Climate change is a top priority for youth worldwide, with governments increasingly recognising the pivotal role of education, arts and culture in shaping climate resilience, raising awareness, and inspiring meaningful action.
CAN THO, 3–4 May 2024 – Approximately 200 participants, including stakeholders from across the Mekong Delta, international and local experts, community members, and media representatives, convened at Can Tho University for a two-day Stakeholder Meeting on Skills for Youth for Sustainable Futures. This event is part of the British Council’s Youth Connect programme, in partnership with the Research Institute for Climate Change (DRAGON-Mekong), Can Tho University, as well as the British Council’s global partnership programme with HSBC, Climate Skills.
Climate change is a key priority for the UK and Vietnamese governments, the British Council, and Viet Nam's research institutions, fostering practical collaborations. The British Council's Next Generation Report, along with the Next Generation Viet Nam Dialogue series, has analysed, expanded upon, and brought to life the report findings, highlighting significant issues for Vietnamese youth today, including social participation, gender equality, climate change response, entrepreneurship, and education and skills training.
Building on the results of the Next Generation research, the British Council has implemented a number of projects under the Youth Connect programme to address these findings. These projects include Youth Community Resilience to Climate Change in Vietnamese Mekong Delta (Y–CoRe) and Climate Skills Viet Nam – Seeds for Transition in the Mekong Delta Region, part of a wider global partnership with HSBC. After more than two years of implementation of Y-CoRe and 1.5 years of the Climate Skills Viet Nam programme, the event brought together the two projects to disseminate learning, showcase youth action and build dialogue. To support international dialogue on this global issue, a delegation of seven Climate Skills Indonesia educators and participants travelled to join the event, share skills and build a global community.
James Shipton, Country Director Viet Nam, British Council, shared:
Youth Connect is our global youth leadership programme which supports young people in developing skills, finding inspiration and making connections to tackle major challenges that affect us all. By involving experts from the UK and Viet Nam, we are bridging cultural divides, bringing diverse and underrepresented perspectives to the climate dialogue, and fostering respect for cultural diversity. Today, I am delighted to see the results and achievements of our initiatives, particularly the positive outcomes and numbers from the YCoRe and Climate Skills projects. Through the Youth Connect Programme, these projects have united young people to share their ideas and personal experiences of climate change, and to learn from each other in addressing its impacts in the Vietnamese Mekong
In 2023, the Y–CoRe was first introduced in Viet Nam with young people and university students in the Mekong Delta region as the primary beneficiaries. Aiming to increase understanding of climate change and gender equality, the project has implemented training programs to enhance climate skills, leadership abilities, and community engagement. The objectives of the project are to:
- Empower the youth network to strengthen their leadership and influencing capacity towards climate change impact adaptation in the Viet Nam Mekong Delta (VMD)
- Develop space for knowledge and community-based engagement and ‘competence exchange’ among youth networks across the VMD
- Amplify the voices and expand capacity opportunities for young people, including university lecturers in the VMD, in policy advocacy for climate change adaptation, including gender equality
Over the past two years, 21 social action projects have been enabled, both phases of the Y-CoRe project have trained 465 students, lecturers, and local community members from provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region, including Can Tho, Dong Thap, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, and Kien Giang. Notably, 60% of the participants are women, demonstrating the project's commitment to promoting gender equality. Additionally, 100,000 people have benefited both directly and indirectly from the project.
Since 2023, British Council and HSBC have partnered on the global Climate Skills initiative, equipping young people in Brazil, Mexico, India, Indonesia and Viet Nam with fundamental skills they need to benefit from a greener future. Working with young students and university students, Climate Skills focuses on marginalised young people from the three localities of Can Tho City, Soc Trang and Kien Giang provinces.
Nowadays, many young people aspire to work in emerging green and digital industries, aiming to be catalysts for sustainable change. However, there is a significant gap in understanding how to access these opportunities. Marginalised communities are disproportionately impacted by climate change and changing employability patterns, with young people facing systemic constraints to meaningful participation in a greener economy and the emerging opportunities of the future.
Providing support to 2,000 marginalised young people, along with 300 educators, Climate Skills Viet Nam is at the mid-point of its 3-year programme. It equips marginalised young people with soft skills, such as teamwork and advocacy, as well as climate literacy and community action experience, preparing them for a successful future. Globally, this programme works to resource local organisations, build youth-led community action and remove barriers to green jobs, equipping young people with the skills, knowledge and global networks to be part of greener economies.
Tim Evans, CEO of HSBC Viet Nam, said:
Since being established in Viet Nam in 1870, HSBC has always aimed to not only support Vietnamese businesses but also assist the local community. Given our tenure in the country, we appreciate that the country needs sustainable solutions that support the longterm ambitions of Viet Nam, and an investment in its young people is critical to the continued development and success of the country. Some of the more pressing challenges that Viet Nam is currently facing is in the area of climate change and social equality. Ensuring that the current and future generations are suitably equipped with the right skills to help navigate these challenges is essential to the ongoing development of Viet Nam and its ambitions to transition to net zero by 2050.
For press enquiries please contact:
Hanh Le
Communications Manager, South-East Asia
British Council
1152 Lang Road
Hanoi
Viet Nam
T +84 1800 1299
hanh.le1@britishcouncil.org
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