Chapter 4. Community and Family Engagement
Below are some helpful resources related to the content in this chapter:
Unthinkable’s Resource Hub provides a wide range of resources for navigating the challenging feelings experienced due to climate change.
The American Psychological Association’s Resilience Guide for Parents and Teachers that outlines key tips for building resilience in children and teens.
Climate Mental Health Network – Parents & Caregivers Resources Page provides tools to help families discuss climate change and cope with eco-anxiety. Their resources include conversation guides (e.g. “How to Speak to Children about Eco-Anxiety”), tip sheets for different age groups, and even a climate emotions wheel activity that parents and kids can use together.
For Our Kids (Canada) is a parent-led climate action network across Canada. It connects parents, grandparents, and children in local teams to work on community projects – from lobbying for safer routes to school, to tree-planting events and climate art shows.
EcoSchools Canada is a certification program that helps schools engage students, staff, families, and the community in environmental action. Through a structured framework, schools undertake projects like waste reduction campaigns, energy audits, and community clean-ups as they work toward certification.
Climate change education cannot end when the school bell rings. Extending climate learning beyond the classroom and into the broader community is essential for reinforcing students’ knowledge and supporting their emotional well-being. Involving families and local communities creates a support network around students, which research shows can improve both academic performance and overall well-being (1). Especially as young people grapple with climate anxiety and eco-distress, a whole-community approach helps ensure they do not feel alone in facing an uncertain future. This chapter explores why community and family engagement matters and offers practical strategies to bring climate education into homes and neighborhoods in caring, collaborative ways.
Going Beyond the Classroom
Students spend only part of their day at school – their attitudes and feelings about climate change are also shaped by what happens at home and in their community. When learning at school is echoed and supported by family members and local role models, it creates consistency that deepens understanding. Just as importantly, a supportive community can buffer the heavy emotional burden many youth feel about climate change. Climate anxiety, characterized by fear and worry about environmental doom, is increasingly common among children and adolescents (2). Young people need to see that the adults around them take their concerns seriously and are taking action. As one UNICEF expert noted, “Children need to see that adults today care about their future and are doing everything in their power” to address climate change (2). This visible commitment by parents, educators, and local leaders instills hope and conveys that youth are not shouldering the climate crisis alone.
Family and community engagement provides emotional safe spaces for students to process their climate-related feelings. Discussing climate topics within the family, for example, can “promote child well-being by providing a safe space to discuss and address concerns” (3). Without these conversations, children may feel that adults are dismissive of their environmental worries. Indeed, in one study nearly half (48%) of youth who tried to talk about climate issues reported feeling ignored or brushed off by others (3). This highlights how critical it is to guide adults – both parents and other community members – in listening to and validating young people’s concerns. When students know they have supportive listeners and partners in action, their anxiety can transform into a sense of purpose. Community engagement in climate education therefore not only enriches knowledge but also fosters the social support and sense of collective efficacy that are protective for mental health (4) (4).
Crucially, community involvement gives students outlets for active coping. Climate distress often stems from feelings of helplessness, so opportunities to engage in solutions with others can be empowering. A recent Yale-led study found that climate anxiety was linked to depression only among students not involved in group climate activities; those who did participate in collective actions (like community projects or advocacy) showed no such association with depressive symptoms (4). The researchers explain that working together on climate solutions can “foster a powerful sense of hope, community connection and social support,” which helps combat feelings of sadness or hopelessness (4). In other words, it takes a village – by engaging families, local organizations, and community leaders in climate education, we surround students with relationships that turn fear into forward momentum.
Collaborative Climate Events and Service Learning
One of the most effective ways to extend climate learning beyond school is through events and service projects that bring students, families, and local leaders together. Hosting climate-awareness events, community service days, or intergenerational workshops allows everyone to learn and take action side by side. These gatherings break down the wall between classroom lessons and real-world community change.
Schools can start by inviting parents and community members to special events focused on climate topics. For example, a school might host an evening Climate Science Night where students showcase projects and local experts (such as conservationists, renewable energy engineers, or Indigenous knowledge keepers) give mini-talks. Interactive stations could let families learn about topics like home energy savings or local biodiversity. By exposing students and their families to diverse perspectives, such events broaden understanding and inspire joint action (5). Importantly, they also normalize talking about climate solutions as a community, rather than a topic reserved for science class.
Nothing builds hope and hands-on skills like working together on a tangible project. Many schools are organizing community service days dedicated to climate action – for instance, a weekend tree planting, a neighborhood clean-up, or a pollinator garden installation at the school. Families, school staff, and even local officials can all participate. These activities allow students to contribute to visible improvements in their own community. Parents often report that participating in such projects with their children is rewarding and reassuring; they are actively “doing something” about the problem together. Research suggests these collective efforts have mental health benefits: by turning anxiety into action, group activities can channel worries into a sense of accomplishment and solidarity (4) (4). A community clean-up or climate service day doubles as an educational experience and a coping strategy – students gain knowledge about local environmental issues while feeling the social support of working alongside others who care.
Some schools have organized climate-awareness fairs open to the whole community. These might feature student art about climate hopes and fears, booths from local environmental organizations, and demos of green technology solutions. Involving local leaders – for example, inviting a City Councillor or First Nations elder to speak about climate initiatives – can lend inspiration and show students that community authorities are listening and acting. Seeing “meaningful climate action being taken by leaders and societal actors” can actually be protective against climate-related distress for young people (6). It reinforces that the community at large is taking responsibility, not just the youth. For instance, a powerful moment at a climate fair could be a youth panel discussion where students and officials brainstorm solutions together, demonstrating intergenerational collaboration.
Schools that have held events like climate action afternoons or sustainability fairs often find that new partnerships emerge. A parent attending a workshop might connect the science teacher with a community garden group for future projects, or a local business might offer to sponsor more events. These activities transform schools into hubs of climate awareness for the whole community (7) (7). And for students, the takeaway is profound: learning about climate change isn’t an isolated classroom task, but a shared community journey. This sense of “learning what they live and living what they learn” is exactly what school-community engagement strives for (7). By hosting collaborative events and service learning opportunities, educators can harness the power of community to reinforce climate knowledge in memorable, emotionally supportive ways.
Land and Water – An Indigenous Youth Climate Program
One inspiring example of community-engaged climate education comes from Manitoba, Canada. The “Land and Water” program is an Indigenous-led, land-based climate change education initiative that brings high school youth together with local Indigenous elders, knowledge holders, and university students for shared learning. The program begins with a four-day camp where participants immerse in land-based experiences – from learning about local plants and wildlife to hearing elders’ teachings on caring for the land (8). Indigenous facilitators lead activities such as preparing traditional foods, visiting important ecological sites, and practicing ceremonies. These experiences strengthen the students’ relationship with the land and with each other. Organizers note that when young people’s “relationships with land are strengthened, climate change comes to matter” on a deeply personal level, and both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students benefit from this holistic approach (8).
After the initial camp, the learning continues with monthly land-based field trips and community projects throughout the year (8). A key feature of Land and Water is connecting youth to community activism and support networks. Participants meet local land defenders and climate activists, and even visit sites of environmental justice significance – for example, learning about a nearby Métis community’s struggle to protect their land from development (8). They attend a weekly community gathering that addresses climate injustice and food insecurity, giving them firsthand insight into how climate action and community care go hand in hand (8). Throughout, Indigenous elders and two-spirit leaders guide discussions, helping students process any eco-anxiety or grief. In fact, the program intentionally uses Indigenous ceremony and cultural practices as a way to confront ecological grief and foster healing (8). By taking part in a smudge ceremony or sharing circle, for instance, youth can express their fears about environmental loss in a supportive, spiritually grounded space. This approach blends mental health support with cultural learning in a powerful manner. (8)
The Land and Water program demonstrates how equity and Indigenous leadership can be central in climate education. It empowers Indigenous youth as knowledge sharers and affirms their cultural connections to environment, while also educating non-Indigenous youth to see climate change through the lens of justice, history, and community care. Participants reported that the camp and subsequent activities built their confidence to take action and showed them a model of collective resilience – one where community leaders, elders, and youth work together for systemic change (8). By the end of the program, the students had formed a tight-knit community of young climate advocates and land defenders (8). Many described the experience as transformational for their mental well-being; they felt less alone with their climate worries and more rooted in identity and purpose. The success of Land and Water offers a hopeful blueprint: climate education that engages community and honors Indigenous perspectives can equip students with knowledge, emotional resilience, and a strong support network all at once. (8)
Supporting Climate Conversations at Home
Beyond community events, one of the most direct avenues for reinforcing climate education is through communication with parents and guardians. Teachers and schools can play a pivotal role in helping families talk about climate change and its emotional impacts. Many parents care deeply about the issue but feel uncertain how to discuss dire news like wildfires or melting ice caps without frightening their kids. Others may underestimate how much their children are already aware of and worried about climate change (3). By proactively opening channels of communication, educators can empower parents with the understanding and tools to support their children’s climate learning – and anxieties – at home.
Start by keeping parents informed about what students are learning and feeling. Brief newsletters or emails can summarize class discussions on climate topics and mention that students have expressed concerns or curiosity. Encourage parents to continue the conversation at home, providing a few age-appropriate questions they might ask (for example, “What interested you most about the climate solutions you discussed in class?” or “How do you feel about the changes happening to our environment?”). If the school has a counseling team, consider including a corner in the newsletter with “Climate & Emotions Tip of the Month” offering guidance. Regular communication demystifies climate education for families and signals that it’s okay – even encouraged – to talk about these issues together.
It can be enormously helpful to educate parents and guardians about climate anxiety itself. Many adults aren’t familiar with the term eco-anxiety and may misinterpret their child’s sadness or anger about climate news as unrelated moodiness. Schools might host a parent information night (in-person or virtual) focused on “Youth Mental Health in a Changing Climate,” bringing in a school psychologist or a mental health professional to share insights. In such a session, parents can learn that strong feelings like fear, grief, and anger about climate change are normal and even healthy reactions – a sign of the child’s empathy and awareness, not an illness (2) (2). Experts emphasize that adults shouldn’t dismiss these feelings, but rather help young people channel them. The most important step, one child psychologist notes, is for parents to talk with their child: ask how they feel, listen actively, and validate their experience so they feel understood… and not alone in their worries (2). Educators can share simple validation strategies with parents, like thanking the child for sharing their concern and admitting that adults feel the same concerns sometimes.
Providing parents with concrete tools and resources can boost their confidence in these conversations. Many organizations now offer tip-sheets or guides for talking to kids about climate change in age-appropriate, constructive ways. For example, the Climate Mental Health Network has a “How to Talk to Gen Z about Climate Emotions” guide, and UNICEF’s Parenting hub offers mental health experts’ advice on coping with climate anxiety. Teachers can compile a short list of recommended resources or websites for families (see the Sidebar at the end of this chapter for examples). Even a one-page handout or PDF sent home can make a difference. One study found that although 68% of parents were interested in talking to their children about climate change, less than half actually did – often because they “did not know what to say” (3) (3). By equipping parents with knowledge of climate science and guidance on addressing feelings, schools can bridge this gap.
Another strategy is to extend class assignments into the home, deliberately involving family. For instance, if students are learning about energy conservation, an assignment could be to do a home energy audit with their family – checking for LED bulbs, or drafting a list of ways to save electricity together. This turns a learning activity into a family project. Likewise, schools can suggest at-home follow-ups to service learning: after a community tree-planting event, challenge families to spend an afternoon together in nature or to adopt a tree in their neighborhood to care for. These collaborations give parents a role in reinforcing climate lessons. Schools can host workshops or seminars specifically for parents, demonstrating things like how to start a compost bin or talking through climate news in a child-friendly way (5). By educating parents on sustainable practices and inviting them to co-create solutions, educators extend the learning environment across the threshold of home.
The goal is to make climate change a family conversation, not a topic that lives only at school. When parents start integrating climate awareness into everyday life – maybe a family decides to begin biking to school on Fridays, or discusses an environmental documentary on movie night – students feel a continuity of values that strengthens their resolve. Parents become partners in climate education, reinforcing facts and modeling coping strategies like problem-solving or activism. And if a child is anxious about the future, having a parent who is informed and empathetic provides immense reassurance. Ultimately, open communication and shared learning at home ensure that students’ minds and hearts are supported as they confront the realities of climate change.
Building Partnerships for Community Support Networks
Educators do not have to (and should not) go it alone in this important work – partnerships with community organizations and experts can vastly expand the reach and impact of climate education. By collaborating with local environmental groups, mental health professionals, and civic organizations, schools can create a web of support that wraps around students. These partnerships bring in specialized knowledge and resources, connect learning to local issues, and signal to students that the entire community is invested in their well-being and future.
Nearly every community has groups dedicated to sustainability, conservation, or climate action – from nonprofits like local climate justice alliances to nature centers, science museums, or even the parks department. Partnering with these organizations can enrich students’ learning with real-world expertise. Environmental community-based organizations often have “experts who specialize in various environmental fields, who can provide valuable knowledge and resources” to schools (7). For example, a coastal school might partner with a marine conservation group to offer joint field trips to study tide pools or pollution on the beach, giving students hands-on experiences guided by scientists. Many organizations have outreach educators who can visit classrooms or host student groups for tours. Teachers benefit from “content and context” support, while the organizations fulfill their mission by educating youth (7). Such school-community partnerships have been shown to increase students’ environmental literacy and provide richer, place-based learning opportunities (7). Moreover, students see adults outside of school – park rangers, climate activists, urban gardeners, etc. – actively working on solutions, which can be hugely motivating.
Partner organizations can also facilitate service learning or citizen science projects that extend over time. A local watershed alliance might coordinate with a high school science class to do water quality monitoring in a stream; families could be invited to join a weekend water testing event. These sustained collaborations integrate community action with the curriculum, deepening both knowledge and commitment. They can also foreground equity and justice in climate education. Working with organizations focused on environmental justice or Indigenous knowledge (for instance, an Indigenous land stewardship group) helps students learn about the social dimensions of climate issues. It ties abstract concepts to the lived experiences of people in their community – perhaps learning how a nearby underserved neighborhood is organizing for cleaner air, or how Indigenous land management practices are restoring an ecosystem. Students gain an understanding that climate action is about caring for community well-being as much as it is about data and carbon numbers.
Given the mental health challenges posed by climate change, schools can also seek partnerships with mental health professionals and organizations. A school might collaborate with a local youth mental health clinic, a community psychologist, or even university researchers studying climate anxiety. These partners can advise on developing trauma-informed approaches to climate discussions, ensuring that both staff and parents are equipped to support students emotionally. They might run group sessions or after-school programs where students can share feelings and build coping skills around eco-anxiety. For example, a community health center could help facilitate a climate grief circle or mindfulness workshop for students who feel overwhelmed by climate news. By integrating these resources, climate education is bolstered by emotional support. This echoes the “whole school approach” to mental health – involving not just teachers but also counselors, families, and external experts to create a caring environment (6) (6). In practice, this might look like having a counselor co-lead a unit on climate change and resilience, or a local therapist providing training to teachers on how to handle climate-related distress in the classroom.
Community partnerships can also extend to civic and youth groups. Boy Scout and Girl Guide troops, 4-H clubs, faith-based youth groups, or civic clubs like Rotary often have environmental service as part of their activities. Schools can coordinate with these groups on larger projects – for instance, a “Climate Action Day” in town that brings together students from various schools, youth group members, and families to work on community gardens or energy audits for elders’ homes. City councils and municipal green committees can be key partners too. Inviting a city sustainability officer to collaborate on a school project (like designing a bike lane plan or starting a compost program) shows students that their learning can influence local policy. Some school districts have even formed Climate Advisory Boards including students, parents, teachers, scientists, and local officials to guide climate initiatives in the curriculum and community.
The beauty of building these networks is that they tend to be sustainable and reinforcing. Once relationships are established, a positive feedback loop forms: environmental organizations provide resources and see enthusiastic student participation, which in turn furthers their goals; mental health experts see proactive resilience-building in youth, potentially reducing crises; families and community members see youth stepping up, which can inspire broader community climate efforts. Students, for their part, develop a richer understanding of how classroom learning connects to real change. They also gain mentors and role models – a teen interested in climate justice might find mentorship from a local activist, or an Indigenous student might deepen pride in their heritage by learning from an elder about traditional environmental knowledge.
Ultimately, these partnerships create a community of practice around climate and mental health. They weave together education, action, and support so that students move through their climate learning journey held up by many hands. No single teacher or parent has to have all the answers; instead, young people encounter a whole network of adults – educators, family, activists, health professionals – working in concert to guide them. This collective approach not only amplifies learning outcomes but also shows students an empowering model of community resilience. In facing a global challenge like climate change, the lesson they learn is that together we can cultivate hope and strength.
Chapter Highlights
Climate education thrives when families and communities actively support student learning and emotional resilience.
Engaging community members in collaborative climate projects provides youth with meaningful ways to transform anxiety into collective action.
Family conversations about climate change help students feel understood and emotionally supported at home.
Schools can play a key role by empowering parents with knowledge and resources to discuss climate-related feelings constructively.
Building partnerships with local organizations and experts expands the reach of climate education, reinforcing a supportive, resilient community network.
Find the content of this chapter helpful?
Use the posts above to share key insights from this chapter with your network!