How we're making climate advocacy accessible and climate policies more inclusive

What can you tell us about your project?

A Future for All aims to make climate advocacy accessible and climate policies more inclusive, ensuring they reflect the needs of those most impacted by climate-related issues. This project combines the power of the arts with impactful advocacy to engage families and communities in climate action.

A Future for All aims to target low income families and parents of disabled children, who face challenges in the wake of the climate crisis. Our nature-based, family-friendly 'positive imagining' shows are designed to inspire curiosity, spark action and imagine a brighter, fairer future for everyone.

What partners are you working with and why?

A Future for All is a collaboration of multiple organisations led by Hope for the Future, the UK’s only charity dedicated to training and supporting effective engagement between people and politicians on climate and nature. Our other partners are Parents for Future, Contact - the charity for families with disabled children, REA (Rowan Environmental Arts) and London School of Economics and Politics.

This partnership brings together artists, campaigners, advocates and academics to provide a holistic approach to supporting families in combatting their climate anxieties.

What are the most pressing issues facing the people you’re looking to help?

The focus is on parents in deprived communities and parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities. These groups confront disproportionate challenges in both climate vulnerability and civic engagement, and their voices are often underrepresented in policy decisions. For example, people with disabilities may face compound health issues as a result of environmental air pollution, or families with low income may be disproportionately struggling due to high energy bills.

How are you helping them to influence policymakers?

We’re helping participants to influence policymakers in a number of ways. Firstly, through our workshops we are giving people the skills and confidence they need to be able to influence their politicians on the issues that matter to them. These sessions give an accessible introduction to political influencing, and how people can make sure they have their voices heard.

You’re only in your first year of funding. What are you hoping to achieve over the next four years?

We’re just getting started! Over the next four years we want to help the families we’re working with take concrete political action, giving them the tools they need to influence politics on the issues most important to them.

We’re also going to expand the project from its base in Yorkshire by creating resources for communities across the country to put on their own events and kick-start political engagement in their areas.