For Immediate Release
July 18, 2011

For More Information:
Cameron Fenton
director@ourclimate.ca
514-467-6413

Edmonton, AB - Right now, across the country youth are gathering for 6 regional camps providing training in popular education, actions & strategy, communications, messaging, campaign planning, and other quintessential organizing skills, while building an understanding of climate justice. These 3-day camps are using  participatory, direct education to train the next generation of climate warriors.

“The easiest way to explain it is that Power Summer is a step down the road to creating grassroots, community solutions to the climate crisis,” Cameron Fenton, National Director of the CYCC explains. “Our goal is to give youth the tools they need to take on one of, if not, the largest issue of our generation.”

Youth from the Yellowknife area and across the Northwest Territories converged for the first Power Summer camp from July 9-11 and this weekend Power Summer reached youth at Camp Meywasin in Wabamun, Alberta. These training camps offer a chance to meet with peers, and work together to develop campaigns that are both local, and national in scope. Power Summer moves to British Columbia next week (July 22-23-24) before heading East to Nova Scotia (August 12-13-14), Toronto (August 19-20-21) and finishing in Montreal (August 26-27-28).

At Power Summer Arctic in Yellowknife and at the Prairies camp in Wabamun youth discussed local issues and impacts of climate change, from melting permafrost in the Arctic, to the impact of the proposed new Maxim coal fired power plant in Alberta. These discussions were coupled with training in non-violent direct action, education and more.

“The work we are doing at Power Summer will resonate across Canada, and even around the globe,” Daniel T’seleie, an organizer with the CYCC and a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation to the United Nations climate meetings in South Africa. “We’ll be folding this work into the campaigns we run nationally, as well as the connecting this work and these youth to our plans for South Africa.”

Organizations from across Canada are pitching in to help the project. National sponsors include the Sierra Youth Coalition, the United Church, Natra Care and the Council of Canadians. Registration information for upcoming camps can be found at www.ourclimate.ca.

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The Canadian Youth Climate Coalition is a united front of youth from across Canada tackling the biggest challenge of our generation, the climate crisis. Acting locally, provincially, federally, and internationally, we combine our forces to educate and empower youth. We organize campaigns and actions to create the change we need to see in the world. Learn more at ourclimate.ca.