The Role of Youth in Promoting Sustainable Mobility

Viet Hang
Author

This article covers:

  • Why youth are uniquely positioned to lead on mobility reform.

  • Practical ways young people can promote greener transport.

  • Lessons learned from fellow Ambassadors in Mislata.

Youth as drivers of sustainable change

My recent trip to Mislata, Spain, as a CLYMACT Youth Ambassador opened my eyes to the incredible potential young people have in transforming how our communities move. After spending just three days in this vibrant Spanish municipality, I witnessed firsthand how sustainable mobility isn’t just an environmental necessity — it’s a youth-led movement waiting to happen.

Mislata’s approach to transportation struck me as accessible and inclusive. The city has successfully integrated cycling infrastructure, public transit connections, and created pedestrian-friendly zones that work for residents of all ages.

What made the experience truly memorable were the conversations I had with fellow CLYMACT Ambassadors from Greece, Italy, Croatia, and Spain. What impressed me most was how eager and enthusiastic youths are to get involved in planning and promoting green initiatives. Sustainable mobility works best when young voices are heard.

Why youth can lead on mobility

Young people have unique advantages in promoting sustainable transportation, largely for three reasons.

First, we are digital natives. We can leverage social media, apps, and other platforms to make sustainable mobility more trendy and accessible.

Second, youths are more willing to try new transportation methods, such as bike-sharing, electric scooters, and public transit apps. We can normalize these options and influence our peers and families to make greener choices.

Third, unlike decision-makers focused on short election cycles, young people are invested in creating long-term transportation solutions. Through schools, universities, and social networks, we can act as community connectors by organizing walking groups, cycling clubs, and other activities that make green mobility social and fun.

How youth can take action now

So, what are the practical steps we can take? We can start local campaigns to promote bike-to-school days and walking challenges. These small initiatives help build momentum for larger policy changes.

We can also engage with municipal leaders by presenting research on the benefits of sustainable mobility at city council meetings. Proposing concrete solutions gives our voices credibility. Lastly, we can create peer education programs to teach others about transportation emissions and the health and financial benefits of active and green mobility.

My time in Spain reinforced that sustainable mobility is about reimagining our communities as healthier and more equitable places to live. As CLYMACT Ambassadors, we have the opportunity to lead this transformation in our own municipalities while learning from international practices.

The future of sustainable mobility depends on us — young people taking action today. Whether you’re advocating for better cycling infrastructure, organizing community transport initiatives, or simply choosing to walk instead of drive, every action counts toward building the cities we need.

For more about our Clymact Project

Implementation Partners

Don't miss out on opportunities!

Track 2:

Diplomacy &
International Affairs

[1] Find your track. [2] Join our online info session. [3] Apply!

This track provides aspiring diplomats and those interested in international public servants with in-depth knowledge and practical skills essential for a successful career in international relations. Participants will engage in workshops on diplomatic protocol, cultural diplomacy, and science diplomacy, alongside visits to embassies and relevant international organisations. These activities offer hands-on experience and insights into diplomatic practices and international development, helping participants develop the necessary skills and network to excel within international organisations.

Aspiring diplomats – International relations enthusiasts interested in careers in diplomacy, international development, and global cooperation.

International public servants – Students and young professionals interested in pursuing a career at an international organisation like the United Nations, UNESCO, UNHCR, or UNICEF, for example, without necessarily wanting to be a diplomat (i.e.  remaining independent of any single nation’s government). Interests may include advancing global peace, international development, and human rights.

  • Embassies in Hungary
  • International organisations
  • EU agencies
  • United Nations headquarters in Vienna

Track 1:

Civil Society & Public Administration

[1] Find your track. [2] Join our online info session. [3] Apply!

This track equips aspiring public servants and NGO leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary for impactful community work. Participants will attend workshops on introduction to nonprofit management and civic engagement, effective altruism, social innovation, design thinking, community engagement, and fundraising. Additionally, visits to local NGOs and municipalities will provide practical insights into the functioning and challenges of civic organizations. This track aims to foster effective leadership and innovative thinking in addressing social issues.

(Aspiring) public servants – Students and young professionals who work, or aspire to work, in government departments or local municipalities in their country, and who seek to enhance their skills, network, effectiveness in public administration and ability to improve their communities.

(Aspiring) non-profit founders – Passionate individuals interested in creating and leading non-profit organisations focused on addressing social and environmental issues.

Young changemakers and community organisers – Young leaders dedicated to mobilising communities and fostering grassroots movements to drive social change. This includes environmental advocates committed to promoting sustainable practices and policies to combat environmental issues.

  • Local municipalities
  • Established NGOs
  • United Nations headquarters in Vienna

Events, Marketing & Communications

The following roles are currently available:

The role consists of:

  • Manage pre-event planning of events, including assisting with the promotions, logistics, and general management of events, workshops and training courses.
  • Liaise with (strategic) partners, youth networks and key contact persons where relevant.
  • Manage feedback loops and produce post-event evaluations and content to inform future events.

 

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • High level of organisational skills
  • Attention to detail;
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
  • Time-management skills
  • Flexible, target-driven, and proactive.

The role consists of:

  • Launch and coordinate fundraising campaigns to support the projects and activities of the organisation.
  • Further develop an internal guideline document that briefly summarises our various types of fundraising techniques.
  • Perform risk management to minimize any risks related to fundraising.
  • Continuously explore creative ways to raise funds, including continuously searching
    for potential donors or fundraising partners.

 

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • Excellent communication and writing skills,
  • Excellent way of expressing ones thoughts, and having persuasive tactics.
  • Good written and research skills to prepare compelling concept notes to help generate funds.

The role consists of:

  • Assisting with the preparation, promotion and management of scientific conferences (hybrid).
  • Keeping in contact with speakers and presenters.
  • Managing and coordinating event logistics on the day of the event.
  • Producing post-event evaluations and feedback to inform future events.

 

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • High level of organisational skills
  • Attention to detail;
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
  • Time-management skills
  • Flexible, target-driven, and proactive.

The role consists of:

  • Assist with the development and constant review of the brand and marketing strategy.
  • Ensure that the organisation’s branding and artwork for all its activities and projects is
    consistent and appropriately aligned with the Brand Standards Guide.
  • Consistently promote the organisation, its projects and its activities in an effective
    and efficient manner, together with a team, through a unified brand voice.

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • Creativity; and attention to details;

Website, Developer &
IT-related roles

The following roles are currently available:

The role consists of:

  • Create custom web experiences with the latest web technologies.
  • Ensure that the website is appealing to the target audience and catches attention.
  • Design accessible web user interfaces (UI), enhance platforms with custom style sheets.

 

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • Experience with building visually appealing websites from the design standpoint.
  • Experience in using common CMS systems, like WordPress and Drupal.
  • Comfortable with CSS and preferably has a basic understanding of popular web technologies and frameworks.
  • High level understanding of web design concepts, UI principles
  • Basic experience in app UI design (for example the UI builder of Android Studio).

The role consists of:

  • Keep website fully functional at all times, inform colleagues of any expected downtime.
  • Deploy and update WordPress ecosystem components.
  • Make sure the site’s user interface is easily accessible for most users.

 

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • Thrives in the WordPress ecosystem, is aware of new trends and has a good command of the most popular web technologies (HTML, CSS, Javascript);
  • Has a UX-first mindset, is able to create modern and accessible wireframes/concepts and iterate fast on ideas;
  • Can develop complex webpages using Theme Builders like Elementor or Divi;
  • Has experience in creating webpages with WordPress, using plugins;
  • Is able to provide technical support to all users of the website(s).

Content Creation
& Design

The following roles are currently available:

The role consists of:

  • Produce written or verbal content that is clear and persuasive for our target audience for various platforms in a way that is consistent with our brand strategy and voice (articles, blogs, podcasts, newsletter texts, etc.).

  • Assist with the development of creative ideas and concepts for advertising, social
    media, or crowdfunding  campaigns.

  • Help drive brand consistency across all communication platforms

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • Experience in copywriting for multiple social media campaigns.
  • Creative and curiosity.
  • Ability to collaborate and communicate with team members.
  • High attention to details.
  • Creative copy writing experience an added bonus.

The role consists of:

  • Designing unique marketing material that’s aligned with the creative direction and overall brand of the foundation and its projects.
  • Reviewing final layouts and suggesting improvements where required.
  • Ensure that the overall branding and artwork is maintained appropriately and consistently across all platforms and for all marketing and promotion material.

 

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • Demonstrable design experience across various platforms with design applications, software and technologies, such as Canva, Quark Xpress, InDesign or Illustrator, and photo-editing software such as Photoshop.
  • A keen eye for aesthetics and details;
  • Ability to translate campaigns into a visual creative direction

The role consists of:

  • Edit professional videos that are creative, engaging, and appropriately designed for our target audience.
  • Continuously discover and implement new editing technologies and industry’s best practices to maximize efficiency.

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications required, however, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • solid experience with digital technology and editing software packages.
  • creative mind and storytelling skills.

The role consists of:

  • Launch our TikTok platform, grow our audience, and maximise user engagement and growth goals with high performing content.
  • Developing creative video content from scratch/available content
  • Stay on top of recent platform trends and how they could be used to promote the organisation.

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • Experience in making TikTok or short video content creation
  • Creative and curious.
  • High attention to details.

The role consists of:

  • Proof-read and correct documents and texts for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors
  • Verify factual correctness of information (e.g. dates and statistics).
  • Check and adjust text for style, readability, clarity and readability;

Location: This role can be done in Budapest (Hungary) or remotely, from anywhere in the world.

Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required. However, the candidate should have previous demonstrable experience.

Skills and requirements:

  • Familiarity with the proofreading techniques and tools;
  • Attention to details;