Blue & Green Futures: Biodiversity, Digital Storytelling, and Inclusion

Reunion Island’s unique blend of marine and volcanic ecosystems served as an ideal living classroom for a training program that connected environmental education, digital storytelling, citizen science, and social inclusion. Youth workers enhanced their capacity to teach biodiversity, conservation, and climate adaptation through experiential, place-based methods. Participants explored citizen science essentials, learning to record observations and engage their communities with local environmental data. They developed compelling narratives through digital storytelling studios, focusing on responsible media practices to elevate youth perspectives.

The program emphasized inclusive participation, equipping youth workers with practical strategies to engage diverse young people in co-creating solutions for local eco-initiatives. By the end of the training, each participant left with a ready-to-use toolkit that included lesson plans for outdoor eco-sessions and concrete strategies for involving underrepresented youth in environmental action. This blending of education and engagement empowered youth workers to transform environmental concern into equitable, youth-led initiatives both on Reunion Island and in their own communities.