To engage high school students in the production of innovative and targeted media content on climate change awareness, through a combination of media and climate science training, mentoring and production assistance (including local universities, university students and media professionals).

The communication aims to increase awareness and knowledge of climate science, impacts and adaptation options, and to partner with the ‘voices of youth’ to inform and influence decision makers around climate issues in the Pacific region. 

This project will generate creative content from four Pacific countries – Vanuatu and Samoa    (in-country content creation), and Kiribati and Tuvalu (delivered via the USP head campus in Fiji with creative content coming from in-country). Content may range from radio programs, to TV mini-documentaries, performance art, social media campaigns and other media products.

• Outline key project components

• Awareness raising / background work; this will involve seeking support from key ministries, establishing contacts, hiring a local project assistant, sourcing local high schools and students to participate, arranging venues, logistics and contacting participants.
• Conducting media training and climate science training for high school students; this involves bringing together about 30 student participants from up to three high schools, with support from local people with expertise in media and climate science to be trainers and, in time, mentors.
• Production of creative content; partnering with local universities and media professionals to provide input and assistance for student production of creative projects. 
• Distribution and promotion; Dissemination of creative products via local networks and media (TV, radio), Showcase meeting and, ideally, via local partner-agency projects such as portals, websites or existing education and climate change communication projects.

• How will it be implemented?

Following intensive awareness raising and planning in conjunction with a local project assistant, the project coordinators (Apidae) will travel to Vanuatu on three occasions (TBC) to: source key contacts and student participants; conduct training in media and climate change (using local experts and mentor representatives); coordinate production assistance for the students; and, finally, assist in the completion of projects for launch at a Showcase meeting of local decision makers and stakeholders.

• Will the project fund local positions? Where?

The project will require hiring a local Project Assistant for approx. 10 working days to work with the Apidae coordinators at times during each of their 3 visits, and also in between visits with follow-up and on-site assistance to students and education contacts as required. Local media production experts will also be engaged to ensure that the content is relevant for Ni-Vanuatu context.

• How does the project link to GoV priorities (PAA)?

The project links to the key sector of Environment and Disaster Management within the Primary Sector Development and Environment chapter of the GoV PAA 2006-2015. Specifically this project will contribute to; ‘conduct community awareness of the need to protect the environment including through reduction of risks from natural hazards’, since the student developed creative products will aim to provide localized and targeted awareness strategies based on knowledge needs. It will also raise awareness of climate change programs and needs in communities, and increase climate change literacy for high school students and their peers.

• What related projects are being undertaken in the area?

There are a multitude of climate change projects being undertaken which aim to provide adaptation outcomes which could be profiled in this work. These include CCCPIR from SPC-GIZ, USP’s PACE-SD project and SPREP’s PACC among many more including several initiatives previously funded by PACMAS such as media production equipment for student use. This project aims to complement the already existing work in the area as well as fit in with regional frameworks such as the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change 2006-2015 (PIFACC), the Regional Framework for Action on Disaster Risk Management (2005-2015) (RFADRM) and Pacific Framework for Education for Sustainable Development.

• Potential overlaps/duplication to be resolved

Due to our specific focus on the key sectors (students and their local communities, media, decision makers and partner agencies), our creative projects will contribute to, and complement, existing projects. The creative outputs aim to complement other youth produced creative products that already exist, such as those developed by UNICEF, and those being created, such as the climate change animation project being developed by SPC-GIZ and other partners. The priority being cross-posting and usage of these valuable youth-created media products across partner and agency forums such as via portals (i.e. Pacific Climate Change Portal (PCCP) and Pacific Disaster Net (PDN)) or social media forums (UNICEF Facebook and other youth and related exchanges). Thus, duplication of creative projects about climate change is not a concern given these products will be targeted for usage by existing programs that cite a need for youth-developed resources (such as You Tube videos) and, secondly, the Pacific-specific media productions are highly sought versus the alternative of overseas sourced creative and media stories.

• Risk Management Strategies

A component of our project management has been the maintenance of a risk management matrix. The project is inherently low risk due to its targeted focus and the fact that funding has been secured already. Additionally, Vanuatu represents the second of two primary countries (with the third being a regional approach via the USP head campus in Fiji) so resources will be focused on ensuring the smooth implementation and success of this significant component of work in Vanuatu.