YELC is a dynamic collective of young Black people, people of colour, and racialised individuals dedicated to racial, social, and environmental justice.
We are not just nurturing leadership but cultivating community, campaigns, and care. YELC is currently co-piloting a year-long programme supported by Friends of the Earth and funded by The Blagrave Trust and Zoom Cares.
Inside the YELC Residential: Where community means action!
Back in April 2025, we launched the start of the year-long programme with a powerful three-day residential at the Royal Foundation of St Katharines with connection, learning, and visioning centred at the heart of everything.
What we built:
- A community of care through workshops on values, boundaries, and collective well-being.
- A shared political foundation – exploring environmental racism, climate justice, and radical organising strategies.
- The roots of our first collective campaign, which will focus on justice for climate refugees
“It was the first time I felt like I could bring my full self into a space about climate justice.”
— YELC Participant, 2024
From solarpunk collaging to movement mapping, activist storytelling to laughter over dinner. The residential reminded us that movements don’t just begin with action but they start through relationship building to create the collective picture.
A year of radical learning, led by us!
The YELC programme spans nine workshops across the year, each shaped by the cohort’s ideas, interests, and needs. No two sessions are the same and that is the point.
What we will be exploring together:
- Campaign Strategy – theories of change, movement ecology, and creative action
- Leadership Skills – facilitation, boundary-setting, public speaking
- Career Pathways – mentorship, visioning, and personal development
We also take part in hands-on Learning Journeys real-world experiences that ground our learning in lived realities and frontline work.
“It’s like learning how to fight for justice and how to take care of yourself doing it.”
— YELC Participant, 2024
By the end of the programme, participants will have co-designed and launched a campaign rooted in the issues that matter to them most.
Our Campaign: Climate Refugee Justice
YELC’s current campaign in progress calls for the legal recognition of climate refugees individuals displaced by climate disasters like floods, droughts, and rising sea levels, but who are denied protection under international law.
We are asking:
- Who gets counted in crisis?
- How do we create systems that prioritise justice over borders?
- What would a future built on care, repair, and solidarity look like?
Our work is powered by imagination, research, and direct action. Stay tuned for campaign updates and how you can support!
Alumni in Action
YELC doesn’t end with the programme!! It continues through the voices and work of our alumni.
Previous participants are:
- Advising local governments on inclusive climate strategy
- Building grassroots collectives and community healing spaces
- Returning to the programme to facilitate sessions and mentor new cohorts
“It’s not just a programme. it’s a home base. I found co-conspirators for life.”
— YELC Alumni, 2023
STAY TUNED: Alumni interviews and project highlights coming soon
Our Work in Action
We will soon be sharing images from our retreat, workshops, learning journeys, and campaign sessions. These snapshots capture the heart of the YELC experience from planning sessions and art builds to joy, laughter, and rest.
Gallery coming soon- watch this space!
Want to Know More?
- Follow us: @yelcollective on Instagram
- Do you have any questions? Email us at: yelcollective@ubele.org
