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Children for Change: Tell Your Climate Story
Climate change is one of the biggest threats our future generations face today. 70% of UK children worry about the world they will inherit, and 60% think climate change is affecting their generation’s mental health (Save The Children, 2022). Children For Change, developed by children’s literature agency Pop Up Projects CIC, funded by a £72,000 grant from Arts Council England, and launched in autumn 2024, was the children’s book world’s response. This pioneering ebook collection of stories, illustrations and features inspired young readers aged 8-12 to ‘take an action’ – big or small, local or global – to protect our environments.
We want you to help us decide and deliver the next steps for this amazing project that received nationwide media coverage. We are looking for students from all subjects and backgrounds to build a plan of action that will make sure children everywhere can access this amazing resource. We also want to hear your stories see your skills in action helping us to ensure future growth. If successful this might even include funding through creative grants.
This is an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to apply creativity to climate communication and positively impact our future. If you have skills in creative writing, illustration, publishing, early years education, or just a passion for climate communication this is the project for you!
Among over 80 contributors to Children for Change, notable names include former Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho; creator of Tom Gates, Liz Pichon; The Gruffalo illustrator, Axel Scheffler; Draw with Rob creator, Rob Biddulph; author/illustrator of Barbara Throws a Wobbler, Nadia Shireen; Young Bond author Charlie Higson; and celebrity chef and broadcaster, Jamie Oliver. Free and downloadable to every primary teacher and parent in the UK, Children For Change achieved an incredible 240,000 young readers in the three months since its launch. Media coverage included a significant feature in The Guardian. What happens next is up to you!
Associated Badges:
In A Nutshell...
- Be ... the future of this Arts Council funded initiative to share climate stories to primary aged children
- Apply ... your creative skills or passion for climate action to promote climate action
- Develop ... a project with potential for growth and funding applications
- Inspire ... the next generation of climate champions
- Earn up to 150 Rise points ... which can be recognised within your degree.
Schedule
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13:00 to 16:00 on 14/10/25 - Mcr Met Institute of Sport, Room 2.09
Workshop 1: Discover Children for Change and how you can get involved -
13:00 to 16:00 on 21/10/25 - Mcr Met Institute of Sport, Room 2.08
Workshop 2: How do we communicate climate action? -
13:00 to 16:00 on 28/10/25 - Geoffrey Manton Building PC Lab 119
Workshop 3: How can stories inspire action? -
13:00 to 16:00 on 04/11/25 - Geoffrey Manton Building, Room 228
Workshop 4: Building a platform -
13:00 to 16:00 on 11/11/25 - Mcr Met Institute of Sport, Room 2.09
Workshop 5: Our plan of action -
13:00 to 16:00 on 18/11/25 - Sandra Burslem Building, Room 2.02
Workshop 6: Looking ahead