industry is still acting like business is as usual: currently planned projects will result in 120 percent more GHG emissions by 2030 than science says is possible to limit warming to 1.5C. We can still shift this trajectory and win a more just and livable future, but we need everyone on board.

The goal of Fossil Free Cities is to give you the tools to influence your municipal government to strengthen municipal climate targets and bring your community closer to net zero emissions. Depending on your municipality, one potential pathway we will guide you through is to get your council to pass a motion of support for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and potentially commit to phasing out fossil fuels. This program will use the Infiltration Manual, created by Youth Climate Lab and Climate Caucus, and Your Voice At The Table, by the David Suzuki Foundation, as toolkits for municipal engagement.

Through interactive workshops, you will learn how to develop an effective campaign to influence governments, gain leadership skills, and understand how change happens. You'll get one-on-one support from the facilitators (Becca and Sam), as well as access to resources and connections.

We are building a cohort of approximately 24 people in order to create a close community and to be able to fully support each participant. We will try our best to accommodate everybody who applies, but we will keep you informed about future programs if we are unable to have you join us this time.

Who: 15-23 year old youth living in “Canada” (*see note below)

Facilitators: Becca and Sam (youth climate justice organizers); guest presenters for various workshops

Where: Zoom

Time commitment: 5-10 hours per week (including two workshops, check-in meeting, and independent work time)

When: March 1-April 2 (after April 2, biweekly support meetings until your campaign is finished)

Monday sessions will cover core program content and take place from 4:00-6:00 pm PST / 7:00-9:00 pm EST

Thursday sessions will cover supplementary skills to help you run a successful campaign and take place from 4:00-5:30 pm PST / 7:00-8:30 pm EST

• Monday, March 1: What is the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and why does this campaign matter?
• Wednesday, March 3: Media Relations
• Thursday, March 4: Individual check-in meetings
• Monday, March 8: How does our municipal government work?
• Thursday, March 11: Government Relations
• Monday, March 15: Campaign planning: How to create a strategy to build community support for the motion
• Thursday, March 18: Decolonization Workshop
• Monday, March 22: Guided work time
• Thursday, March 25: Speechwriting
• Monday, March 29: Tactic Planning continued
• Thursday, April 1: Social Media
• Weekly: Individual check in meetings based on your schedule

The program is fast-paced, and attendance at every workshop is necessary for a successful campaign. Please let us know if you have any concerns or hesitations about this commitment.

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*Note: This program is intended for youth located in municipalities where there is no existing youth organizing group. Please see the list below to join your local group if you are not currently a member of a group.

• Metro Vancouver, BC: Sustainabiliteens
• Victoria, BC: Our Earth Our Future
• Williams Lake, BC: Cariboo’sThirdPlanetCrusade (@third_planet_crusade.wl)
• Nelson, BC: Fridays For Future Nelson (@fridaysforfuturenelsonbc) • Instagram; Sign up form here
• Calgary, AB: Fridays For Future Calgary (@fridaysforfuture.calgary) (Message the account to get involved!)
• Edmonton, AB: Edmonton Youth For Climate (@edmontonyouthforclimate) (Message the account to get involved!)
• Saskatoon, SK: @yxeyouthclimate (Message the account to get involved!)
• Toronto (GTA), ON: Fridays For Future Toronto
• Windsor, ON: FFF Windsor-Essex
• Guelph, ON: Climate Justice Guelph
• Whitby, ON: For Our Future- Whitby ON (@fridaysforfuturewhitby) (Message the account to get involved!)
• Quinte, ON: Friday's For Future Quinte
• Halifax, NS: Climate Strike Halifax (@schoolstrike4climatehfx) (Message the account to get involved!)

FUTURE GROUND NETWORK: This training is brought to you through the Future Ground Network. FGN is a hub of groups taking action in their communities to secure healthier, more viable futures in the areas of climate justice, biodiversity, waste reduction and sustainable systems. Joining the network means connecting with organizers from other groups to share best practices, find inspiration and work together to achieve common goals. Network members will gain access to free training and digital tools to help mobilize their communities and amplify their voices.

The INFILTRATION MANUAL was created through a collaboration between Youth Climate Lab, a youth committee, and Climate Caucus. This guide serves as a framework for youth to bring climate action to their municipal governments.

WHO ARE WE?

The program will be facilitated by Rebecca Hamilton (she/her) and Sam Lin (she/her), 18 year old climate justice organizers living on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories (“Vancouver”).

We started Sustainabiliteens, the youth climate justice organizing group in Metro Vancouver, and have helped grow it into a movement of over 200 high school students. Through this process, we’ve done and learned a lot of things: we were core organizers for the historic 100,000 person Vancouver climate strike on September 27, 2019 (one of the largest protests in the city's history), have organized numerous other actions, created collaborative team structures, and influenced government decision-making. We’re currently taking a gap year to focus on climate activism, and are running this program to share the lessons we’ve learned through trial and error — so that new organizers don’t need to.

We also recognize that we’re not experts — we still have so much to learn ourselves. We’re creating workshops and resources with input from older and more experienced organizers, and are bringing in guest speakers to run some of the workshops.

Questions? Email lin.samantha@outlook.com