About GenEarth

Our Vision

We envision a world where young people do not just inherit a climate and nature crisis, but are equipped, empowered and mobilised to lead the response. 

A world where every young person leaves education with the skills, knowledge and confidence to make sense of a complex and ever changing world and the agency to help a future in which people and nature can thrive together.

OUR STORY

OUR TEAM

GET INVOLVED

Our Story

Students in a classroom engaged in a discussion, with two girls in focus and other students in the background.

Founded in the wake of the 2019 school climate strikes, GenEarth was born from a clear call to action.

Young people were demanding meaningful climate action and real pathways to lead change. Our founder, Laura, listened. GenEarth was created in response to that moment and continues to be shaped by it.

A teacher with glasses and a gray sweater standing in front of a classroom, holding a remote control and smiling at students. 
2019-2021
Creating access to climate learning

Born out of the school climate strikes, GenEarth began by bringing climate and conservation education into classrooms through partnerships like WWF and the Born Free Foundation. We quickly learned that knowledge alone wasn’t enough. Young people also needed pathways to act.

2022-2025
From learning to action

We evolved from workshops to youth-led change. Through collaborations and pilots like Parklife and the Young Green Briton Challenge, we supported thousands of students to design and lead their own climate projects shaped continuously by what young people told us worked.

2026-present
Deepening impact

As we scaled, we heard a new challenge: some young people felt disconnected, questioning relevance and their ability to make a difference. This has become our focus - moving beyond climate facts to helping young people understand systems, think critically, and take meaningful action in their communities.

Our Values

We approach everything we do with …

  • Outline of planet Earth with continents.

    Equity

    The climate crisis is also a justice crisis, and its impacts are not evenly distributed. We prioritise the communities with the most at stake and the least support. If our work is not reaching them, we are not doing it right.

  • Icon of three female profiles arranged in a triangle, outline style, on a black background.

    Honesty

    We challenge misinformation in our programmes because we believe young people deserve the truth. That same standard applies to how we operate. We do not overclaim, we say when something is not working, and we are transparent with everyone we work with.

  • A simple line drawing of a heart at the center with lines radiating outward, resembling a sunburst or shining light.

    Empathy

    We believe understanding someone else's experience is the starting point for changing anything. Every programme, every partnership, every decision begins by asking whose perspective we are centring and whose we are missing.

The Team behind GenEarth

  • A smiling woman with dark hair sitting in a restaurant with a window to her right and warm lighting in the background.

    Laura Dempsey (she/her) Founder & Executive Director

    Laura founded GenEarth in 2019, in response to the global youth climate strikes. ###

    Following ten years in a leadership role at The King's Trust, complemented by co-developing a free democratic school and consultancy work across the charity sector, she has built extensive experience creating impactful partnerships with major brands across the private, public, and voluntary sectors.

    She believes in creating accessible, hopeful education to equip young people with the knowledge, critical thinking skills and agency to navigate and respond to the climate crisis.

    Laura’s been a lifelong advocate for the natural world, her childhood activism which later grew into a career dedicated to youth development and environmental education.

    She also keeps busy through her role as a school governor! LinkedIn profile

  • A person with pink and black hair giving a presentation in front of a whiteboard, holding a remote and wearing a black shirt with a name tag that reads 'Loux Rutherford'.

    Loux Rutherford (they/them) Director of Partnerships & Development

    Loux joined GenEarth in 2025 as the first full time member of the team alongside Laura. ### They bring a background in community engagement, partnership and programme development.

    Before GenEarth, they ran community spaces for social and environmental impact organisations, building programmes that helped those organisations deepen their impact and connecting them into a wider network doing the same.

    Loux is driven by a conviction that climate, social justice and the natural world are deeply connected, and that young people deserve an education that reflects that.

    Alongside leading our partnerships and development work, they love being in the room facilitating our programmes with young people.

    Originally from a performance background, they can often be found singing or mid-step ball change. LinkedIn profile ‍

  • A smiling woman in a hoodie and mustard-colored jacket taking a selfie in a desert landscape with Joshua trees and rocky terrain, holding a white mug with a mermaid design.

    Maddy Owens (she/her) Strategic Projects Manager

    Maddy’s background is in neurobiology, physiology and behaviour, having worked in primatology research for 6 years. ###

    She currently works across environmental education, designing and delivering workshops to young people and managing projects involving sustainability professionals across the UK.

    Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Maddie is interested in combining her training to focus her career on climate awareness and collective action, conservation effectiveness, and finding innovative ways to involve communities that are still being left out of the conversation.

    She is dedicated to finding sustainable ways in which every community can be engaged in solutions that benefits both people and nature. LinkedIn profile

Our Youth Ambassadors

Our Youth Ambassadors are central to everything we do. They shape what we build, influence how and what we work on, and make sure young people's voices are at the centre of every decision we make. Hear from them below!

  • Youth Ambassador Zaara

    Zaara (she/her)

    Being a part of climate work makes me hopeful, I like knowing am actively helping to make change and build a better world for the future. ###

    I'm a Formula One fan and never miss a race. In my free time I make jewellery, listen to music and learn new dances.

    I found out about GenEarth through my role as eco lead at my school, attended one of their workshops and have been involved ever since. Being part of climate work makes me hopeful, knowing I am actively helping to make change and build a better world for the future.

  • Youth Ambassador Sia

    Sia (she/her)

    It is a privilege to live on such a fascinating planet and be surrounded by the wonders of nature, so we must do our best to protect it. ### I love that I get to contribute to that at GenEarth.

    Creativity is one of the things I value most, expressed through music, books and different crafts. Growing up vegetarian and my love of animals has made me particularly passionate about wildlife conservation, as well as putting an end to the mistreatment of animals around the world.

  • Youth Ambassador Devoshire

    Devoshir (he/him)

    What drew me to GenEarth was the sense of community, a space where people genuinely care about ideas as well as the cause. ###

    I'm passionate about economics and how theory plays out in the real world, from markets and policy to everyday decisions.

    Outside of GenEarth you will find me playing violin or staying active through sport. What I love most about being a part of GenEarth is the freedom to pursue my own lines of thinking and actually get meaningful feedback on it.


Our Facilitators

  • Smiling woman with curly black hair and dark skin standing indoors with a blue bulletin board in the background.

    Samia (she/they)

    Samia is a climate justice strategist, educator and community organiser. Founder of the People's Ark CIC and the Black Ecofeminist Network, and UK Head Youth Delegate for COP29. ###

    With a background in Geography and an MSc in Sustainable Resources: Economics, Policy and Transitions from UCL, Samia’s work combines research, policy engagement and participatory education. Her research has explored workforce development for Sierra Leone’s renewable energy transition, with a particular focus on inclusive skills systems, informal workers and marginalised communities.

    At GenEarth she brings a justice-centred, practical and hopeful approach to climate education. LinkedIn profile

  • Close-up of a man with glasses, light beard, mustache, and short hair, smiling outdoors with blurred green trees in the background.

    Andrew (he/him)

    Andrew is passionate about helping young people prepare for the challenges of living on this rapidly changing planet. He’s had careers as a corporate finance lawyer as well as a theatre actor! ###

    He is passionate about helping young people prepare for the challenges of living on this rapidly changing planet.

    Andrew recently completed his MSc with distinction in Climate Change: Environment, Science and Policy at King’s College London. LinkedIn profile

  • A woman with brown hair and blue eyes smiling outdoors in front of green leafy bushes, wearing a white knitted top and a small gold necklace.

    Coco (she/her)

    Coco is a seasoned facilitator and programme specialist working across the climate and youth space. Currently working with organisations such as The Green Schools Project and Birtha Earth. ### She’s been a part of the GenEarth ecosystem since 2020. Outside of work she can be found hiking, swimming, gardening, crafting and climbing anything she can get her hands on! LinkedIn profile

  • A bright yellow sunflower with a dark brown center standing tall in a sunflower field at sunset or sunrise sky with scattered clouds.

    Jen (she/her)

    Jen is a librarian and mum with a lifelong love of nature and a commitment to protecting the world we share. As an advocate for a more sustainable future, she is passionate about climate and animal welfare. ###

    She strongly believes in the power of education and community action to create a better future.

    She loves engaging with students of all ages and experiencing the compassion they show for the world around them and finds it incredibly inspiring. LinkedIn profile

  • Close-up of a smiling woman with long dark hair, wearing glasses, against a blurred green leafy background.

    Berenice (she/her)

    Berenice is a freelance psychotherapist and climate-aware psychologist. She has worked with organisations such as Climate Fresk and The Resilience Project.###

    She serves as as a city lead for Women and Climate, delivering eco-anxiety sessions across London and at festivals around the UK.

    She brings a psychologically safe approach to work with young people. LinkedIn profile

Our Board

  • Three students in a classroom engaged in a discussion. Two girls are in focus, one with a dark complexion and braided hair, and the other with a light complexion and light brown hair. A boy is partially visible in the foreground. They have pencils and papers on the desk.

    Eloïse (she/her)

    Eloïse is a Senior Consultant at Higson, a B Corp consultancy specialising in people and cultural transformation. ### She is driven by helping organisations achieve positive impact and enable system change. She has an extensive background background in marketing, workshop facilitation and behavioural science. LinkedIn profile

  • A female student with long dark hair and a school uniform sitting at her desk in a classroom, with students and colorful posters visible in the background.

    Cat (she/her)

    Cat is a head teacher of a South East London primary school. Bringing over 10 years experience in education to GenEarth. ### She is passionate about giving children and young people the skills and experiences to be able to think critically about the world around them and to feel empowered to make changes in their communities.

  • Kiran (he/him)

    Kiran is the Co-Founder and COO of Velvet Green, an impact driven media production company. ### They support organisations across the climate, sustainability and social impact sectors tell powerful stories.

    Alongside his work in media, Kiran is passionate about supporting young people and is committed to creating opportunities for those from ethnic minority backgrounds to enter and thrive within the creative industries through his mentorship initiatives. LinkedIn profile

  • Smiling boy in school uniform sitting at a desk during class

    Steve (he/him)

    Steve is a Former Deloitte UK partner and board member who now serves as a Non-Executive Director and business advisor. ### Steve’s experience spans decades in management consulting and leadership. Previously engaged as a mentor with The King’s Trust, supporting young people to develop their confidence, skills, and future career paths. LinkedIn profile

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about us

 

  • We prioritise working with young people where we can and hope to deepen our youth-led model as we grow. Beyond that, we work with people who are genuinely passionate about young people and skilled at working with them whether that is through a background in education, facilitation or direct experience of the issues we cover. Values alignment matters as much to us as experience.

  • We test and adapt constantly. Our wonderful Youth Ambassadors are deeply involved in programme development also as well as our facilitators feeding back from every session and the young people and teachers we work with tell us directly what is landing and what is not. If something is not working, we change it. Our programmes today look different from our programmes two years ago, and that is exactly as it should be.

  • Because we believe generation inheriting the climate crisis deserves the tools to act in ways that feel meaningful to them. The education system is not keeping pace with the scale and complexity of the challenges young people are growing up with. Teachers want to help. Schools want to respond. But without the time, training and frameworks to do so, that gap stays open. GenEarth exists to bridge it.

  • Collaboration is central to the way we work. Partnership looks different depending on who we are working with. Some partners co-design programmes with us from the ground up, bringing specialist knowledge and lived experience that makes our work richer. Some are businesses looking for meaningful ways to engage their teams and contribute to something that matters, and we create genuine opportunities to do exactly that. Others are organisations doing brilliant work who want to reach more young people, and we help them do it.

  • Our programmes use the climate crisis as an entry point to build something more fundamental the critical thinking skills, systems awareness and agency that young people carry long after they leave our programmes. We do not treat climate as a standalone issue and we do not design our programmes in isolation. Every workshop is co-created with expert partners, young people and teachers, and continuously adapted based on what is actually working.

  • No death by PowerPoint. Our workshops are designed to be creative, interactive and genuinely relevant to the young people in the room. A typical session might involve short films, group debate, role play and real world examples that connect the issue to something young people already recognise. Facilitators guide the conversation without pushing a set of conclusions. Young people leave having thought hard, talked honestly and asked better questions than when they arrived.

Get involved

Interested in our work and want to get involved?

Support us

Volunteer

Explore our programmes