You are invited to Participate in the Sustainable Planet Survey

APAY invites applications for the Youth-led Solutions Seed Funds

The APAY invites young leaders to share innovative ideas for combating climate change within YMCAs and their communities. One objective of the Climate Defenders project is to create a supportive environment where youth and students can design and implement practical, replicable solutions that contribute to a sustainable future.

In line with the 21st General Assembly's call for YMCAs to achieve Carbon neutrality by 2030, the APAY is launching the second round of our Youth-led Solutions on Climate Change initiative. We would like to invite young people to form teams in your local YMCAs to plan and implement small projects that help YMCAs reduce or offset their carbon footprint.

Selected projects will receive a small grant to implement the project in their YMCAs or local communities. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a tangible impact while inspiring others to join the movement towards a greener future.

Online application for the Youth-Led Solution seed funds is open till 25 August 2024.

Registration link: https://forms.gle/WedBUaEk6SrXj8Sz6

Combating Climate Change: China Y’s Actions

Last Updated (Friday, 09 August 2024 05:47)

Combating Climate Change: China Y’s Actions

China YMCA and YWCA have taken small but meaningful steps to combat climate change by following the concept of "think globally and act locally". Starting from Earth Hour on 23rd March, 2024, to Earth Day on 22nd April, 2024, NCY China has responded to APAY's 31-day Climate Action Challenge and encouraged local YMCAs and YWCAs to take actions. Local Ys have promoted the initiative by organizing various thematic activities, completing challenges, posting on social media, mobilizing members and volunteers, and integrating environment-friendly concepts when designing social services. As the saying goes, tiny drops of water make a mighty ocean. By sparking small but lasting changes, we can come together with our individual creative efforts to promote a low-carbon lifestyle and shoulder more responsibility of global citizenship.

Beijing YMCA

Beijing YMCA has responded actively. It has sent invitation to society via social media at the first time to invite people to participate in climate challenge actions, to contribute their own efforts to protect the earth, and to build a beautiful future. During the 31-day Climate Action Challenge, participants have advocated low-carbon concept and practiced environmental protection in their daily living through Vegetarian-Vegan, No-plastic, Low-carbon, Low-water, Zero-waste, Recycle and Upcycle, as well as Buy local.

One participant said: “By making the old mobile phone case into a storage box, this is a way to use resource rationally. We can amplify its limited function through Upcycle. At the same time, we can make contribution to zero waste and zero emission."

Beijing YWCA

Beijing YWCA has responded to the National Coucil's call to launch the 31-day Climate Action Challenge. The 31-day campaign, which ran from March 23 to April 22“World Earth Day”, aiming to raise awareness about global warming and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by generating creative and inspiring thinking through daily challenges.

From 20:30 to 21:30 in the evening of the first day of the activity on March 23rd, Beijing YWCA carried out "Earth Hour" light off activity. On April 4th, Beijing YWCA Training School organized 38 students and their parents to carry out a unique environmental outing volunteer activity. At noon on April 20 and 21, the Beijing YWCA Training School held a unique and fun creative painting activity in the small courtyard. The theme of this painting activity was environmental protection, covering global warming, garbage classification, energy conservation, emission reduction, and urban landscaping. On April 22nd, the 55th Earth Day, Beijing YWCA Training School organized nearly 50 teachers, students and parents to join a hiking while picking garbage on the way. It is an opportunity for students to step out of the classroom, take environment-friendly bags, and practise environment protection concepts.

Tianjin YMCA

On April 13, in order to celebrate the upcoming “World Earth Day” and promote the concept of environmental friendly and “plastic reduction” lifestyle, Tianjin YMCA organized volunteers to hold an  activity of “hand-painted environmental friendly bags” in WANG YUAN elderly nursing home in Nankai district, Tianjin.Participants have been encouraged to replace plastic bags with environmental friendly bags in daily life. The event has attracted a number of elderly people to participate, and the atmosphere was very active. Through a “small action”of replacing plastics with cloth, it conveys the “big idea” of environmental protection to volunteers and elderly people. To enhance people's understanding of environmental protection and plastic reduction knowledge, and to creates an atmosphere for everyone to participate in the construction of ecological environment.

Tianjin YWCA

April 22, 2024 marked the 55th World Earth Day, and the theme was “Planet VS Plastics”. In order to deepen children's understanding of environmental protection and cultivate their sense of responsibility for environmental protection, Tianjin YWCA has carefully selected books with environmental protection themes for the children of Qujiang kindergarten. Teachers have organized children to carry out different forms of environmental protection thematic activities after reading, and planted seeds of protecting the environment and caring for their homes in children's hearts.

Shanghai YMCA & YWCA

On the morning of April 20, Shanghai Y community center and its cooperate partner jointly carried out a series of activities on the theme of "Protecting our Earth", and organized families to join picture book’s reading sharing, knowledge popularization and parent-child handicraft making. Through the sharing of the picture book "The Injured Ocean is Crying" between volunteers and families, children and parents understand the importance of environmental friendly， no littering especially plastic waste and plastic objects. To protect the earth and protect our homes is everyone’s responsibility!

Finally, participants jointly painted a picture of beach, representing their wishes to protect ocean and marine ecology. Let the ocean get back its origin color, so that marine creatures can have their own peaceful and warm home.

Guangzhou YMCA

In order to raise people's attention and awareness of the global climate change’s trend, to advocate individuals to take practical actions to deal with the challenges brought by climate change, and to join hands with friends and relatives to participate in environmental protection practices, Guangzhou YMCA has held a number of related activities since March 2024.

First,to carefully plan and implement the "Green and Beautiful Guangzhou" public welfare publicity activities.

Second,to encourage YMCA members who always live in cities to enjoy the beautiful countryside of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Third,to continuously promote low-carbon, zero-threshold and safe sports projects that newly emerged, so as to help build a healthy Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Fourth, to integrate the concept of environmental protection into the diverse volunteer service, and to convey positive attitude and responsibility to deal with climate change.

Guangzhou YWCA

On the morning of April 15, 2024, in response to the call of the National Council, Guangzhou YWCA held a environment protection lecture"New fashion of environmental protection and Low-carbon life style, a small concept of vegan represents big philosophy"in community.It aims to advocate residents to be advocates of low-carbon lifestyle, communicators of low-carbon concept, practitioners of low-carbon lifestyle, and to support the construction of "Green and beautiful Guangzhou". 19 residents participated in the activity. The participants have learned while playing. It has not only enhanced people’s awareness of environmental protection, but also enhanced the connection between neighbors. Participants said that they will convey environmental protection knowledge and concepts to their friends, and let more people participate in environmental protection actions. Jointly, we can protect our beautiful home and make the earth a better place!

Wuhan YMCA

On April 19,in order to celebrate the upcoming 55th "World Earth Day" and help people increase their awareness of garbage classification and environment protection.Wuhan YMCA has carried out activity in community to combat climate change -- "Be environmental friendly,  turn waste into Green". Participants are encouraged to exchange old batteries for green plants. At the same time, Wuhan YMCA volunteers has popularized the pollution hazards of waste batteries, introduced how to do a good job of garbage classification of waste batteries, answered daily science popularization questions, and encouraged everyone to develop good habit of correctly disposing of harmful garbage. By exchanging waste batteries for green plants, the "big idea" of scientific use of waste has been sent to residents, creating a good atmosphere for everyone to participate in building ecological environment.

Wuhan YWCA

April 22, 2024 was the 55th World Earth Day. In response to the National Council's call for climate action, Wuhan YWCA has organized a series of activities to jointly combat climate change.

Firstly, Wuhan YWCA has started initiatives to respond to the call.It has arranged thematic meeting to publicize the concept of environment protection and low carbon life style. It has also introduced the 31-day climate action challenge to board members, encouraging them to join the challenge and playing a leading role in reducing emissions and saving energy. Every practise stars from single step.

Secondly, Wuhan YWCA has organized low-carbon activities and actively practiced the concept of environmental protection. It has organized board members and volunteers to carry out a series of activities, such as environment-friendly hiking, voluntary tree planting, garbage removal, etc. More than one hundred people have participated, contributing to environmental protection through volunteering and practicing environmental protection concepts.

Chengdu YMCA & YWCA

Chengdu YMCA and YWCA strives to raise more attention and encourage more people to participate in environmental protection, jointly contributing efforts to protect the environment and build a better home. On March 23,2024, a garbage picking hiking -- cleaning mountain action was launched in Qionglai. This activity was organized by Chengdu YMCA and YWCA, aiming at advocating the concept of environmental protection through hiking, cleaning up garbage in the mountains, and lightening burden of nature.

On the evening of the 23rd,in response to the 31-day climate action challenge proposed by the APAY,all volunteers carried out an energy saving and environmental protection activity from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm --“Earth Hour · Turn Off Lights For One Hour”. We want to make our own efforts to assist realizing the global achievement of the SDGs.

Nanjing YMCA & YWCA

On "World Earth Day", Home of Grace, caring center for people with disability run by Nanjing YMCA and YWCA, organized a parent-child hiking activity, giving participants opportunity to enjoy the view of spring and living positively. Students of Home of Grace also want to make their own efforts to support the earth and environmental protection. During the hike, participants have picked up waste tissues, plastic bags and plastic bottles on the roadside and in the grass. They want to support environmental protection. This activity allows parents and students to get close to nature, relax physically and mentally, release students' excess emotions, relieve parents' long-term’s pressure in caring, and leave a good memory in spring.

Xi’an YMCA

On the 55th “World Earth Day”, in response to the call of the National Council to "carry out advocacy and practice to combat climate change", Xi’an YMCA held an online activity of "Carbon Neutral Challenge·I am a little warrior in Combating Plastics", inviting people to act together and contribute their own efforts to protect the earth.

In the one month's online activities, many YMCA members, volunteers and friends from all walks of life have responded positively. They have participated actively, become "little warrior in combating plastics",and jointly unlocked a variety of ways to express love to the earth.Now the activity has finished, but participants have adopted low-carbon living habits. Starting from tiny steps, jointly be a good"little warrior in combating plastics".

Xi'an YMCA will continue to carry out various environmental protection activities and contribute to the protection of the earth together with our friends.

Xi’an YWCA

In response to the call of the National Council, Xi'an YWCA has taken active actions and carried out various advocacy and practical activities to combat climate change.

Firstly, on the day of "Earth Hour", Xi’an YWCA popularized knowledge and concept of energy conservation and environmental protection, inspiring young volunteers to run daily energy-saving activities and record low-carbon environmental protection behaviors in the form of videos.

Secondly, on April 3rd, Xi’an YWCA staff held a "Community Environmental Protection Knowledge Seminar" for residents in community.

Thirdly, on April 3rd, Xi’an YWCA released the "Climate Action Challenge" initiative through social media, and inspired volunteers to participate.

4. Collect plastic products and send them to the recycling center. Xi’an YWCA’s young volunteer has joined the challenge as well! They have collected waste plastic water bottles, cans, magazines, etc., and sent them to the recycling center.

Hangzhou YMCA

In order to guide people to raise awareness of respecting and protecting nature,during the YMCA Environmental Protection Publicity month, Hangzhou YMCA organized a series of environmental protection thematic activities in various forms and rich content, such as online challenge, environmental protection introduction, and hiking to collect rubbish in the mountain.

Firstly, online challenge.In March this year,APAY launched a 31-day Climate Action Challenge. Hangzhou YMCA has invited volunteers to actively participate in online challenge.

Secondly, environmental protection publicity. On March 29,Hangzhou YMCA’s volunteer team carried out thematic advocacy activity"Civilized Qingming Festival,Green Tomb-Sweeping". On April 11, YMCA staff Mr.Enjie LIU was invited to give a lesson on environmental protection in Zhejiang Transportation Vocational and Technical College.

Thirdly, hiking to collect rubbish in the mountain. On April 20th, YMCA organized young volunteers to carry out the "Protect green space, prop up the blue sky" thematic hiking to collect rubbish in mountain.

Hangzhou YWCA

In order to actively respond to the national call to achieve "peak carbon dioxide emissions, carbon neutrality", to raise people's awareness of global warming, and to call on everyone to take practical actions to deal with climate change and contribute to avoiding climate crisis, Hangzhou YWCA adheres to the purpose of "serving society and benefiting people" and responds to the call of the National Council. It has actively participated in the climate action challenge initiated by APAY.

During the period from "Earth Hour" on March 23rd to “Earth Day” on April 22nd, Hangzhou YWCA carried out a series of online and site environmental protection activity, combing “Y Innovation” program -- “garbage classification in action”. It has included online including online submission, lectures, household publicity, and elderly handwork. Participants include YWCA members, volunteers, community elderly, and social workers.

Xiamen YMCA & YWCA

Xiamen YMCA and YWCA has actively responded to the call of the National Council, and carried out “World Earth Day”thematic advocacy project on April 21st together with cooperative partners, members, and volunteers.

Xiamen Y’s thematic activities include: “World Earth Day” propaganda and leaflet distribution, hand-made display of “Turning Waste into Treasure”,environmental-friendly lunch, environmental protection bazaar and other session. Volunteers and members have actively participated.

(Reported by NCY China)

Climate Defenders Workshop for pre-service teachers from Korea and Japan

Last Updated (Wednesday, 03 July 2024 10:46)

Climate Defenders Workshop for pre-service teachers from Korea and Japan

Forty pre-service teachers from various universities from Korea and Japan and 15 teachers and embassy staff gathered at the APAY Jeju Conference Hall on 21 June 2024 for the second part of their trilateral teacher training on “English for a Cleaner Future”. One of the trilateral teacher training objectives was to help pre-service teachers develop teaching materials using their own country’s English language textbooks and practice integrating the teaching techniques into lessons using them. The program strengthened people-to-people ties between the U.S., Korea, and Japan and supported teacher development and learning about Sustainable Development Goals, underscoring the importance of combating climate change.

The first part of the trilateral teacher training, held in Fukuoka, Japan, focused on water crises, clean water, and marine environmental conservation. Participants also visited a desalination plant and learned about the process of making sea water drinkable.

The second part of the trilateral teacher training was held in Jeju, where APAY conducted a Climate Defenders Workshop introducing anthropogenic climate change concepts and the importance of personal contributions to stopping global warming. The workshop was designed to help the pre-service teachers understand that the current climate crisis is caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and, hence, the importance for teachers to teach students about global warming and work towards achieving the long-term goal of behavioural change among students to practice responsible and sustainable lifestyles. Before the workshop, participants were assigned to upcycle a plastic soda bottle. During the workshop, they designed creative climate action activities to use as teaching tools for their classrooms.

By Chan Beng Seng

Coordinator, Climate Defenders

Asia Pacific YMCA