In 2008 Earth Charter International developed a Special Projects Fund to financially support the Earth Charter Youth Groups in promoting and applying the Earth Charter principles among youth. The funded projects were implemented during the spring 2009.

One of the granted Youth Groups was Canadian Cowichan Intercultural Society Youth Projects. They organized a “Forging Inclusive Solutions” project that brought together youth and adult leaders “for mutual learning and practice facilitating introductory Earth Charter activities and Earth Charter action planning”. The project report can be read here.

As a result of their project, Cowichan Intercultural Society Youth Projects developed an EC Action Planning Manual:

“The purpose of Earth Charter action planning is to guide people to organize their thoughts, feelings, and experiences into a realistic and motivating plan for applying one or more principles within the Earth Charter to their lives. In other words, we want people to pick up the Earth Charter and use this visionary document as a tool that will lead toward “being the change you want to see in the world.” (Mahatma Gandhi).” (p.8)

"Action Planning is two things: 1. A process you can follow when you are developing your own action plans 2. A process you can facilitate when you are guiding others to develop action plans.” (p.8)

This document is now available in the Earth Charter Virtual Library.