What the Lab sets out to do
- Build a local understanding of climate change and how it shows up in urban Bengaluru
- Identify and analyse neighbourhood environmental problems through direct fieldwork
- Co-design and carry out practical, youth-led solutions with communities
- Build working relationships with residents, institutions and local authorities
- Strengthen leadership, communication, climate action and civic engagement skills
From onboarding to action
A year-long process that combines learning, field immersion, a youth hackathon and supported implementation.
- Onboarding and foundationsRecruiting Youth Climate Leaders, building relationships with communities, and exploring why climate change deepens inequality and why young people must be in decision-making.
- Training and skillsFrom April to November 2025: the Shanthinagar ward fact sheet, stakeholder engagement, data collection, project planning, budgeting, reporting, communication and advocacy.
- Three months in the communityField visits across Shanthinagar and Shakthivel Nagar, talking with households, schools, sanitation workers, women's self-help groups and faith institutions to define real problems.
- Two-day Youth HackathonTeams presented insights and prototype ideas to mentors, subject experts and government stakeholders, then turned feedback into action plans aligned with city systems.
- Action, documentation and reflectionTeams piloted their solutions with mentors, local leaders and departments, tracked results, and reflected monthly on what worked and what to change.
Four principles
Every intervention was designed to meet an immediate need and also build lasting habits, ownership and trust between young leaders and residents.
Practical, local climate solutions designed with residents, service providers and local authorities.
Young people move from learning and problem-finding to real change in their neighbourhoods.
Youth, communities and institutions such as BBMP, BWSSB, local leaders and NGOs build solutions together.
Climate awareness turned into measurable action through youth-led campaigns.
Support that makes room to grow
Regular mentor check-ins helped Youth Climate Leaders handle setbacks and community resistance, and reflect on power, privilege and their own position. The programme treats leadership as a process, with space for mistakes, so young people grow from hesitant participants into confident facilitators and advocates.