Climate Change Ambassadors

[Karolina Borg]

Hi Guys, 

Sorry for dissappearing halfway through our meeting last night, my internet is usually not that unstable... Anyway...

This is the last email I got from Jo:

"Thanks for this. I think at this stage, perhaps you could submit three names and motivations to us by the end of this week. We could then make a final selection. Please bear in mind that these must be local individuals and should have demonstrated existing commitment to the field of climate change. We need successful individuals to be able to continue this work post-COP."

What they want is South African youth, preferably previously dissadvantaged, but the key thing is that they are passionate and have knowledge about climate change issues. They will attend both COY and COP and spread the information about what is happening there through different social media, such as facebook, twitter and a blogg, possibly also other non internet based sources if they are more comfortable witht this (however, I think internet media is the most suitable as it will reach out to more people). Thus being computer litterate is important. They will hopefully start working as soon as possible to spread information and updates about the pre-COY/COP work. And the legacy will continue after the conferences when they will bring their new knowledge to their communities and continue to work as Climate Change Ambassadors with help from the Municipality (this is what makes it more convenient if they are Durbanites, but dont think we have time to focus on that now) and other actors that they build partnerships with during the process.

Right now it dont look like there is much funding available for them, so they would have to be able to get to Durban and pay for accomodation. There is however possibilities for some funding from the municipality, but I dont want to promise anything.

 

Further it seems, from what Jo said, that we dont do the final selection, we just forward our candidates to them...

Ok, sorry for not writing something that can be forwarded out straight away...just have to much on my mind to be creative and write a nice, inspirational, email.

P please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

[Inger May Harber]

Considering the financial restraints, it's probably best that someone is sourced from inside Durban.

How are we advertising this? Because the University's Geography and Environmental Studies department might be a good place to start...

[Fatima Ibrahim]

I'd love to hear from Alex and Ruth because I think through their work they would possibly have a lot more access to youth who are already involved with Climate Change.

--
Fatima Ibrahim | COP 17 Delegate | UK Youth Climate Coalition | ukycc.org | facebook.com/ukycc | twitter.com/ukycc | skype: fatima.ibrahim12 | UK:             +44 (0) 7572122892   

Come to Power Shift, our amazing youth climate summit this October. To find out more go to www.powershift.ukycc.org

Follow news ahead of the event on Twitter and Facebook

[Samantha Bailey]

Hi All,

I often don't weigh in on conversations - horridly and wonderfully busy with Moving Planet work, but I am in touch with 2 networks of youth in SA - one is the Youth Forum, facilitated by Project 90x2030, and the other is the Youth Ambassador programme, facilitated by SAFCEI (Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute).

I can either pass on main facilitators' details for each programme, or send them info.

Samantha


--
Samantha Bailey  ~  350.org Africa  ~  +27 79 744 0525  ~  skype: samantha350.org

[Karolina Borg]

What I believe is the next step is to formalize what i wrote into something more inspiring (anyone volontering to do so?), and then just distribute it to whatever networks we find could be useful. With a reference to one particular email in the end, so all applications end up in the same place. We need the applications before noon on Thursday, Im very busy so do unfortunatley not have much time to work on this.

We have to be clear about the limited (non exixting) funding avaiable, so people outside Durban know what they sign up for. But preferably we would like someone from Durban.

But for now, we need to create a document/email that we can send out, preferably today.

Karolina

 

P please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

---

Från: Samantha Bailey <sama...@350.org>
Till: coy7ou...@googlegroups.com
Skickat: tisdag, 20 september 2011 13:17
Ämne: Re: Climate Change Ambassadors

[caili F]

Hi all!

Sounds good to me! Perhaps we should email it to all of our networks
as Chris suggested?

Caili

[Alex Lenferna SEACC SF Chairperson]

Hi Everyone,

Apologies for the slow response on this, it has been a really busy
day. Once we have a formal letter/request I would be happy to send it
out to networks where there will be a good chance of finding climate
ambassadors. My worry is that considering that there is no financial
incentive and rather only work to do, that it won't be that appealing,
unless of course the person is already going through, and enjoys
writing on the side - although I can think of a few people who might
be eager. Anyway, please let me know the final details, and please
send through something that I can send out and I will circulate it to
the relevant networks and people. It's a nice idea certainly, and it
would be great to have youth ambassadors, we just need to find people
who are super-eager.

Thanks and regards
Alex

~ Help Fight Climate Change Now: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/carbon/ ~

Georges Alexandre (Alex) Lenferna
South East African Climate Consortium Student Forum (SEACC SF)
Chairperson
Rhodes University Student Number: G07L2342
Cell: +72 (0)72 372 4144
Email: sea...@gmail.com
Address: Philosophy Department, Rhodes University,
PO BOX 94, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa.
Website: http://seacc.org.za/projects/17
SEACC SF is a Proud Member of the BlueBuck Network!
(www.bluebucknetwork.org)

[Alex Lenferna SEACC SF Chairperson]

PS Apologies, I only saw this email now and thus my previous email is
outdated. In response to this email, although I'd like to help out, as
I do not know all of the details, I don't think I can write something
sufficient up. It seems like we're really rushing it by getting
someone at the last minute though, if Thursday is the deadline.

--

[Karolina Borg]

My hope was that someone (not necessarily you Alex) would be able to write up something based on the information i gave. I am really very busy this week and would appreciate if I could be excuesed from this process...

Karolina 

P please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

---

Från: Alex Lenferna SEACC SF Chairperson <sea...@gmail.com>
Till: coy7ou...@googlegroups.com
Skickat: tisdag, 20 september 2011 19:05

[caili F]

Hi all!
Below please see the email which Chris and I have looked at for the
Climate change ambassadors. I hope it is ok. I am currently sending it
to the C17 group (Chris sent me the list which he was given by Milda).
If anyone has other contacts then please pass the info on to them
asap!

Thanks!
Caili

*****************

YOUTH CLIMATE CHANGE AMBASSADORS

Do you have what it takes to represent the youth of your country at
COP17 and spread the word about climate change issues? Then here is an
exciting opportunity for YOU! Greening UKZN, in partnership with the
eThekwini municipality, are looking for two youth climate change
ambassadors who will do just that!

What is the role and expectations for these climate change ambassadors?

The two chosen climate change ambassadors will have the incredible
opportunity to attend the Conference of the Parties 17 (COP17) held in
Durban at the end of this year as representatives of South African
youth. They will also attend the seventh annual Conference of the
Youth (COY7) (See http://youthclimate.org/coy7/ for more details)
taking place with hundreds of international youth just before COP17.
Before these two events the ambassadors will be expected to start
spreading the word about climate
change, COY7, COP17 and related issues. Most crucially, the
ambassadors will also be responsible for helping promote a post-COP17
legacy.

Could you be a climate change ambassador?

The ideal candidate will:
- Be a South African citizen, preferably but not necessarily from a
previously disadvantaged background
- Be between the ages of 16 and 30
- Have a demonstrated existing commitment to the field of climate
change, including contacts with other youth and environmental
organisations in South Africa or your community.
- Be passionate and knowledgeable about climate change issues,
including international negotiations through the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- Have the ability to effectively spread information on COY7 and COP17
through social media and other avenues
- Be committed to continued work on climate change related issues post-COP17

How to apply?

You can apply to be one of the youth climate change ambassadors simply
by sending your CV and a brief motivation as to why you should be
chosen as a climate change ambassador which touches on the above
criteria. DEADLINE is 12 NOON on Friday 23rd Sept (THIS FRIDAY!). Your
motivation should not be more than 200 words. Please send to
pm.gree...@gmail.com .

**Please note that at present there is no funding available and as
such those chosen for this role must be responsible for their own
accommodation and transport in Durban.

We want YOU to be a part of the change towards a more sustainable
future in South Africa! Apply now!

On Wed, Sep 21, 2011 at 12:21 PM, Karolina Borg <karoli...@yahoo.se> wrote:
> Thank you Caili! Looking forward to the email!

>
> P please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
> ________________________________

> Från: caili F <caili....@gmail.com>
> Till: durban-coy-outrea...@googlegroups.com
> Skickat: onsdag, 21 september 2011 11:54

> Ämne: Re: Climate Change Ambassadors
>

> Hi all!
>
> I have put a draft email together and sent it to Chris for editing
> purposes so we should have a final version to post here within the
> next 30 min. We can then start sending it out. I have changed the
> deadline to noon on Friday though as we are sending it out quite late
> and don't think we'll get a big enough response if the deadline is
> tomorrow. Friday might also be pushing it but we'll have to just see
> how it goes.
>
> Thanks!
> Caili
>
> On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 7:43 PM, Karolina Borg <karoli...@yahoo.se>

[Alex Lenferna SEACC SF Chairperson]

Hi All,
I've sent the invitation out to the BlueBuck Network, SEACC SF, the
Habitable Planet past delegates, and BYM Alumni.
Regards
Alex

[Ruth Krueger]

Hi all,

Sorry for going AWOL, there are a lot of events being organised here in connection with Moving Planet Day, and I've been rather busy. Many thanks to Chris and Caili for sending through the email. It might be a little late now, but I've sent the information on to a couple of environmental mailing lists at Rhodes University.
Has there been any response yet?

Thanks,
Ruth

--

Ruth Krueger
Vice Chair

South East African Climate Consortium Student Forum (SEACC SF)

Rhodes University

Cell number: (076) 295-8045
Email: seaccsf.ru...@gmail.com
          g10k...@campus.ru.ac.za

*******************************************

Only after the last tree has been cut down;
Only after the last fish has been caught;
Only after the last river has been poisoned;
Only then will you realize
that money cannot be eaten.

- Cree Indian Prophecy

*******************************************

 Please consider the environment before printing this email!

[Samantha Bailey]

The information gives no indication what the benefit is for the person applying. There's no funding, there's no indication of other resources or support, but there are a ton of expectations and work expected for free from the ambassador.

In addition, anyone living in Durban dealing with climate change would need to lobbying the municipality at times - eThekwini have a mixed record. So getting this position could be an obstruction to being able to advocate critical interventions.

Currently there seem to be more disadvantages than advantages, so I'm not going to circulate to our networks yet.

Samantha

[Fatima Ibrahim]

Maybe I' m being a bit naive but most young people coming to COY including myself and the UKYCC delegation are coming to Durban with no funding and on a solely voluntary basis. Yes it may be a lot of work but the experience far out ways that - UKYCC was still able to attract a lot of applicants. 

[Samantha Bailey]

Sorry, I obviously was not clear. I'm linked with young people who are voluntarily doing climate work already. They are either in Durban or are planning to get themselves to Durban on their own means. They are going to have the experience of COY and COP anyway.

What I do not get is how being a 'climate ambassador' would be an advantage for them? I don't see any benefits, but I do see potential disadvantages (i.e. being exploited by the municipality and getting sucked into their green washing efforts).

[Karolina Borg]

What I think is that being a climate ambassador is an experience, a chance to be inside the ICC when the meetings happen, a chance to network, get to know other youth working with climate issues, gaining new knowledge and being able to spread this knowledge and influence others. With the support and help from not the whole municipality but from the Environment and planning-what-ever-it-is-called-department, and the people there. I don't think that there will be any expectations on the ambassadors to comply with their agenda (which from my experience is more than green washing anyways). And they will not only work with them but with us in COY as well, so we can influence them with our agenda if we want!

Further, there might be some funding coming up, just that nothing is sure, so we don't want to promise anything.

Hope this clarifies some for you.

And further, if you chose not to circulate the email now (which is fine if you don't), it will be too late since the deadline is tomorrow.

Regards

Karolina

P please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

---

Från: Samantha Bailey <sama...@350.org>
Till: coy7ou...@googlegroups.com

Skickat: torsdag, 22 september 2011 10:19

[Samantha Bailey]

Thanks for the clarification.
Samantha