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UNDP Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei Darussalam and UNICEF Malaysia announced a new partnership today with the European Union funding the Youth Environment Living Labs (YELL) to expand the reach and impact of YELL’s activities.

As a joint programme by UNDP Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei Darussalam and UNICEF Malaysia, in collaboration with Amanah Lestari Alam (ALAM) and the European Union (EU), YELL is a platform to create opportunities for young people in Malaysia to play an effective role in actions on climate-related and environmental issues.

YELL aims to localise climate narratives and emphasise local and indigenous perspectives on nature and environment so that they are more relevant and compelling to young people in Malaysia, and to strengthen the ecosystem of actors to support and hold the space for young people to engage as agents of change in environmental policy and action.

H.E. Mr Michalis Rokas, Ambassador of the European Union to Malaysia said “Young people’s role in climate action is core to the EU’s external action. They are the driving force for a sustainable future and their action is key for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The EU is proud to support the YELL project and partner with UNDP, UNICEF and ALAM. Through the collective efforts in this unique youth-led initiative, the EU and its Member States are committed to providing opportunities and necessary skills for young people. It will enable them to concretely act as agents of change, entrepreneurs and innovators to accelerate climate action in their local communities and ensuring that no-one is left behind.”

The EU's support will provide crucial resources for YELL's upcoming programmes, including the ‘Conservocation Programme’. This work experience initiative will connect 20 young Malaysians in 2024, with local environmental organisations for 6 months, offering valuable learning opportunities through mentorship, and work-shadowing experiences.

Datuk Ali Tan Sri Abdul Kadir, Chairman of ALAM, expressed his optimism about the positive impact of this partnership, “ALAM takes pride in championing youth empowerment to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental challenges through its ongoing collaboration on YELL with UNDP and UNICEF since 2022. ALAM is excited about its new partnership with the EU, which highlights the importance of YELL in inspiring local climate actions among youth throughout Malaysia. We anticipate that this collaboration will extend the programme's reach to the grassroots, including remote and indigenous communities.”

YELL will launch its flagship Seed Grant programme later this year. The seed grant, which provides funding of up to RM 100,000 per project, is expected to support innovative ideas and pilot projects to engage even more young people in climate action.

“This expanded partnership represents a significant step forward in our collective efforts to combat climate change and protect our planet for future generations. In leveraging the support of the EU, we aim to inspire, educate, and empower young Malaysians via YELL to become active agents of change in their communities,” said Niloy Banerjee, Resident Representative of UNDP Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam.

“Climate change is affecting children everywhere. It is our duty to facilitate active engagement and participation of children and young people in shaping solutions. UNICEF is a proud partner of YELL, where young people contribute to climate action, raise their voices, and cultivate a sense of responsibility for creating a safe and sustainable world,” said Robert Gass, UNICEF Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei Darussalam.

Since its launch in 2022, YELL has directly empowered young people through the funding of 15 youth-led projects, and reaching almost 850,000 people with awareness-raising communications, while continuously fostering dialogue between young Malaysians and decision-makers. YELL’s pilot work experience programme has further supported 7 young people to gain experiences, skills and exposure in conservation and sustainability sectors.

About YELL

The Youth Environment Living Labs (YELL) is a platform to create opportunities for young people in Malaysia to play an effective role in actions on climate-related and environmental issues. YELL aims to localise climate narratives and emphasise local and indigenous perspectives on nature and environment so that they are more relevant and compelling to young people in Malaysia, and to strengthen the ecosystem of actors to support and hold the space for young people to engage as agents of change in environmental policy and action.

YELL is a joint programme of the UNDP Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei Darussalam and UNICEF Malaysia, in collaboration with Amanah Lestari Alam (ALAM) and the European Union (EU).

For more information about YELL and its work, visit: yell.my

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About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organisation fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

For more information about UNDP and its work, visit: undp.org/malaysia

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About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.

For more information about UNICEF and its work for children visit unicef.org/malaysia/. Follow UNICEF on X (Twitter), Instagram and Facebook

About ALAM

ALAM is a national initiative, mooted by the Ministry of Finance Malaysia and spearheaded by Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (BPMB), with the mission to transform the mind-set and change the behaviours of Malaysians on the environment. ALAM aims to create awareness, educate on the change and instil whistleblowing culture on the environment by collaborating with the public sectors, private sectors and civil societies, in addition to advocating policy by working with and providing a meaningful bridge between industry players and policy makers for improved governance and impactful delivery of initiatives.

For more information about ALAM and its work, follow ALAM on X (Twitter), Facebook,  Linkedin and Instagram

About the European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European countries. It is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. It acts globally to promote sustainable development of societies, environment and economies, so that everyone can benefit.

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