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Cited by 42Environmental and sustainability educationIndigenous and Place-Based EducationPeace and Human Rights Education

“We’re fighting for our lives”: Centering affective, collective and systemic approaches to climate justice education as a youth mental health imperative

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Vamvalis, Maria·2023·Research in Education
DOI 10.1177/00345237231160090
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Abstract

Young people’s ongoing, necessary confrontation with painful and distressing realities exacerbated by ecological precarity in diverse contexts has profound implications for formal education systems. Additionally, educational policy in many contexts has been slow to respond to the urgency of addressing climate change, nor has most policy robustly conceptualized a vision for climate justice education. Centering the voices of three young climate justice activists (ages 16–20) in Canada through a qualitative study, this paper explores possible educational responses that recognize the embodied consequences of climate injustice and inaction on youth mental health and well-being. Through their encounters with activism in collective, justice-centered movements, these young people articulate how their commitments to creating more life-affirming and equitable realities by challenging current economic and political structures and discourses are integral dimensions of their efforts to be and feel well (hopeful and purposeful) in a context of pronounced uncertainty and distress. Despite these possibilities, youth participants describe the overwhelming and complex emotions they are grappling with as they face dispiriting projections for the future. These growing challenges are an opportunity to reconsider common “apolitical” and individualized approaches to citizenship, climate and environmental education. Findings suggest that supporting youth to act thoughtfully and impactfully in transforming cultural, economic and political structures and systems that reproduce harm can be a way to nurture meaning, purpose and hope. Additionally, youth participants advocate for integrating robust resources and support within formal education institutions to assist in collectively processing the emotional and psychological impacts of climate injustice. At the same time, findings suggest that the participating youth did not yet integrate conceptions of ecological interrelationship or interconnection in their approaches, offering possible avenues for further pedagogical development.

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  • In a qualitative study of 3 Canadian climate justice activists aged 16-20, activism can promote feeling of meaning, purpose and hope.

    “Activism can promote feeling of meaning, pur - pose and hope”

    From The Effect of Civic Engagement on Different Dimensions of Well-Being in Youth: A Scoping Review (2025) · cites this paper as Vamvalis ( 2023 )

  • Sense of purpose and being part of a larger collective are important factors that facilitate the positive association between protest action and well-being.

    “Also, similarly to Conner et al. ( 2021 ), this study also identified a sense of purpose and being part of a larger collective as important factors that facilitate this positive association.”

    From The Effect of Civic Engagement on Different Dimensions of Well-Being in Youth: A Scoping Review (2025) · cites this paper as Vamvalis, 2023

  • There could be a positive association between protest action and better well-being (lower environmental anxiety and mental health distress) among young Canadian climate change activists.

    “Another qualitative study done on young Canadian climate change activists by Vamvalis ( 2023) concluded that there could be a positive associa -tion between protest action and better well-being (i.e., lower environmental anxiety and mental health distress).”

    From The Effect of Civic Engagement on Different Dimensions of Well-Being in Youth: A Scoping Review (2025) · cites this paper as Vamvalis, 2023

  • Although the impact of protest action is generally mixed, the potential positive effect is more pronounced among adolescents than young adults.

    “Second, although the impact of protest action is generally mixed, the potential positive effect is more pronounced among adolescents than young adults (e.g., Montague & Eiroa-Orosa, 2017 ; Vamvalis, 2023 ).”

    From The Effect of Civic Engagement on Different Dimensions of Well-Being in Youth: A Scoping Review (2025) · cites this paper as Vamvalis, 2023

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Authors
Vamvalis, M.
Affiliations
University of Toronto (CA)
Corresponding author
Vamvalis, Maria
ORCID
Vamvalis, Maria
Venue
Research in Education
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2023-03-03
Volume
117
Issue
1
Pages
88-112
ISSN
  • 0034-5237 (ISSN-L)
  • 2050-4608
DOI
10.1177/00345237231160090
OpenAlex
W4323075494
Cited by
42
References
91
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 16
FWCI
11.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
Research in Education (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Environmental and sustainability education
  • Social Sciences › Education › Indigenous and Place-Based Education
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Peace and Human Rights Education
Keywords
climate justice education, youth mental health, climate justice activism, emotional education, collective action, systemic change, ecological precarity, environmental education, youth well-being

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