Education Today Education Today Magazine
The Environment Leaders Programme (Level 3 Qualification, 8 UCAS points) was developed by the Leadership Skills Foundation, WWF and the RSPB.
We are often impressed and inspired by the younger generation and their commitment to tackling climate action or their motivations to achieve net zero. We look at them with awe as they take to the streets to encourage our governments to act or carry out actions within their community. These acts demonstrate their belief in the power of social action to create change. And yet, amongst the Gretas and the unsung local heroes of this generation, there are those who would like to act but are unsure how to go about it. There is the will, but perhaps not the know-how.
In our rush to admiration of those focal point activists, are we, as educators, sometimes slightly inactive in terms of supporting other young people in achieving their dreams for the preservation of the natural world. Are we giving them all the tools they will need to make these goals a reality?
There are only so many hours in the day, and the curriculum demands a lot from educators in any setting. This means that any solution we can create to support young people to be the change they want to see in the world needs to fit within this constraint.
These considerations have been central to our discussions over the past couple of years. Our experience has taught us that developing learning programmes that can complement – and not compete with – the curriculum is paramount.
But where does climate action, sustainability, and activism in general fit within the school delivery eco system? And how are we catering to this interest in young people and supporting them with the urge to act?
In addition, the Department for Education has recently asked for all schools to implement sustainability leadership. The need for a Climate Action Plan in all education settings by 2025 means educators can start bringing students on the journey and really use youth voice to develop meaningful and long-term solutions as part of their plans. And the process of developing the plan is, of itself, a way to support young people in their future aspirations, combining skill development and the desire to create positive change for the natural world into one.
We need young people to be part of the solution because it is their future we are looking to. But we cannot leave them to do it alone.
We believe that we, as educators, need to support young people to develop the essential skills, confidence and resilience needed to take those first steps in their sustainable journey. We want to take that inherent optimism and determination and teach them the skills needed to generate the impact they want to have.
Our latest venture with WWF and the RSPB – the Environment Leaders Programme – is our way of taking our 40-year heritage in essential skill development and applying it to this important subject that young people are showing us they have an interest in.
At its heart, it is a project leadership qualification, developed specifically to give young people the opportunity to build their essential skills and create positive change for the planet. By supporting learners to think about how they can impact their local community and the world they interact with every day, we have the potential to help them feel equipped to make a real difference in their futures.
The Environment Leaders Programme allows educators to facilitate essential skill learning in a subject that is important to young people and that has now become a focus for government. It enables young people to choose nature and environment projects that align with their own passions and interests and simultaneously creative positive change in their communities (no small feat in today’s crowded education landscape).
This programme is our way of stepping up to support the goals of young people in a tangible way that will lead them beyond the classroom into the workplace and the wider world. All for the benefit of the planet and our collective futures.
To learn more about the Environment Leaders Programme and discover how it can help you and your students achieve your sustainability goals, visit: https://leadershipskillsfoundation.org/environment
Note: The Environment Leaders Programme was developed by the Leadership Skills Foundation, WWF and the RSPB. It is available in settings that deliver Key Stage 5 and is suitable for students aged 16 years and over. The qualification offers 8 UCAS points, and 10 tutor hours are required for delivery.
