Coastal risks threaten human welfare. Sea level rise, high-intensity storms, coastal  flooding and erosion will continue to threaten coastal communities, probably more  frequently and intensely. In this scenario, key elements of sustainable development  

must include understanding risk, recognising systems are interconnected, including  stakeholders and building capacities for resilience. Planning for community resilience  will require participatory techniques to engage those who are vulnerable. In particular,  youth set to inherit the predicted impacts of climate change must be engaged with the  processes that determine the future of their built environments.  

The SYREN project aims to foster community resilience by harnessing science-based  knowledge and insights of teenagers, fostering collaborative innovation between the  two. A novel aspect of this research lies in understanding and developing in co creation an increasingly favoured approach that aligns research and service  development, to create youth experts on coastal risk engagement. This entails the  involvement of youth in meaningful and sustained ways on issues of importance to  their communities, thus contributing to the engagement of future generations.