Climate Action Leaders

Overview:

Students take part in a series of lessons and workshops over the course of one and a half terms that cover climate literacy, behaviour change, designing an effective campaign and communications training.

Students will put their learning into action by choosing to work on a group communications project or an action project which is to be based on their research and carried out over the duration of the course. Spring and Summer 1 terms are ideal.

Careers in sustainability will be highlighted throughout and students will be signposted to other opportunities to participate in local and national climate related programmes.

Students will gain a Carbon Literacy certificate if they attend all sessions and complete a pre and post course task.

Structure and content:

Pre course task – watching a 1 hour documentary: independent study or as a group.

Full day
Climate Leaders Activation event at The Hive for all participating students and teachers supporting the groups.

• Introduction to the programme and research / action project brief
• Climate knowledge including a ‘Climate Fresk’ activity
• Team building activities
• Communication and campaign design skills

Across one term
Two group sessions run by the Hive team at the school. Ideally this will be 1.5 - 2 hour lessons but could be after school sessions if all of the group are able to attend.

Building on ideas generated at the Activation Event the group will be supported to do one of the following:

• designing behaviour change campaign (i.e. relating to students’ habits),
• developing a proposal and plan for a discreet action (i.e. getting water harvesting installed)
• public communication skills – planning an event for peers and/or staff to ‘teach the teacher

Knowledge and skills covered include:

• Understanding the impacts of climate action
• Global and local perspectives for climate justice
• Planning and carrying out effective research and/or action project

Teacher support
Between sessions a teacher will need to support the students to complete their projects,

• Structure to be agreed before the programme gets underway, i.e. weekly or bi-weekly after school sessions

This might include:

• supporting fundraising
• enabling student surveys to be shared with other students
• establishing meetings between the group and relevant SLT
• sign posting to resources

This could also include the group joining the London Sustainable Schools Network monthly meetings.

Final half term
One session run by the Hive team during or after school to review and feedback on the group’s progress.

• Preparation for the final event presentation

Presentation and celebration event
There will be an in-person event for all the groups to present their work to other students, officers in the councils Climate Emergency team and campaign experts.