We’re excited to announce that GO‑SHARE has been awarded funding for a new partnership to connect young people and hazard experts in the United Kingdom and Democratic Republic of the Congo to improve hazard education.

Impacts of environmental disasters are escalating globally. Climate change is influencing the magnitude and frequency of climate-related hazards, and
urbanisation and conflict are increasing societal exposure and vulnerability to geophysical hazard.

Young people are often the most affected, but don’t always get a say in how communities prepare. GO‑SHARE aims to change this by giving students a stronger voice and helping them learn from each other’s experiences.

The funding from the UK Natural Environment Research Council will allow us to work for two years on our collaborative new project.

Phase 1 will involve linking four schools — two in Sheffield and two in Goma — in an online community where students can share what it’s like to live with different risks, such as flooding in Sheffield and volcanic activity in Goma.

GO-SHARE will then host a workshop bringing together teachers, researchers, and local organisations to share ideas and co-create stories about these hazards, based on the thoughts and experiences of young people from both cities.

These stories will be turned into a creative, multilingual learning resource by artists in both countries. The resource will be tested in partner schools and shared widely with teachers, communities, and policymakers.

By working across continents, GO‑SHARE aims to strengthen hazard education, helping young people better understand hazard and risk. The project will also support teachers and provide important insights for people working in disaster risk reduction.

This funding marks the start of a long‑term partnership. The team plans to continue collaborating and developing new projects that strengthen hazard education in the future.