Back in May we announced that Whole Education is now working with a coalition of organisations to explore one big question:
How do we enable and encourage school leaders to bring action on climate into their school?
In June, we hosted the first of two events to encourage and enable schools to embed action on climate into the everyday life of their community. The resounding message from the workshop was to choose one action and get started. But what does this look like in practice, who leads this work for maximum impact and benefit for learners, school communities and the planet?
As we prepare for the new academic year, we highlight the work of another of our coalition partners, the Eden Project, home of the Eden Changemakers programme and venue for the G7 dinner hosted by the Queen earlier in the year. Eden Changemaker is a live, online programme that responds to exactly this question, and is designed to prepare teacher leaders for the vital role of bringing regenerative change for sustainability to their school, themselves and the planet.
Facilitated by leadership coach and sometime primary headteacher Alex Bell, and Eden’s Education Manager (and primary teacher) Sam Kendall the programme offers an invigorating research-based learning experience including:
- A core syllabus of leadership development and three level impact – Self, Community & Planet
- Four half-day, interactive video-conference sessions and group coaching
- Half-termly, action-focused assignments
- Guest speakers including Sir Tim Smit and global thought leaders on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and community innovation
- An extensive toolkit of leadership and sustainability resources
So, what outcomes can you expect?
For participants – leadership skills for creating and leading change in schools, set within a sustainability context. Membership of a global learning community of action researchers and community catalysts.
For your schools – development of staff capacity and a practical toolkit to shape a sustainable school where actions reflect values.
For your community – the capacity to identify and activate strong connections and impactful local and global networks to build projects, support lasting partnerships beyond the school and inspire learners with ambitious possibilities.
Legacy projects stemming directly from the programme include the creation of a community chicken coop and a community vegetable patch, establishment of student and staff sustainability strategic groups, school sustainability policy development and curriculum design based around the UNSDGs and Development Compass Rose.
Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive with comments including:
This has been a real driver for me to come together and create something that will make us all more sustainable. Sanne, Primary Teacher, London, UK
It’s given me inspiration and made me feel more confident for the next step. Helene, Asker International School, Norway
Eden Project Changemakers has also partnered with globally influential art activist JR and his Inside Out Project to curate an exhibition of over 50 ESD Changemaker adults and young people internationally – to be photographed in the biomes in Autumn 2021.
The next course begins in November – you can find out more about how to register and the costs here.
Whole Education will work with participating colleagues to understand how this can be disseminated further across our schools.
Find out more about the next Eden Project Changemaker programme starting in Nov 2021 >>>
