Climate assemblies involving children and youth as socio‐educational spaces: Perceived success factors, challenges and opportunities

Abstract Climate assemblies have emerged as participatory mechanisms and as socio‐educational spaces for engaging citizens in climate decision‐making and promoting sustainability learning. However, to date, initiatives involving children and young people remain underexplored. This study investigates the implementation of climate assemblies involving children and youth in the United Kingdom, focusing on the perceived success factors and conditions that enable meaningful participation and learning, as well as the challenges and opportunities that emerge when developing deliberative democratic processes with younger participants. The research adopts an exploratory qualitative design based on interviews with 14 leaders and key agents involved in 11 climate assembly initiatives across community, local authority and school contexts. Findings indicate that the perceived success of these initiatives depends on a combination of structural, relational and institutional factors. Sustained funding, long‐term partnerships, flexible facilitation and inclusive design were identified as essential for supporting participation beyond one‐off engagement activities. At the same time, curriculum pressures, institutional constraints and changing political contexts limit the integration of deliberative practices within educational settings. This research highlights the need to move beyond adult‐centric participation models towards youth‐led and intergenerational approaches supported by clear communication, feedback mechanisms and opportunities to genuinely influence decision‐making processes. This study contributes to educational research by conceptualising climate assemblies as socio‐educational spaces in which democratic participation, agency and environmental citizenship can be learned and practised. The findings provide insights for educators, policymakers and practitioners into the key perceived success factors, conditions and challenges involved in designing and implementing climate assemblies that meaningfully include children and young people.