Reimagining Rivers: A co-created and youth-informed approach to exploring river morphodynamics and flood risk

Climate resilience is critical for enabling communities and ecosystems to adapt to and thrive amidst escalating climate hazards. This paper presents an interdisciplinary, co-created initiative that engaged young people in understanding and addressing river morphodynamics and flood risks through creative and participatory methods. This collaboration between academics, Global Link Development Education Centre, Girlguiding North West England and the Environment Agency, worked with a group of children aged 8 to10 with the objective of develop a transdisciplinary approach to public engagement on flooding, filling critical knowledge and action gaps. 

The project combined scientific insights from the EvoFlood program with local knowledge and participatory techniques to create workshops tailored for youth. These hands-on workshops featured drama games, science experiments, field walks, and creative activities such as crafting, fostering a deeper understanding of river systems and their role in flood risk and resilience. Young participants explored concepts such as the causes of flooding, its impacts, and ways to prepare for and adapt to these risks. The workshops culminated in the co-development of two educational resources: Flooding Mucky Dip! which is an interactive game addressing flood preparedness and recovery; and Flooding Fortune Tellers, which creatively distilled participants’ learning about flood risks into an accessible and interactive format. These resources are now integrated into a Girlguiding Badge and Challenge Pack, and on the Flood Hub website, ensuring their wide dissemination to youth and community groups across the UK.

A key strength of the project was its interdisciplinary and community-focused approach, which promoted a “bottom-up” method of engagement. Drawing on the “looping action research” framework, the project team incorporated ongoing feedback from participants, community leaders, and scientific advisors to iteratively refine the workshops and resources. This responsive methodology not only ensured that activities were engaging and relevant but also empowered participants to take ownership of their learning and apply it to real-world resilience challenges. 

This paper highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, participatory methodologies, and place-based learning in bridging the gap between scientific research and community youth-led action. By focusing on youth engagement, the project demonstrates how grassroots initiatives can inform broader strategies for climate adaptation and flood resilience building, offering a scalable model for addressing similar challenges in other contexts which are able to empower youth as agents of change in the face of growing climate risks.