
In November 2024, Future Focus 21c (FF21c) produced Climate|Ceardaíocht, in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry, a festival, funded by Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) facilitated through Kerry Education and Training board (KETB) that focused on exploring Climate Literacy for ALL and fostering sustainable practices. With its theme of “Crafting Action Today for a Better Tomorrow,” the festival’s 10 events in 10 days, created a platform for actionable learning, creative engagement, and meaningful dialogue on how individuals and communities can contribute to global climate goals.
Being rooted in our community, we understand the wealth of knowledge and ideas that exist here, which we wanted to include and promote. One of Future Focus21cs underlying principles is the understanding that all communities have a wealth of knowledge and expertise that is often overlooked and under-valued. We believe going forward, such knowledge will be increasingly important to share across the community as access to resources may become limited, due to the impact of climate change. Central to this mission were resilience-building and the promotion of low-carbon practices, along with advancing circular economy principles through workshops and practical demonstrations.
The festival set out to address unmet climate literacy needs by expanding conversations in two critical areas: climate literacy (in plain English) and practical community-driven solutions. The festival sought to inform participants enabling them to make informed choices in their day-to-day lives by equipping them with actionable knowledge, while also localising broader discussions on national policy and international geo-politics e.g. coinciding with COP29. Our programming hoped to inspire behavioural change by equipping participants with tools to reduce their carbon footprint, adopt low-carbon practices, and understand the principles of a circular economy.
While a festival may seem a departure from Future Focus 21c’s core work, the festival’s programme was grounded in the key strands underpinning all we do; our commitment to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education and sustainable Creative Placemaking for community resilience . By blending practical workshops, artistic expressions, and science-based knowledge, the festival sought to create a vibrant space where individuals could explore the intersections of climate action, community resilience, and creativity. From hands-on activities e.g. growing microgreens, the sensory experience of World Sensorium or Forest Bathing, the event exemplified how Future Focus21c's approach nurtures innovative thinking while rooting solutions in local identity and cultural heritage.
Images from Stories of Change, Biodiversity talks and Forest Bathing, FF21c Nov 2024
Climate literacy - what is it and why is it important?
Climate literacy—the understanding of climate science, its impacts, and actionable solutions—has become a critical skill for navigating the 21st century. As the world faces unprecedented challenges from climate change, individuals and communities must be equipped to make informed decisions, adopt sustainable practices, and contribute to collective action. However, the reality is that gaps in literacy, particularly among adults, often hinder access to this vital knowledge. Addressing unmet literacy needs, such as those highlighted by the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) strategy, provides a unique opportunity to bridge this divide and empower individuals with the tools needed to build resilience and sustainability.
Adult literacy and climate literacy share common ground in their potential to transform lives. While traditional literacy enables individuals to access and process information, climate literacy builds on this foundation by fostering critical thinking about global and local environmental challenges. For adults with unmet literacy needs, gaining access to clear, actionable climate information can feel out of reach. This is where initiatives like Future Focus 21c’s (FF21c) Climate|Ceardaíocht Festival plays a transformative role, using inclusive and accessible formats to integrate literacy with sustainability education. By aligning its efforts with the ALL mission, Future Focus21c demonstrates how literacy can evolve into a dynamic, lifelong learning process that supports individuals, communities, and global goals.
For FF21c, climate literacy is not just about understanding—it’s about action. By combining STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education with Creative Placemaking, FF21c fosters multiple literacies through engaging, practical activities, that are connected to place and identity. This approach not only addresses unmet literacy needs but also provides participants with tangible skills to help them navigate the complexities of climate change. This approach is transferable across generations and responsive to the dual challenges of literacy and sustainability in today’s world.
A Festival Rooted in Literacy and Action
By focusing on influencing behavioural change rather than just information giving, using multiple modalities (film, arts, sensory workshops, practical action workshops, information sharing) the festival provided a proof of concept for future community-led Climate Literacy initiatives, offering a replicable model that could (and evidence shows did) inspire other communities. These aims were measured through key indicators, including
attendance figures and repeat participation,
audience feedback captured via surveys and a “Post Box,”
building our social media channels and communications directory
the growth of social media channels and communication networks,
the reach and resharing of festival content,
and interest expressed by external groups in future events and collaborations.
Participants highlighted learning about micro-greens, food waste reduction, and biodiversity as significant takeaways. Hands-on activities like "Grow Your Own Mini Garden" and "Community Action: A Guide to Supporting Your Local Catchment" were highly appreciated for their practicality and ability to be applied at home. Repeat Attendance, particularly for workshops focused on practical solutions, showed both community interest and the potential developing feelings of connectedness with other local participants, who shared their values and with whom they could share information.
Images from Micro-greens workshop, World Sensorium and Kiss the Ground, FF21c, Nov 2024
Creative and Educational Events: The World Sensorium and Forest Bathing & Nature Connection workshops shared unique multisensory approaches to engaging participants, emphasising the connection between nature, community, and heritage. Stories of Change, the shop front and digital exhibition in the local library also shared tangible examples of change makers both national and regionally as examples of what others are doing and inspiration for what’s possible for citizens.
Climate Literacy Outcomes: Focusing on workshops and hands-on learning for resilience and low carbon practices was a key aim within the festival’s programming. Attendees reported greater awareness of how to apply these practices in their daily lives and the majority of participants reported feeling more knowledgeable about climate issues, such as local ecosystems, sustainable practices, and their role in fostering resilience as well as being more informed on . low-carbon living and practical applications at home. Sessions like Working Towards Zero Waste Food Consumption directly tied into circular economy principles, showcasing actionable steps like reducing waste and reusing resources.
The film screenings (Kiss the Ground, Common Ground) and the talk night provided a knowledge foundation for attendees (local and international) and it is hoped that longer term this would contribute to informed decisions about climate action. The practical sessions were chosen to support this, equipping participants with entry-level / accessible actionable skills, e.g. micro-nutrients growing food in small spaces and their takeaway ‘home kits’ or the recipes and tips from the Zero Food Waste workshop. Self-reported / anecdotal evidence in the workshops and more formal feedback captured evidence of attendee’s intention to adopt behaviors like growing micro-greens and exploring zero-waste solutions.
The festival became a networking event, enabling like-minded individuals to meet and exchange ideas and contacts during events. Participants shared ideas for implementing changes at home and within their communities, such as starting local catchment projects or collaborating on sharing locally grown food. Details of existing groups and initiatives were also shared e.g. information on the Whatsapp food growing share group, local Facebook swap page page. An initial sense of community is also evident online with the growth of our social media and communications directory, with attendees resharing content and new groups engaging with our posts. The proposed Information Exchange Mart had also been designed to encourage networking and the sharing of ideas, aligning with circular economy values, however this had to be cancelled due to orange weather warning and electrical outages. We are already rescheduling aspects of this for Feb. 2025 in collaboration with Skellig Coast Tourism Network and Cahersiveen Tidy Towns
Outcomes That Matter
Despite challenges, including event cancellations due to Storm Bert, the festival achieved significant outcomes:
Increased Awareness: Participants left with actionable insights into climate resilience and local ecosystems.
Practical Solutions: Workshops on micro-greens, food waste reduction, and biodiversity restoration provided real-world applications for sustainable living.
Community Engagement: Networking opportunities connected like-minded individuals, paving the way for future collaborations.
Infographic Creation: 10-step climate action that is accessible (Plain English) and easy actions
Next stages: A series of short, medium and long-term actions
Attendees also embraced creative formats such as the World Sensorium project, which used scent to connect people with Ireland’s olfactory heritage, and the Stories of Change exhibition, which showcased inspiring examples of local and national climate action. The festival revealed both opportunities and gaps in addressing climate literacy. Weather disruptions highlighted the need for contingency planning in an era of increasing climate impacts. Additionally, while outreach efforts reached many, engaging individuals with unmet literacy needs remains a challenge. To overcome these barriers, the team recommends hybrid event formats to increase accessibility, stronger partnerships with literacy organisations, and targeted programming for hard-to-reach groups. We have also developed a series of educational possibilities for year-round learning possibilities and are looking forward to discussing these further with our funders and local education training board.

Building on Success: Looking Ahead
The Climate|Ceardaíocht Festival has proven to be a significantly, adaptable and replicable model for fostering community-based climate action and advancing literacy. It’s blend of practical workshops, creative engagement, and collaborative partnerships highlights the potential for local initiatives to address global challenges. Beyond its immediate impact, the festival has opened doors to expand climate literacy in ways that meet not only environmental goals but also the unmet literacy needs identified by initiatives like the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) strategy. By integrating plain language, accessibility, multiple formats and actionable learning, the festival has laid a strong foundation for scaling its impact.
Looking forward, the team at Future Focus 21c (FF21c) envisions a dynamic and inclusive approach to sustaining and growing the festival's legacy and we are keen to expand learning beyond event attendees, including:
Digital Resources: Creating guides and videos on topics like zero-waste living and biodiversity conservation.
Training Opportunities for ALL / NALA: Conversations that occurred during the programming phase have identified key opportunities for training within local and national agencies as while the concept of ‘Plain English’ is understood and there are guidelines and at times mandates to use this there are wider issues that impact on access and literacy around information giving that need to be addressed e.g. accessing support for grant forms and assessing information and eligibility criteria online beyond grant writing skills
Ongoing Review and Feedback: Establish feedback mechanisms with partners like NALA to assess the impact of their contributions and improve collaboration for future campaigns and events.
Enhanced Social Media Strategy: Develop a clear communication strategy for policy for funded projects and institutional partners to ensure consistent and effective use of social media for awareness-raising campaigns. Regular monitoring and follow-ups are essential to ensure engagement and visibility.
Leverage Traditional and Local Media: Maximise the reach of radio and newsletter campaigns while exploring additional localised media outlets to target specific demographics.
Strengthen Community Partnerships: Continue building relationships with groups such as PPN, local literacy coalitions, and community resource centres. Work on identifying the most effective communication channels tailored to diverse audiences, particularly hard-to-reach groups.
Harnessing Events for Broader Conversations: Events like Climate|Ceardaíocht can serve as powerful platforms to expand both local and national dialogues. These should be strategically planned to align with literacy and community engagement goals.
Ongoing Platform: The Climate|Ceardaíocht social media channels(Facebook and Instagram are linked to Future Focus21c’s main channels, which enables an outlet for key / focused content that continues to position Climate|Ceardaíocht channels as influential as well as build an on-going community for future activities beyond Future Focus21c’s post-primary education.
Intergenerational Learning: Encouraging collaboration between younger and older participants through shared projects.
Policy Engagement: Linking local actions to broader frameworks like COP29 and EU green initiatives.
By scaling these efforts, the festival aims to sustain its momentum, deepen its impact, and inspire communities across Ireland and beyond. As we reflect on the success of the Climate|Ceardaíocht Festival, one thing is clear; community-driven initiatives have great potential to foster a more sustainable future. Recognising the broader barriers to literacy, the team also aims to work with agencies such as ALL and National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) to provide training on essential skills like accessing grants, navigating eligibility criteria, and interpreting complex forms—areas where traditional literacy efforts often fall short.
These steps align directly with Future Focus21c’s mission to transform literacy into an empowering tool for climate resilience and social equity. Moreover, the festival's future success will hinge on strengthening community partnerships, enhancing communication strategies, and expanding intergenerational learning opportunities. From leveraging traditional and local media, crafting a robust social media strategy, or creating resources and educational programmes, the focus will be on reaching diverse audiences, particularly those who are often left out of mainstream sustainability conversations.
Through these initiatives, Future Focus21c is committed to building a scalable, impactful, and inclusive model for climate literacy that inspires change far beyond the festival’s boundaries.
Over the next few months we will be thinking about how we can keep the conversation going and ensure that the seeds planted during this festival continue to thrive - follow us on Linkedin Instagram and Facebook. We invite funders, policymakers, educators, and community leaders to join us in this journey. Together, we can craft a resilient, informed, and empowered society ready to tackle the challenges of climate change.
We want to thank Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) facilitated through Paula Tiller,Regional Literacy Coordinator for County Kerry, Kerry Education and Training board (KETB)
Watch this Space!
Comments