New virtual boardgame brings households together to tackle climate change

Teenagers in Sydney’s east have joined forces with seniors and local environmental groups to create a new virtual board game that promotes activities and actions to make sustainability second nature.

Waverley Council’s intergenerational Power to the Future group designed the online game to help residents build local climate resilience through a series of fun and informative activities.

The group is seeking 50 households to compete against Power to the Future members and each other in the game to win points and prizes whilst reducing their impact on the environment.

^{Power to the Future program members designing the new game for online audiences.}

Assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust, the Power to the Future program was established in October 2021 to empower local students to translate their ideas, new knowledge, skills, and energy to influence decision-making to help the community better understand and prepare for climate change.

Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos, said the virtual boardgame will help increase awareness of current sustainable initiatives and what our community can do to tackle and prepare for climate change.

“Climate change has been identified as Australia’s most significant and pressing youth issue and our local youth are excited to help their community make a positive impact through this novel initiative,” Mayor Masselos said.

“The Power to the Future game caters for all households and is a fun and interactive way to increase awareness about local environmental issues and to mobilise our community to undertake tangible actions, like helping to reach our community target of net zero carbon emissions by 2035, as set by Council last year.”

The game will run from August to November and teams will be able to earn bonus points for activities completed with neighbours and other fellow teams.

Power to the Future is a first-of-its-kind program and its youth members have helped produce educational short films, run youth Clothes Swaps, participated in Council meetings and informed the theme of this year’s Waverley Art Prize.

To request an application form, contact Ale Torres at secondnature@waverley.nsw.gov.au. UPDATE: Applications close 5pm Friday 13 October 2023.

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Media inquiries: media@waverley.nsw.gov.au or 0416 075 532.