Youth Support Space - Mon 9 Dec

Are you thinking, feeling or acting in the knowledge of the climate crisis and also aware that many other parts of life are in crisis?

Do you sometimes feel abandoned, confused, lost, despairing, raging, scared and other strong feelings? Is it sometimes difficult to allow yourself to feel anything at all?

Do you wonder how to keep going in an emergency that is going on and on?

Would you love to be able to spend time with others who get it, in a well held space where you are warmly welcome just as you are?

We offer this space for young people for warm care, deep listening and tools for resilience. It is a space where you can:

• Feel warmly welcome
• Talk about your experience with people who will not dismiss you, or just listen in
• Meet other young people who may be in a similar position
• Learn straightforward resilience building practices that you can take away and use again and again
• Experience a consent-based space where you will not be required to do anything that doesn’t feel right to you
• Choose to do a held self-reflection practice if you don’t want to talk with other people

We are working for collective care and resilience, based on consent and warm welcome, not just ‘talking about feelings’ but attending to deep human needs for belonging, autonomy and being seen and heard.

Please bring:

• Anything that will help you feel comfortable and supported during the session, a drink, your favourite blanket/smell/object to hold/cushion etc.
• Paper and pen as we will do a brief journaling activity.

We will be using breakout rooms for talking and listening in small groups. We will also have a silent reflection room with reflection prompts for those who would rather not talk in a small group.

Young people who want to explore, talk and listen about living in a time of climate and other crisis. You may be an activist but you do not need to be. You may be engaged and knowledgeable about the climate crisis or you may be looking at it out of the corners of your eyes and not wanting to face it. Please be aware that you may hear strong feelings and experiences from others that might trouble you as well as inspire you. It is not an extractive space for research purposes as this undermines the strength of holding and shared experience. Please check in with your motivation before coming along. Do contact us if you are not sure.

‘Climate wisdom is the understanding that our ability to respond to climate change and to work on climate issues is shaped more by our emotional selves than by our rational selves. The sooner we can make that connection, the more effective we will be’ Sarah Jaquette Ray.

Jo McAndrews

I am a mother to a teenager and I am a coach and trainer, focussing on supporting the needs of children and young people in the face of climate and social crisis. I trained originally in arts psychotherapy and have been working for the last 25 years with young people, families and people who work with them. I am sure that the world would be very different if older people learned to listen properly to younger ones and feel fiercely protective of the well-being of young climate activists.

Rachael Alexander

I am a Psychologist and Mum to two little boys. I have specialised in working with children and parents over the last ten years. I have always been engaged with the climate crisis cognitively but found myself experiencing it on a more emotional level when I had children. I found climate emotions to be really tough and lonely at times. I found accessing supportive spaces where I could discuss these feelings and meet other people really helpful. I am passionate about ensuring young people who are now growing up with such an awareness of the crisis, have available to them supportive spaces where they can explore their thoughts and feelings.

Please book via this Eventbrite and you will receive an email with the Zoom link a couple of days before the space and again an hour beforehand.

There is no cost to attend a Youth Support space as this is being supported by external funding.

Please arrive from five minutes before to five minutes after the start time. Please note that after this we will close the space so that we can hold the group strongly without being distracted by interruptions.

Visit our website for full information on this new space, including future dates. If you have any questions you are very welcome to email us on [email protected].

Event Venue

Online