”Environmental education helps to foster caring, responsible attitudes and inspires young people to take action in order to live more sustainably.” Ecoed Challenge for schools: From Feb-Jun'19 we will engage with groups of students and schools in running the Ecoed challenge - a 7 day online contest that uses gamification and technology through the Ecoed game app, to encourage learning and action towards a more sustainable way of living in a fun, encouraging way. Much more than a game: As students play the Ecoed game, we capture data that shows the strengths and gaps in knowledge and action in relation to key areas of environmental footprint, and provide this info to schools and local communities, together with targeted content and suggested actions that can be taken to address these needs and bring about concrete, long lasting, practical and tangible impact. We will also provide a 500 GBP grant and support for each school to implement one key selected action.

What we'll deliver:

• A 7 day Ecoed challenge for a minimum of 10 schools
• A report on strengths and gaps of knowledge and action, per school, and for the whole participating audience of schools
• A toolkit with targeted content and suggested actions for schools and local communities to take forth
• One concrete, key action implemented within each school, based on the pre-identified needs

Why it's a great idea:

It is a simple, yet effective way of increasing awareness, learning and bring about real and lasting behaviour change into schools and communities in relation to environmental impact in a fun, informative and inspiring way. People of different age groups have expressed how this approach is “a magnificent way to try to change the behaviour of people”. It's innovative and simple to use. Students can involve their families, extending the reach further into the local community. Being the first data-driven, practice based project around behaviour change in the field of environmental education, we will provide concrete evidence on what students need to learn more of, and which actions they are more or less keen to take on. This info is crucial in shedding light on the actual impact of environmental education interventions, and helping select the right ones for each students group. Each school will also get the support to implement one concrete change within their premises.

Steps to get it done:

• Feb-Apr'19: The 7 days Ecoed challenge is run for each school through the online Ecoed game app
• Mar-May'19: Challenge results are assessed as schools go through the Ecoed challenge
• Mar-May'19: School reports are produced identifying strengths and gaps in knowledge and action
• Mar-May'19: Content toolkits are delivered to schools, addressing their particular learning and action needs
• Apr-Jun'19: 1 key action per school is implemented by students and staff, to increase positive environmental impact
• Jul-Aug'19: Full programme report is created compiling all the results and actions taken by schools

We have 15 Islington and Haringey schools and an extra 7 schools across other areas eager and ready to engage their students in this initiative. The funding requested will enable us to bring the Ecoed challenge to 10 of these schools for free, making it accessible to students, schools and communities of various backgrounds and resources. With the funds gathered, we are also aiming at generating direct impact through one key action driven by students and school staff: from initiating a garden rooftop, to setting up recycling bins, or a composting site, to installing water fountains and reduce single use plastic, every action will be the seed that we plant in each school that will expand further. Lastly, these funds will also help us set the basic ground to expand the Ecoed challenge nationally throughout the UK and hopefully create a broader network of schools and communities working and collaborating towards long lasting behaviour change for a more sustainable society.