In their first year, custodians are enrolled in a comprehensive training program designed to increase their climate literacy and equip them with the technical skills and tools necessary to assess climate risks, implement effective climate actions, and monitor the progress of resilience-building efforts. Through online education modules, discussion sessions, and an in-person experiential learning workshop, custodians are transformed into leaders capable of driving meaningful climate action in their communities.

In their second year, custodians use their new skills to conduct a climate risk assessment for their community. They start by leading focus groups to identify community values of their heritage. By applying tools and techniques learned during their training, custodians then use localized climate models to visualize potential climate hazards, making climate risk understandable and actionable. Following this, custodians host a workshop to determine which community values are most vulnerable to climate impacts. The process concludes with the creation of a comprehensive Risk Assessment, which is then shared with the community.

In their third year, custodians focus on putting their plans into action. Using their Risk Assessment as a guide, along with their training, custodians design, implement, and monitor climate adaptation solutions that are specifically tailored to their communities. With seed funding, technical advising, and evaluation support from Preserving Legacies, these projects are locally led and emphasize the sustainability of local heritage economies, ensuring that communities can continue to thrive despite the challenges of climate change.