Sustainability experts needed for national education scheme

Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan, is today (20 May) calling for 1,000 expert volunteers across the country to join a Reading-led climate education programme.

In a speech at the Education World Forum, the Education Minister will officially announce the extension of the Climate Ambassador Scheme - the Department for Education’s £2 million national climate education programme, co-led by the University of Reading and EAUC, in association with STEM Learning.

The Climate Ambassador Scheme provides nurseries, schools and colleges across England with free access to local experts who can help turn their climate and sustainability ambitions into action.

In her speech at the Education World Forum, the Secretary of State for Education said: “Today, I am announcing the extension of the Climate Ambassadors scheme, which provides education settings with access to a network of regional climate ambassadors. The scheme provides local expert support and peer to peer learning opportunities, with Ambassadors helping nurseries, schools and colleges turn their climate ambition into meaningful climate action.”

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Volunteer experts from across England are needed to support the scheme, which, in the first two years, aims to support 2,500 education settings on their sustainability journeys. Regional hubs have been set up to support experts and match them with educational settings in their area. 

Reading colleagues with knowledge in any area of sustainability are in a prime position to volunteer.

Your expertise can make a critical difference to the ability of nurseries, schools and colleges to reduce their carbon emissions, improve biodiversity and young people’s connection with nature, while also helping them adapt to climate risks and provide a world-leading education in sustainability and climate change critical for their future lives.  

Anyone interested in becoming a Climate Ambassador can sign up to the scheme. You will be provided with free training and support, and be matched to a local nursery, school or college that needs help building a climate action plan.

‘All about action’

Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez, co-lead of the scheme at the University of Reading, said: “Becoming a Climate Ambassador is all about action. Just a small commitment of your time can make a real difference to a local nursery, school or college, giving staff and young people the confidence and skills to make meaningful change happen now.”  

Laura Tobin, ITV weather presenter, Reading alumna and Climate Ambassador champion said: “If you have a great knowledge of climate change, biodiversity or sustainability, Climate Ambassadors is perfect for you. Young children have a lot of questions – they want to learn so much more about the world around us. If you want to go into schools and colleges to give talks, if you want to help education settings learn more about places they can find great resources, or you want to help the places and people in our education system become greener and more sustainable, become a Climate Ambassador.”

Dr Natalie Harvey, a weather scientist at the University of Reading’s Department of Meteorology who has signed up as a Climate Ambassador, said: “Becoming a climate ambassador has been an extremely rewarding experience for me personally. Both pupils and teachers have been so eager to learn more about how we can protect our planet. When we go to these schools and nurseries it really feels like everyone is coming together to tackle climate change as one.” 

Read colleagues' Climate Ambassador stories.

Partnering for the planet 

The Climate Ambassador scheme links with other parts of the Department for Education’s Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy and it’s funded initiatives: including the National Education Nature Park. This scheme sees young people leading the way in forming a vast network of green spaces across England to improve their schools, colleges and nurseries for people and wildlife.

The Sustainability Support for Education platform will also provide access to support for education settings to get started or prioritise next steps on their sustainability journey. Climate Ambassadors work in partnership with the team of Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisors, who also provide free tailored support to schools looking to become zero carbon.

This Wednesday (23 May), on Outdoor Classroom Day, the National Education Nature Park is encouraging all teachers and pupils to discover habitats in their school, college or nursery as part of Habitat Heroes day. This is a great way for all young people to connect to the natural world and for education settings to begin their climate action journey.