OPTIC update: Embracing Intergenerational Collaboration for Climate Action

By Dr. Carol Maddock for the March CADR newsletter.

Climate change represents a significant challenge to both human and planetary health. The OPTIC project has demonstrated that intergenerational collaboration can shift the perception of older adults to becoming essential contributors to innovative, resilient, and inclusive climate solutions.

The OPTIC project (Understanding Older and younger people’s PerspecTives and Imaginaries of Climate change) used creative methods to engage participants aged over 65 and under 25 in climate discussions and envisioning sustainable futures. These collaborative sessions culminated in The Climate Comic, illustrated by Laura Sorvala, encapsulating the insights and aspirations of participants.

Following outreach sessions and a shared learning event (inc. policymakers, businesses, charitable organisations, academics and other interested parties) it was felt that the OPTIC lessons and methods could be developed further and so began the OPTIC activity Pack…

Participation as a Catalyst for Change

Central to OPTIC’s success was its commitment to public participation (and at this point we would like to send out a huge THANK YOU to way over 100 people who collaborated with us on these activities). The activity pack was co-created with schools and care homes in South Wales. Designed to support intergenerational learning through accessible and fun activities, the pack builds on The Climate Comic and equips communities with tools to address climate challenges collectively.

Looking Ahead

OPTIC has encouraged new relationships within and between communities and the OPTIC team/stakeholders and inspired new ways to sustain this collaboration. We hope that this will lead to future initiatives including evaluating the activity pack’s impact and exploring opportunities for a Global Climate Comic, enabling diverse communities to share climate narratives across places and generations.

A bit more about the Activity Pack

The activity pack is rooted in the Climate Comic and designed to encourage intergenerational learning and solidarity within diverse groups and communities.

The project’s key objectives are to facilitate Climate Conversations and Action by:

1. Providing engaging tools that enable intergenerational groups to interact with each other to share ideas and advocate for change.

2. Creating space and activities encouraging social connections through artistic activities, including creating comics, games, and design sprints that focus on potential climate actions and imaginaries.

3. Establishing long-term connections with local communities.

Ongoing and Future Engagements

Local charity Women4Resources (W4R) has already integrated the Climate Comic into their outreach efforts. W4R collaborated with the OPTIC team at Swansea University to support their bid and actions on climate change awareness and human rights issues through the Sustainable Steps Programme, supported by the National Lottery Community Fund  (£14,975 from Jan 2025 for a year). They used the Climate Comic at the Swansea Green Fayre in December 2024 to start these conversations and helped us test the activity pack at International Women's Day in March 2025. Their engagement contributes to our shared mission of encouraging diverse discussions on climate change.

Trying out the activity pack at International Women's Day in March 2025. Photo by Carol Maddock.

ENRICH Cymru event sponsored by Delyth Jewell MS; Senedd, Cardiff Bay

On Wednesday, 2 April 2025, from 12:00 to 13:30 some of the OPTIC team will be at the Senedd, Pierhead Main Hall, to celebrate eight years of ENRICH Cymru achievements in promoting evidence-based care within the care home sector, launch new care home resources, and announce new Welsh Government funding through March 2027. Speakers include: Delyth Jewell MS, event sponsor; our very own Dr. Merryn Thomas, OPTIC principal Investigator; Dr Victoria Shepherd, Chair of ENRICH Cymru Advisory Board and Principal Research Fellow at the Centre for Trials Research; Professor Andrew Carson-Stevens. All will speak on the importance of research in driving positive change for care home residents.