A Social Ecology of Youth and Planetary Wellbeing in Various Contexts

Abstract The United Nations has identified overarching ecological, climate and social crises as causes of unprecedented declines in human wellbeing in 90% of the world’s countries and cautioned about a “generational catastrophe” for youth wellbeing (2020). This paper presents our process and methods of working alongside youth in Chile, Canada, Costa Rica, and Belize in our Partnership for Youth and Planetary Wellbeing project. We describe our social ecology of youth wellbeing framework and the research practices that are youth-centred, participatory and anticolonial including the development of Youth Advisory Committees, co-design of research activities and co-analysis of 117 youth interviews. Co-analyses examines perceptions of wellbeing amidst overlapping social and ecological crises and what it means for young people to live well based in relations with community, territory and biosphere. Implications for youth and planetary wellbeing partnerships and research are offered as we continue to learn alongside these young people and their communities.