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NYCHA Now
December 2021 Sustainability 

Leadership Council Seeks NYCHA Youth Voice on Climate Change, Sustainability

Vincent Echavaria

NYCHA young adults who want to take a more active role in addressing how climate change and sustainability impact their communities now have a chance to make their voices heard.  

This month, in partnership with the National Grid public utility, the Authority is launching the GreenNYCHA Youth Leadership Council for residents ages 16 to 24. The free, 12-week program will be held virtually through March 8, allowing participants to lead sessions where they will research, develop, and propose solutions and projects on environmental issues at NYCHA developments.  

The young residents will learn about solar energy, green infrastructure, energy efficiency, and waste management/recycling practices across the Authority. A $250 stipend will be provided to participants who complete the youth-led program.  

“It’s focused on energy and sustainability, and helping youth get a better understanding of their role when it comes to climate change, energy preservation, and sustainability, as well as how NYCHA has a larger role in energy and sustainability,” said Khadija Charles, a program coordinator who is managing the youth council. “It also looks at what we can do as a collective to make a difference in our environment.”  

The leadership council is part of NYCHA’s efforts to enable youth to share their voice on various Authority programs in their neighborhoods, as well as on issues that impact their lives, like sustainability. The goal is to provide members with the tools and knowledge to help create lasting change in their community.    

“We want our youth to not only have a voice in their development, their homes, and what’s happening with NYCHA, but we want them to feel that it’s something they can continuously play into,” Ms. Charles noted.  

The GreenNYCHA Youth Leadership Council will enable young residents to propose solutions and projects that address environmental issues at NYCHA developments.

Rayford Hooks, Manager in the Resident Engagement Department, said NYCHA partners with the nonprofit Green City Force to educate young adult residents on sustainability and train them for green jobs. Sustainability is a key issue at NYCHA, he said, with programs focused on reducing the carbon footprint, recycling, and proper waste management, and the GreenNYCHA council allows residents to provide feedback about such initiatives. 

“We see it to be super impactful if we can assemble this group of young people who have this focus, and if we can bring it on a very focused scale to their developments and on more of a grand stage with how it fits into the City’s overarching sustainability plans,” he said.  

The leadership council’s virtual classes are expected to feature presentations by guest speakers from NYCHA Waste Management and National Grid. The program may also include some site visits, including NYCHA’s waste management facility. An event will be held at the end of the 12-week program for the members to showcase their work.  

Mr. Hooks said a long-term goal of the leadership council is for participants to continue engaging in sustainability and clean energy programs in a professional or educational setting.  

By working throughout the course to propose solutions and projects to address the impacts of climate change, the NYCHA youth will have the chance to see that they can make a difference in their community, Ms. Charles said. 

“I think this will be a really good turning point for the youth to feel more engaged in their own communities, because they can feel like they have more of a voice and have ways to actually take action,” she concluded.