Image of three rangatahi making art (one is playing a guitar, another is taking a photo, and a third is drawing) It reads "It's Our Future" and "How to Submit"

Aim

We want our politicians to hear the voices of young people and their demands for a just future.

The aim of ‘It’s Our Future’ is to gather the thoughts and ideas of students from all around the country in a way that we can compile them to create a strong message for our leaders – that we as students care about getting fossil fuels out of our schools.

What are we looking for?

Image of a girl playing guitar

We want to show our leaders how important a fossil free future is for us, our schools, our communities, and our world. We are looking for climate stories of any format:

  • artwork
  • poems
  • cartoons
  • videos
  • personal essays
  • anything else – you name it!

They can be about you and your communities’ hopes, plans, feelings, wins, and more. We especially welcome stories about:

  • What you think our future should look like
  • What you’re worried about if we don’t act
  • What inspires you about a fossil free future
  • What you hope your community/school will look like in 2030

Image of a camera on a tripod

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Resistance – What it’s like to resist the fossil fuel industry, whether by getting on your bike, writing to your MP, or some other action you’re thinking about.
  • People power – How people and communities are working together to meet climate challenges
  • Impacts of climate change – What the climate crisis looks like for you and your communities
  • Hopeful solutions – shining the light on projects and approaches that bring us closer to a just, equitable, and prosperous future for all

Submissions do not have to be in English – we welcome all languages! We may seek your consent to translate your story for the site.

There is no single story when it comes to the climate crisis and we need storytellers from around Aotearoa to call for the action we need. We welcome content from storytellers from all levels, from beginner to professional! However, we believe that storytelling and stories should not make someone else feel unwelcome. When submitting your creations to the hub, you agree that you and your creations are:

  • Respectful of people, traditions, cultures, etc.
  • Non-extractive and have the full consent of subjects

We will be receiving submissions until May 10th 2022.

FAQs

How do I submit my creations?

Image of a boy painting a picture

To submit your completed climate stories, email 350@350.org.nz with:

  • your story as an attachment or link
  • the title of your story
  • your preferred display name
  • where you are based
  • a 1-2 sentence bio about yourself
  • (optional) a thumbnail image for sharing

If you would like to send a song or video, you can send it to us as an MP3 or MP4 file via Google Drive/Dropbox, or upload it onto an online sharing platform (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, etc.) and share the link with us.

There’s no maximum length for films or videos. For written stories, please keep your submissions under 2000 words.

Image of a youth painting on an IPad

What happens after I submit a story?

Once you submit a creation, a member of the 350 Aotearoa team will review your submission. If your submission is accepted, an editorial team member may get in touch to provide guidance or feedback to you in case any changes or edits are needed. We want to work with you to make sure your creations are in line with your vision, goals, and desired impact. When ready, your climate story will be published on It’s Our Future stories hub. You can then share your creation to your networks and communities and/or even amplify fellow storytellers’ creations!

How will we share this work with our MP’s and local representatives?

What format this project will take at its end is dependent on what people send in. Current options include making a book out of all the submissions, exhibitions in parts of the country, or a mass fax of artworks to MP offices.

Do I maintain ownership if my submission(s) are accepted for publication?

Yes, storytellers will retain control over creations.

The nitty gritty

  • In the event that another organisation or media outlet wants to republish your story, we will contact you to seek your permission.
  • Please keep in mind that 350 Aotearoa and the ‘It’s Our Future’ initiative does not provide payment for stories. By submitting to ‘It’s Our Future’, you are volunteering to share your story with the storytelling community and the larger 350.org network.
  • Published stories do not necessarily reflect the views and voice of 350.org.
  • If your creation has been previously published, you will need to make sure the publisher allows the reproduction/reprint of your creations elsewhere. If you want to submit an article, we will only be reviewing and accepting current journalism articles that date back no more than 3 months.
  • The editorial team reserves the right to not accept submissions at our discretion.
  • We do ask that you read and follow our submissions guidelines to make sure your creations are in line with the mission and values of 350 Aotearoa and the aim of ‘It’s Our Future’.