We didn't make it, and...

We failed. We didn’t raise enough funds for Engaging Youth for a Regenerative Future during the Big Give Green Match Funding campaign.

This project was about:

• Creating spaces for youth engagement, amplifying their voices and projects, and fostering deeper collaboration.
• Conducting a baseline study to map the needs, challenges, and opportunities for young people in Transition groups worldwide.
• Supporting a young researcher with a paid role to lead this work, grow their skills, and connect with youth across the movement.

It was the first step in a bigger strategy to open more doors for young people in Transition, a chance to support the groups already doing incredible work with younger generations.

Some learnings

We shared the project widely: here, on social media, and across the Transition Platform. We held a live session on Engaging Youth in Transition, but turnout was low. We asked for help spreading the word —through our team, Transition hubs, groups, and aligned organisations— but something didn’t flow. And we take it, not everything planned ends up in success.

Clearer messaging

Youth are an essential part of the community. They’re vibrant, diverse, full of potential, and close to our hearts. But maybe we didn’t frame the project clearly enough. Some youth-focused groups shared the call; others didn’t, likely because they didn’t see the direct benefit. Why did some engage more than others? That’s worth exploring.

Beneficiaries vs donors

Even with solid messaging, we might have not reached the right audience. The people who benefit from a project aren’t always the ones who fund it, and we don’t yet have a strong network of supporters actively invested in youth work.

The importance of youth in Transition

Youth hasn’t been a central focus in the movement – it’s always been part of the wider, undefined group of Transitioners. We believe that needs to change, by exploring a youth-related approach to Transition, but shifts like this take time. So we’ll keep building.

Celebrating you

Even though we fell short, there’s plenty to celebrate.

We raised nearly 40% of our target — thank you so much! To everyone who shared the campaign, donated, or offered testimonials: your belief in this project and in young people means the world.

And hey, new collaborations started bubbling up through this process. That’s a win!

What’s next?

We’re taking these lessons forward. Right now, we are:

• Talking with groups and individuals who share our passion for this work.
• Reaching out to youth-focused projects to learn how we can support them better — what would make this project truly useful for them?
• Adjusting the plan based on feedback and new insights
• And yes, still finding the ways to fundraise to make this real!

If you’d like to share ideas, resources or to get involved, we’d love to hear from you: comms@transitionnetwork.org.

Thank you for being part of this.
Onward!