Unlocking the Power of Youth: A Call to Action

How do we engage with and invest in youth to more effectively realize the energy transition? For philanthropy, governments, and financial institutions, the first step is building relationships with existing youth networks and organizations. These groups have already established trust and are intimately familiar with the needs and experiences of young people on the ground. By partnering with these organizations, institutions can ensure that their resources are used effectively and that they are supporting initiatives that have a real impact.

Next, it’s critical to support youth networks with the funding and resources they need to continue their work or focus on specific strategies or regions that align with mutual goals. This means not just one-off grants, but sustained investment that allows youth-led projects to scale and achieve long-term impact.

Concrete recommendations that came out of the ClimateWorks Foundation and The Hour is Late, along with Student Energy’s youth engagement practice at COP28 in partnership with the Climate Emergency Collaboration Group are as follows:

• Funders must provide flexible, unrestricted funding.
• Philanthropy must work to dismantle barriers that are exclusionary to youth, which may involve the co-creation of progress metrics and lowered administrative burdens.
• Philanthropy must be cognizant of the unique needs and challenges facing youth, and be responsive and flexible to evolving needs and opportunities.
• While communications and movement-building tends to attract more resources, funds are required to address underfunded areas of work such as leadership development, training capacity, and entrepreneurship.

Beyond grantmaking and investment, there is need for organizations to mainstream youth inclusion into their institutional practices. This starts with dedicating a team to work across departments, building knowledge and understanding of the importance of youth engagement, and embedding youth considerations into every area of work. Whether it’s in hiring and retention or resource allocation, prioritizing youth inclusion offers innumerable benefits—from building public trust to fostering innovation and future-proofing the organization itself.

We simply cannot afford to leave youth out of our collective effort to tackle the world’s most pressing issues. By investing in youth-led projects, we are not just supporting the leaders of tomorrow—we are empowering the change-makers of today. The benefits are clear: more engaged communities, more innovative solutions, and a more just and sustainable world. It’s time to stop talking about the need to do more and start putting real resources behind the youth who are already leading the way. Our future depends on it.

About Student Energy

Student Energy is a global youth-led organization empowering the next generation of leaders who are accelerating the transition to a sustainable, equitable energy future. We work with a network of 50,000 young people from over 120 countries to build the knowledge, skills, and networks they need to take action on energy. Student Energy collaborates with governments, companies, and organizations to facilitate meaningful youth engagement and mobilize resources to support youth-led energy solutions.

Student Energy’s peer-reviewed, leading research project, the Youth Impact Framework, underscores the pivotal role that youth play in accelerating global progress toward universal clean energy access.

About the Author

Helen is the Executive Director at Student Energy, the world’s largest youth-led organization mobilizing 100,000 young people in 130 countries for a just, sustainable and equitable energy transition. Helen is a Forbes 30 Under 30 lister, Corporate Knights 30 Under 30, and a recognized young clean energy and intergenerational equity advocate.