The RCE SDG Youth Challenge is an international initiative that connects youth leaders working on sustainability projects in their communities. Each year since 2018, over 50 youth-led projects have addressed SDG topics through education and action. The projects have engaged over 21,000 youth and 5,000 non-youth across 12 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The initiative aims to mobilize and educate youth on the SDGs through peer-led education for sustainable development projects at the local level.

1. RCESDGYouthChallengeYouthfor
theGoals
BrittanyHardiman
SustainabilityEducation,PVCLearningFuturesWesternSydney
University
RCEAsia-PacificRegionalYouthFocalPoint(former)
b.hardiman@westernsydney.edu.au
14th Asia-Pacific
RCE Meeting

2. RCE YOUTH NETWORK

3. RCE SDG YOUTH CHALLENGE: ‘YOUTH FOR THE
GOALS’
• International,place-based initiative runannually that connects youthleaders working intheir own communities toalarger global (virtual) platform.
• Each project is distinctive yet are all working towards a common goal which unites them under central SDG themes + underpinnedby SDG 4 and 17. Youth are
encouragedto understand their SDGstargets and seekout interlinkageswith other SDGs.
• Projects areled byyouthforyouth, with theaim to mobilise andeducate on the SDGs through peer-peer ESD.
2018
2019
2020-21
Sustainability Issue
Youth Lead or
Leaders
Work on SDG
project
Connect and engage with youth
(plus teachers, parents and
community)
Outputs – social, environmental,
educational

4. 56
youth-led
SDG Projects
21,000+
youth engaged
through projects
5,000+
non-youth engaged
through projects
12
countries represented,
majority Asia-Pacific
*over 4 years
RCE SDG YOUTH CHALLENGE: OUTCOMES
21,000
youthdirectly engaged in/with
projects as participants
5,000
non-youthdirectly engaged in
projects as participants
500,000+
indirectly engaged throughmultiple
touchpoints
57
youth-ledsustainability SDG projects
156
youthleaders delivering sustainability
projects
24
different RCEs represented + others
NGOs/organisations

5. RCE SDG YOUTH CHALLENGE: IMPACTS (2018-2021)

6. “Youngpeoplearepowerfulagentsofchange.
Theygrowasleaderswhentheyareeducatedand
empoweredtoparticipateindecision-making
andaction.”
Adaptedfrom the UnitedNations2020

7. Thank you
Findall the previousRCESDGYouthChallengeprojectreports(2018–2021)online-https://westernsydney.edu.au/rcegws/rcegws/international/sdg_challenge