The idea
The Young Green Briton Challenge launched in 2022 and is sparking a green revolution in schools supporting over 6000 young people to design, present & implement innovative ideas for tackling climate change. St Vincent’s School for the visually impaired is one of our pilot schools. Together with our partner in Widnes, EcoVida Routes, we are now developing a hub in the North-West to build skills for the green economy and create opportunities.
This is how it works:
-Teachers use our lessons to explore the causes & impacts of climate change in their local community
-Students team up to tackle local eco-problems from saving wildlife to fighting fast fashion, cutting food waste or reducing litter.
-Students build transferable skills through developing and prototyping their ideas.
-Students pitch to an Eco-Dragons Den to receive money and help to bring their ideas to life.
-We come together to celebrate achievement across LCR and the best teams participate in the National Celebration Event
What we'll deliver
- Deliver YGBC in 6 additional schools in the Liverpool City Region (aiming for 1 per borough incl 1 special school)
- Enable 1200+ secondary school students to build transferable skills
- Support at least 18 student led environmental projects that create change in their communit2
- Host a celebration event in Liverpool City Region for participating students
- Invite students from at least 3 schools in LCR to the national Young Green Briton Challenge Celebration Event
Why it's a great idea
An LCR hub for YGBC will build knowledge, green skills and opportunity for young people aged 10-16 across the region. Building on the work we have already done with St Vincent’s School in Liverpool we are aiming to work with at least 1 school per borough.
Within each of those schools we will work with a whole year group of students (which each school can select). All students will receive sustainability education and a fun, fast paced design workshop that builds transferable skills including creativity, problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and communication skills. At the end of the workshop students pitch their ideas and the most motivated teams will continue to develop their ideas, creating a positive environmental impact in their schools and local communities, as well as supporting positive behavioural change.
St Vincent’s 2024 project is already greening the City Region: https://twitter.com/the_litterally
Steps to get it done
- September 2024: recruit 6 schools from Liverpool City Region to participate in the Young Green Liverpool pilot
- October - November 2024: Teacher CPD; delivery of launch assemblies and teacher-led content
- November 2024- January 2025: Delivery of design workshops in each school
- January - March 2025: Eco dragons dens take place in each school
- January - June 2025: student led projects get put into action in each school / community
- May 2025: Liverpool regional celebration event for students from across the City Region (and potentially North West?)
- July 2025: Schools from Liverpool participate in the National Young Green Briton Challenge Celebration Event
To grow the impact of YGBC we are working with regional partners in the North-West, the North-East, London and Sussex in the coming academic year (2024-25). The North-West has been selected as a key area for growth of YGBC with strong demand from schools and partners, along with a need to build skills for future green jobs. A pilot with LCR would form a key part of the North-West hub. At a national level YGBC has a number of key partners secured for 2024-25 including the Green Britain Foundation, Ecotricity and the Co-op Community Fund. Avanti has provided support to schools from the North West in the two pilot years, enabling students to travel to the National Celebration Event in London for free. In July 2024 this event was hosted by Sadiq Khan at City Hall in London. We are keen to work with LCR to adapt the programme in 2024-25 to maximise local impact and longevity and also to collaborate on hosting an event that celebrates the innovation and talent of young people.
