Youth Climate Collective 2025
The Youth Climate Collective (YCC) is a space for Toronto-based youth to explore the intersection of art and activism and the role of creativity in tackling the climate crisis.
About the program
In this hands-on program, participants will explore the connections between climate activism, nature and art by learning natural dyeing and weaving techniques.
Over two half-day sessions, participants will:
- Forage and identify plants used for dyeing
- Create and use natural dyes and weaving looms
- Engage in group discussions on climate change and activism
Through working with natural materials and collaborating with like-minded peers, these workshops will offer a space for both creative practice and reflection on climate care, sustainability, and community action.
Participants will have the option to display their artworks in a final exhibition at LSA’s Community Project Space.
Program Details
Program Dates:
This program will run with two separate groups. Each group will meet for two workshops, held one week apart.
Group 1:
- Session 1: Sunday, June 1st, 2025
- Session 2: Sunday, June 8th, 2025
Group 2:
- Session 1: Sunday, June 29th, 2025
- Session 2: Sunday, July 6th, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: In person at Lakeshore Arts – 2422 Lake Shore Blvd. W., Etobicoke
Cost: FREE to attend! Materials, and transit vouchers are all included.
Participants who complete the program will also receive a $100 honorarium upon completion.
Who is this program for:
Open to youth ages 16-25, located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), who are engaged in climate activism. No prior experience is needed.
Who is a climate activist?
In this program, ‘climate activism’ is broadly defined – you do not need to be part of a formal group, and your actions can be big or small. This includes practising sustainable living (such as thrifting, reducing waste, or following a plant-based diet), organizing or attending protests, sit-ins or land clean-ups, creating climate-related art, advocating online, or supporting land and water defence movements. These are just a few examples. Activism can take on many forms, so if you care about climate change and take any kind of action, then you are eligible!
Registration:
Registration is now closed.
Please note there are a limited number of workshop seats available. Only selected participants will be contacted with a confirmation email.
This program is part of a research study exploring youth climate activism in the GTA. Please take a moment to read the Information Sheet to learn more. Priority will be given to participants who agree to attend a pre-workshop interview as part of the study, but those who do not attend an interview will still be considered.
If you require more information or help with this registration, please contact Revital Weiss, Programs Manager at CommunityPrograms@LakeshoreArts.ca.
For more information about the research project, please contact the facilitator, Hannah Kujundzic, at hannah.kujundzic.23@ucl.ac.uk.
About the Facilitators
Hannah Kujundzic (she/her) is a researcher and climate activist currently based in Tkaronto/Toronto. She is a SSHRC fellow and doctoral student at the Social Research Institute at University College London in London, UK, with a focus in Social Psychology. Her work focuses on youth climate activism, climate care, and creative resistance, by exploring how young people engage with climate justice through activism and everyday practices.
This program, Crafting Change Through Natural Dye-Making, is part of her ongoing research on climate activism as a form of caretaking – of land, communities, and each other. Through interviews, group discussions and natural dye workshops, she aims to bridge creative research and climate activism in a way that is participatory, accessible, and meaningful to highlight the ideas, experiences, and imaginations of young climate activists.
Courtney Wynne (They/Them/She/Her) holds many co-existing and intersecting identities. Courtney identifies as Afro-Indigenous; Ojibwe and Moose Cree from their maternal side, and East African from their paternal side. Courtney also identifies as a queer female and is currently embracing their youth. They find beauty and pride in their identities, which inform their communities. Having been supported by community growing up, Courtney is committed to reciprocating that care.
