Educating and mobilizing seniors on climate change: An intergenerational intervention to foster engagement in environmental volunteering

To better support the participation of seniors in Quebec and France in environmental and climate volunteering while combating ageism at a time when global warming is unavoidable, it is important to translate the Retirees in Service to the Environment (RISE) program into French and adapt it to an intergenerational context.

Project details

Scientific program

Programmation 2020-2028

Theme(s) and priority(s)

Social and Health Challenges - Adaptation of Living Environments

Start and duration

September 2024 • August 2027

Project Status

Starting

Principal(s) investigator(s)

Mélanie Levasseur

Université de Sherbrooke

Context

Population ageing and climate change are two major public health challenges, particularly in Quebec and in France, where average annual temperatures are rising faster than anywhere else in the world. Seniors are often more vulnerable to the consequences of climate change and should be involved in solutions to environmental challenges. However, due to a lack of knowledge about climate change and the absence of structured activities in this field, they are less inclined to participate.

Objective(s)

To better understand the feasibility of implementing the Retirees in Service to the Environment (RISE) program, adapted to an intergenerational context in Quebec and France
To document the translation of the new version of RISE and the inclusion of climate change in it
To evaluate the impact of RISE on seniors’ environmental attitudes, eco-anxiety, social participation and engagement
To assess the impact of RISE on young people’s eco-anxiety
To evaluate the impact of RISE on the effect of an intergenerational intervention promoting cooperation
To identify success factors for and obstacles to environmental volunteering by seniors in Quebec and France

Methodology

Phase 1: Cross-cultural validation by cross-disciplinary experts

Adapt the RISE program implementation manual to an intergenerational and francophone context
Add a component on adaptation to climate change

Phase 2: Mixed specifications

Introductory workshop (leadership and communication) and six workshops on the environment, climate change and adaptation for seniors and young people
Workshop for community participants to plan an environmental and climate volunteer stewardship project
Questionnaires assessing environmental volunteering on mitigating and adapting to climate change, eco-anxiety, environmental attitudes, social participation and health
Measures of the perception of ageism
Three-stage program evaluation to understand the success factors for and obstacles to environmental and climate volunteering

Expected results

Creation and implementation of test projects
Climate change education and awareness-raising
A better understanding of the success factors for and obstacles to environmental and climate volunteering
Project report, scientific articles, public education events

Benefits for adaptation

A turnkey program for organizations and municipalities to initiate climate actions that promote intergenerational engagement, thereby strengthening their organizational effectiveness by drawing on community spirit and the specialized skills of volunteers.

Seniors mobilized for climate action, in a context of increasing impacts of climate change and an aging population, reducing ageism among young people.

Funding

This project is partly funded by the Government of Quebec and meets the objectives of the Plan pour une économie verte 2030.

Co-researchers

Samuèle Rémillard-Boilard, Université de Sherbrooke
Johanne Filiatrault, Université de Montréal et Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal
Adolfo Agundez Rodriguez, Université de Sherbrooke
Stéphanie Meynet, Université de Sherbrooke
Mélisa Audet, Centre collégial d’expertise en gérontologie du Cégep de Drummondville