Co-development of a Youth Education Framework to Address Environmental Challenges Through Knowledge Dialogue and Community Participation
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is requesting proposals from prospective consultant organizations to develop and test an Environmental Education Framework that considers diverse types of knowledges, including Indigenous and local knowledge, and emphasizes horizontal approaches to learning.
This framework seeks to build on and strengthen the skills and capacities of systemically vulnerable communities in North America, particularly of local youth, to tackle challenges related to ecosystem conservation and climate action through knowledge dialogue and education.
This work is part of the initiative titled Community-led Environmental Education Initiative for Biocultural Heritage Protection. For a complete description of the initiative, including tasks and related budget, please see the Project Description.
Overview and Scope
The CEC is seeking a consultant organization that is not only experienced in environmental education but also sensitive to the cultural and social contexts of systemically vulnerable communities, and committed to building lasting, sustainable change through a holistic and inclusive approach. The tasks that the consultant should undertake include:
- Conduct a scan of existing environmental education resources and knowledge dialogue approaches in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
- Assist in the preparation of an open call for communities interested in collaborating in this work and in pilot testing the framework.
- Design a flexible framework grounded in alternative pedagogies and knowledge dialogue.
- Collaborate with one community per country to adapt and pilot the framework with local youth and other community leaders.
- Revise and finalize the framework (v2.0) integrating lessons learned from the pilots for broader use across North America.
To achieve its goals, this work will be done in close and meaningful collaboration with Indigenous and local partners and communities, following an iterative approach.
We welcome consultant organizations to apply in partnership with others, encouraging unique collaborations that strengthen their proposals.
Deadline for Proposal Submission and Decision
The proposal, including all relevant attachments, must be received by the CEC Secretariat by 5:00 PM EST on 18 June 2025.
Proposals must be submitted via e-mail to iesparza@cec.org, Project Lead
Proposal format must be in Adobe PDF format.
Overview
Status
Active
Deadline
June 18, 2025 5:00pm
Salary/Budget
C$ 700,000
Location
The consultant will work in their own offices.
About the CEC
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was established in 1994 by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States through the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, a parallel environmental agreement to NAFTA. As of 2020, the CEC is recognized and maintained by the Environmental Cooperation Agreement, in parallel with the new Free Trade Agreement of North America. The CEC brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including the general public, Indigenous people, youth, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and the business sector, to seek solutions to protect North America’s shared environment while supporting sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations.
The CEC is governed and funded equally by the Government of Canada through Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Government of the United States of Mexico through the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, and the Government of the United States of America through the Environmental Protection Agency.
We appreciate your interest in the CEC and wish to inform you that only short-listed candidates will be contacted. All résumés will be kept on file for a six-month period and taken into consideration for any suitable vacancies occurring during that time.