The Canadian Youth Action Guide for Agenda 21 allows
young people, parents and educators to look at the implications of
Agenda 21 for their own community. It offers a way to take stock
of the local situation, to look for solutions, and to plan the
changes needed to contribute to a sustainable future.
To become masters of our own future we must begin now to develop
the types of knowledge, skills and attitudes that promote a
healthy environment and equitable development.
More specifically, we must:
- gain a better understanding of environmental issues and
problems and the development practices which contribute to
them;
- gain an understanding of the mechanisms of economic
development, in order to examine
- all options available at local, national and international
levels;
- understand that human behaviours can contribute to
environmental degradation which impacts on human health;
- define a vision of sustainable communities, develop a
positive attitude towards it, and obtain a commitment to
initiate the changes needed to achieve it;
- develop the skills required to research
- and structure information, identify options, and develop a
consensus, in order to take
- joint action;
- ACT!
The activities in this Youth Action Guide will encourage
the understanding, skills and values needed for
sustainability.
Although each activity specifies a certain age level, educators
should feel free to adapt them to suit other age levels. The
activities present opportunities for language arts (interviewing,
creative writing, poetry), math (observation, measurement,
recording data), science (observation, analyzing), social studies
(knowledge of community and its stakeholders), visual arts
(drawing, poster design, community displays), etcetera.
A clear context for integrated learning, the activities presented
are community based and ideally reinforce the skills and values
needed for future citizens.
