Climate Wisdom is a five-year project that connects dementia support with inclusive climate action across Scotland. The project focuses on empowering older adults – particularly those often underrepresented in climate decision-making – to engage meaningfully in shaping local climate resilience.
Led by the charity Outside the Box and supported by The National Lottery Community Fund, Climate Wisdom is delivered in partnership with Meeting Centres Scotland, the Institute for Place, Environment and Society at Heriot-Watt University and SEI at the University of York.
Activities are based in Scotland’s network of Meeting Centres – community spaces offering tailored support for people living with mild to moderate dementia. Within these trusted settings, the project uses environmental arts, storytelling, nature-based activities and intergenerational events to support low-carbon living, strengthen local resilience and promote wellbeing.
Climate Wisdom draws on evidence from earlier initiatives, including the Healthy Ageing in a Changing Climate report and the Scottish Government-funded Climate Chat project. The goal is to bridge the gap between climate policy and practice, ensuring that people living with dementia are not only protected from climate risks but enabled to lead change in their communities.
Climate Wisdom is delivered by a partnership of organizations working across community development, academic research and environmental policy. The project is led by Outside the Box, a Scottish charity that supports inclusive, community-led change. Delivery partners include Meeting Centres Scotland, which coordinates a national network of dementia support hubs, and the Institute for Place, Environment and Society at Heriot-Watt University, which contributes research expertise on ageing, inclusion and placemaking.
SEI at the University of York brings experience in climate justice, participatory methods and policy engagement, helping to share learning and inform wider practice.
The project is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, the UK’s largest community funder, with an award of £1.5 million to support its work over five years.
Learn more about SEI’s related research on ageing, social inclusion and community-led responses to climate change.
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