Samantha Erin Casey

The Hopeful Futures Series, run by the Climate Hope Lab, is a community-driven workshop series that centres imagination as a powerful tool for climate action and social change. The purpose of this project is to support young people in transforming climate anxiety into hope and meaningful action by fostering creativity, connection, and empowerment. In a world of constant change and unsettling projections for our future, fostering climate hope and building community is essential for radical transformation and creating the futures we need. A 2021 study of over 1,000 youth aged 16–25 found that 78% say climate change affects their mental health, and 73% feel the future is frightening because of it (Fraser et al., The Lancet Planetary Health, 2021). This workshop series responds directly to that growing need by offering free, accessible programming that blends creativity, storytelling, and imagination. It empowers young people to envision bold, better worlds and take meaningful steps toward them. Whether through pursuing purpose-driven work, creating inspiring art, or collectively reimagining systems, participants will explore how daydreaming can be a radical act for change, how to turn anxiety and overwhelm into action, and how hope can guide the work of transforming our communities.