Implementing Partner for the Resilience, Innovation and Sustainability for Empowered Youth (RISE) Project in the Bicol Region

Resilience, Innovation, and Sustainability for Empowered Youth (RISE) is IOM Philippines' contribution to climate justice. It is IOM's pilot initiative to demonstrate the gains that could be achieved by investing in youth for long-term solutions to climate-induced human mobility. Through the project, IOM aims to contribute to the awareness and empowerment of youth actors in climate actions in the Bicol region, through capacity development and enabling of small-scale support projects in coordination with local government structures. The primary stakeholders of this project are Bicol youth ages 18-30, recognizing their vulnerability to the long-term effects of the climate crisis, while simultaneously acknowledging their capacity to develop and mobilize impactful solutions to these challenges. In coordination with the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through an implementing partner, IOM Philippines will operationalize a 24-month capacity building project for Bicol youth through mentorship and training on topics such as climate and environmental change, public budgeting through local and national government, advocacy, as well as community organizing and mobilization. IOM will organize and empower youth-driven project development and management workshops and distribute small grants for project implementation. The youth participants will then implement these projects in Albay and Sorsogon provinces in the Bicol region, through the guidance of IOM and DENR. RISE will conclude with a regional youth forum on climate adaptation and resilience.