for Climate Action
About CoJourn for Climate Action
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We are in the midst of a climate emergency, and decisions and actions taken in the next decade will determine if the planet is livable for generations to come. As we each figure out our individual roles and a way forward collectively, it is clear that staying connected and building in structures for support and sustained accountability are critical to facing the issue with discernment, courage and persistence.
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We are thrilled to share our latest program offering, CoJourn for Climate Action. In the face of pressing challenges posed by climate change, this program is designed to support individuals and organizations in taking meaningful steps toward addressing the issue in small pieces that are manageable while building a deeper connection to another individual committed to change.
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Building off our successful CoJourn for Well-being and CoJourn for Racial Justice models, CoJourn for Climate Action utilizes the research-backed CoJourn framework and pairs you with a supportive, nonjudgmental accountability partner to meet and check in with for 30 minutes weekly for three months. The cohort experience also offers a larger community to connect with monthly for support, guidance, and inspiration and other resources.
Whether you are just beginning to get involved with this issue, or a long-time climate activist, having a compassionate accountability partner to meet with weekly may help you:
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Discern your area of focus and impact
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Continue your education about the topic
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Make changes to your lifestyle consistent with your values
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Increase your activism
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Have a compassionate space to process feelings that come up around the climate crisis
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Sustain and deepen your work
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Actually follow through on your intentions!
Research shows that getting involved in some small (or large!) ways can not only make a difference to our future, but can strengthen our sense of community, help us feel more empowered, and shift our feelings of anxiety and overwhelm about the issue.
These challenging times are calling for all of us to show up in new ways with our full humanity, wisdom and power to make a difference.
A little history…
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This CoJourn cohort application was created in the winter of 2024 after years of implementing our CoJourn for Racial Justice program for individuals and organizations. After seeing the success of applying the CoJourn model to a specific focus related to social change, two environmental activists approached the CoJourn team and encouraged us to design a program model focused on climate action.
CoJourn co-founder Molly Keehn, Ed.D collaborated with a team of advisors with climate expertise, and the CoJourn staff team, to develop and launch this new program. The initial pilot group included participants from across the U.S. and abroad who paired up to take action on their personal goals for climate action, with tremendous success.
CoJourn for Climate Action is now ready for implementation in K-12 schools, higher education environments, non-profit organizations and corporate workplaces. In these settings, individuals apply the CoJourn model to stay committed and get support as they move forward with organizational strategy in relation to climate action.
12-Week Program Experience Includes:
A co-facilitated group program launch session, with instructions on how to use the CoJourn framework for support and accountability in a compassionate, celebration-focused way
e-copy of the CoJourn Companion Guide and Workbook
Thoughtful partner matching with a CoJourn partner - or work with a partner of participants’ choosing
CoJourn for Climate Action Resource List, including ideas for action and education for people from different roles and experiences with climate action work
Co-facilitated mid-way check-in meeting to get support, share successes and resources, and a program close meeting for reflection and commitment to next steps
Weekly emails for support and ideas throughout the 12-week process
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(Program can be adapted based on the needs and requests of the organization)
Benefits of CoJourn for Climate Action:
Greta
Thunberg
“Once we start to act, hope is everywhere. So instead of looking for hope, look for action. Then, and only then, hope will come.”
Experience the hope that comes from taking action to address climate change. Counteract the effects of eco-anxiety and eco-paralysis
​Self-directed and flexible (participants choose own area of focus and start wherever they are on the journey)
Break up big goals (that may feel overwhelming) into bite-sized, achievable step
Opportunity to reflect regularly to continually learn, grow, and live into the one’s values and priorities​
Build relationships, break isolation and disrupt transactional ways of being
Practice key skills that are supportive of sustainable social change such as active listening, peer support, and self-compassion
Find connection, support and insight with your CoJourn accountability partnr
What Participants are Saying:
Poulomi Chakravarty, PhD
Founder
Global Climate Association
"When I joined CoJourn, I had a vision of making a real impact on climate literacy. I wanted to create an international event that could connect diverse communities and inspire climate action. However, the scale of organizing a global event was daunting…
The CoJourn program provided a structured framework that I hadn’t experienced before. Having weekly goals and a supportive partner ensured I stayed accountable. The friendly reminders from [the CoJourn team], encouraging us to keep pushing towards our objectives, were incredibly motivating. The positivity of the platform turned what could have been an exhausting undertaking into an experience filled with hope and a sense of community.
Elena Huisman
Manager Philanthropy Climate Lead
“I have worked in the climate change field for 10 years and in climate philanthropy for the past 8. Over the years, my role evolved and I found myself less and less connected to the practitioners who are on the front lines of the climate crisis and the content itself.
CoJourn was a way for me to reconnect to what first sparked joy in choosing this field; it provided me a framework to grow and strengthen my knowledge of the ever changing landscape of climate and expand my professional network while also connecting with my neighbor who was my CoJourn partner.
Over 90% of pilot program participants said they would enthusiastically recommend CoJourn for Climate Action to a friend!
Feedback from Pilot Program Surveys
Q: "In what ways did your experience in CoJourn for Climate Action impact you?"
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(Results from program end surveys)
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* ​​"I think the program is a great way to jumpstart a commitment to a large intractable and daunting issue. It addresses that paralysis that often sets in when trying to figure out how to approach the climate crisis. I really appreciate the intentions of the program and the resources that were provided."
* "I feel I have become more open and creative in regard to what climate action can look like"
* "It made me more aware, accountable, informed and got me back on track with regards to action"
* "I realized how important it is for me to meet and do work alongside others in this space."
* "It's expanded my view of what climate action is. I'm more educated about issues and am following the election and the potential impact on climate issues more closely. I started using the climate action now app to take small actions."
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* "It has helped me continue my climate learning and motivates me to carve space to do this in my busy work day."
* "It was incredibly helpful to break down a larger goal into smaller ones -- feeling accomplished"
Media
Check out CoJourn Co-founder Molly Keehn, Ed.D speaking about CoJourn for Climate Action in a recent podcast and blog post, as well as an international perspective on the CoJourn for Climate Action pilot program.
Zoey Pickett, Community Sustainability Coordinator, and Olivia Aguilar, Miller Worley Center for the Environment Director, discuss the importance of climate action in an election year with Molly Keehn, author and lecturer of intergroup dialogue about climate action.
Click to Listen
CoJourn co-founder Molly Keehn shares her personal experience of finding her own path into climate action, using the CoJourn framework. A great down-to-earth look at the importance of starting wherever you are in the journey.
Click to Read
Click to Read
CoJourn for Climate Action pilot program participant, and founder of Global Climate Association, Poulomi Chakravarty, talks about her experience with CoJourn and her global event, TerraConfluence. Co-authored with her CoJourn partner Grietje Keller, this is a great look into a unique perspective and experience with the program.
Bring CoJourn for Climate Change
to your Organization or Group:
If you are interested in scheduling a workshop or creating a custom program for your organization, please contact us below (connect@cojourn.org):
Acknowledgements:
We would like to acknowledge and thank the team who participated in shaping the first iteration of the CoJourn for Climate Action Program, Winter/Spring 2024. Some are pictured below at one of our planning meetings, and you’ll see the fill list of names next to the photo:
