PermaYouth in Action

– Moblising the next generation of environmental stewards

By investing in youth today, Permatil TL and Permatil Global are equipping new generations of citizens with the knowledge, skills, capacity and confidence to significantly improve rural livelihoods. It is through environmental rehabilitation, water and food resilience, and climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, that youth everywhere will gain the environmental stewardship needed to sustain the wellbeing of their communities, their nations and our planet, now and into the future.

PermaYouth in Action is our flagship program for sharing sustainable and culturally relevant permaculture practices. Delivered through regional and national PermaYouth camps across Timor-Leste, it’s an inclusive and accessible event for youth aged 17 to 35 years old from all districts and areas of society, including young women, people with disability and people who identify as LGBTIQ+.

The program is designed by Permatil in collaboration with local groups, communities and Elders from across the country. It’s based on a participatory learning model and brings together young people for a five-day intensive permaculture and leadership training event, equipping them to learn new skills and share together to help rehabilitate environments, become water, seed, land and food resilient, implement climate mitigation and adaptation strategies and spread nature-based solutions within and beyond their communities.

To date, 14 regional and national camps have been held, mobilising over 5,500 youth. Many youth leaders are now emerging to form the new PermaYouth Association. This group of dedicated environmental stewards, are instrumental in taking the movement forward, playing a key role in creating positive impacts locally and across the country.

In 2024, we plan to take this model globally, by hosting the inaurgural International PermaYouth Convergence with youth delegates from six-continents. Watch this space!