Education Conferences Across England to Turn Climate ambition into action: Be a Part of It!

In this article:

• Climate and Nature Action in Education launch events across England
• Teachers and School Staff: Request a Climate Ambassador and support from Sister Projects
• Individuals and Organisations: Onboard as a Climate Ambassador
• Networking opportunities for Climate Action in the East of England

Climate and Nature Action in Education launch events across England

This section is adapted text from “UEA hosts education conference as part of national climate scheme turning ambition into action” by UEA Communications, posted on Monday 7th October. Photos by Jessica Gibbs.

At the end of September, education leaders across the East of England headed to UEA to explore ‘Climate and Nature Action in Education’ as part of the national Climate Ambassador Scheme. This was part of a series of simultanoeus events happening up and down the country, signifying a nation-wide collaborative effort and partnership.

The Climate Ambassador scheme launched nationally across the UK in May, with the East Anglia hub led by a team based at the University of East Anglia’s (UEA) Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

The day-long conferences were held to introduce local educational institutions to their regional Climate Ambassadors, offering a space where climate action plans could be discussed, what we can add to our own knowledge, and the drive for schools to educate about how to tackle climate change locally.  

At the East of England event, hosted at UEA, the day started with an introduction to the scheme, highlighting the idea of climate action plans and how to reduce the impact of climate change, both regionally and worldwide, ending with a discussion on how best to tackle these problems as a group.

My role as the UEA Tyndall Centre’s Schools Climate Hub Coordinator sees me take the reigns as the Climate Ambassadors East of England Regional Hub Manager. At the event we discussed what we can offer schools for climate action education. We had all sorts of institutions present, nurseries, primaries, secondaries, multi academy trusts. The most important thing for me is that I didn’t want anyone leaving not knowing what to do, or thinking they were on their own, I wanted participants leaving thinking they are part of a team who are making a better future for young people.”  

Throughout the day, 80 people were in attendance from different institutions, with a further 20 joining the conversation online, which included the opportunity to meet and understand the role of some of the region’s Climate Ambassadors.   

Chris Page, ITV Weather Presenter, Meteorologist, and one of the East of England’s Climate Ambassadors, said, “It was a fantastic day meeting with like-minded people all with a passion to protect the place we all call home. We have taken on a huge mission, but I do believe educating the younger generation about how to tackle climate change is the best place to start. We are the solution to the problem. We can’t all do everything, but we can all do something to make a difference. The day was brilliantly organised, sparking great conversations to get the ball rolling to increase climate change education in nurseries, schools, and colleges.” 

The scheme now has over 70 ambassadors in the East (and approaching 700 nationwide), such as Chris Page, and his fellow ITV colleague Aisling Creevey, Martin Knapp Director of Clean Green Innovative Ltd., and Rachel Newell, the Social Sustainability Manager at Kier Construction.  

The day highlighted the role some of them could play in schools and in creating Climate Action plans, discussing ideas in groups, which included the MP of Waveney Valley, Adrian Ramsay. 

Faye Herron, Head of School at Lionwood Junior School in Norwich, said:  

“Creating a Climate Action Plan is a priority for our school next year, and will, I believe, prove to be a vital blueprint for positive change. However, to be effective you need to build it up over time, working to raise awareness in the school and ensuring there is buy-in across the board. Being able to tap into existing resources, knowledge, and support from people like Kit and the Climate Ambassadors is going to be extremely helpful. 

“Having studied at UEA, it was nice to see my old university taking the lead in East Anglia to endorse climate action, particularly in education. I think our pupils will relish the chance to engage with the subject and, through school visits, hear from those who are working hard to ensure climate literacy is installed across all age-groups.” 

Asher Minns, Executive Director at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia, said, “It’s interesting to see how teachers are engaging with the climate change topic and clearly, from what they are saying, their children want to know about it as well. 

There is lots of demand, there are 80 teachers here that are representing a hundred or more schools. What I’ve got out of it is at the moment is really the groundswell and the interest there is, and that’s important to me personally because I’ve been working in climate change with the Tyndall Centre for such a long time, when it was a nerdy math atmospheric thing here at UEA.” 

Lisa Beamish, Parent Governor at Roydon Primary School in Diss, said “I came to hopefully be able to help push the new curriculums into schools and saving resources. I want to make it known to the teachers at the school that there are these resources available, this type of education.” 

Aisling Creevey, Climate Ambassador, ITV Weather Presenter, and Meteorologist said, “It felt like a poignant moment where we were all moving forward together with a conversation about climate that is so important but so personal to us all.  It’s incredible to realise how far we have come as the launch of the Climate Ambassador scheme is now underway and we have a point holding us all together. I felt proud to be a part of it all and to be given an opportunity to speak and share what ITV are already championing in schools and in our day-to-day work lives and now as the first wave of climate ambassadors come through.” 

Teachers and School Staff: request a Climate Ambassador and support from Sister Projects

The Climate Ambassadors scheme was set up in response to the Department for Education’s Climate Change and Sustainability Education Strategy. That strategy states that by the end of 2025, all education settings (including nurseries and schools) in England are to have a Climate Action Plan and named Sustainability Lead.

However, I know as an ex-teacher and curriculum leader that schools are cash-straped, over-worked and pressured in all sorts of ways. And since this DfE Strategy is not stautory, why bother when there are other priorties? That’s where Climate Ambassadors and its Sister Projects come in. No matter where your setting is on it’s Climate Action Plan journey, we can help. Climate Ambassadors are expert volunteers who can help both with drawing up your Plan, or putting into action.

Request a Climate Ambassador

Thanks to East Midlands Regional Hub Manager Matilda Crane, we have a PDF guide for you to follow. Plus, you can watch and listen to Rebecca Sussex from STEM Point guide you through how to use the STEM Platform to request an Ambassador:

1. Register for an ‘Educator’ STEM Learning account and then log-in once you’ve successfully done so.
2. Select ‘Advertise an activity’ in the menu on your online dashboard
3. Fill in the details and publish your activity
4. Ambassadors will express an interest in your activity and you can offer them a place
5. Once an Ambassador has accepted, click confirm and communicate through the integrated messaging tool to arrange the details for your activity
6. Complete your activity!

Haven’t started or struggling to get going with a Climate Action Plan? South-East Regional Hub Manager Gemma Bailey, with support from the rest of the crew, put together this wonderful Climate Action Plan template and resource pack.

Get Support from the Sister Projects

Not only do the Climate Ambassador regional hubs are a close-knit team, so are each region’s bunch of ‘Sister Projects’. We’re in constant contact and collaboration with each other, so

Let’s Go Zero are a charity where you can request trained Climate Action Advisors who can kickstart your school’s Climate Action Plan. The National Education Nature Park provide a wealth of tools, resources and potential funding opportunities to enhance the biodiversity and access to green spaces of your school grounds. And finally the Sustainability Support for Education is a clever website while allows you to profile and audit your progress, suggesting resources for your context and the stage you are at.

Individuals and Organisations: Onboard as a Climate Ambassador

If you are an invidual who can spare a bit of time, or work for an organisation that can focus on climate action and sustainability initatives as part of their core values or social outreach schemes, then you should consister becoming a Climate Ambassador! As well as the obvious benefits in supporting schools and young people with Climate Action, other benefits include:

• Free training and Continuous Professional Development opportunities
• Free enhanced DBS check on behalf of STEM Learning
• Access to the STEM Learning platform as a STEM Ambassador, connecting you with other Ambassadors and education settings across the country
• Support and guidence through your Climate Ambassador regional hubs
• Plenty of volunteering opportunties which include educational events and exhibitions

What if you are already a ‘STEM’ Ambassador?

Great! Then all you have to do is follow these steps after logging onto STEM Learning and going to your ‘Dashboard’

1. Click on Profile
2. Then Skills and qualification
3. Scroll down and click ‘Edit’,
4. Under Schemes Participation > add ‘Climate Ambassadors’ and ensure that the box to share information is ticked.
5. Click ‘Submit’
6. Sign up for one of the “Getting Started as a Climate Ambassador” online training sessions (found under ‘Activities’).

Steps if you are new to the STEM Learning Platform:

• Signing up as Climate Ambassadors (feel free to share with connections!)
  • Register here: https://www.stem.org.uk/user/register?type=ambassador
  • IMPORTANT: Make sure you choose “Climate Ambassadors” under ‘Schemes’ on the second page and tick the box to consent to share information
  • You’ll be emailed a linked for induction, which you can do at your own pace
  • Complete the DBS check – instructions will be emailed to you after induction
  • When you’re all set, you’ll be able to sign up for one of the “Getting Started as a Climate Ambassador” online training sessions (found under ‘Activities’ on the STEM Learning dashboard).

Networking opportunities for Climate Action in the East of England

Each regional hub has their own ways to keep their communities connected and collaborated. In the East, we have two very simple and quick ways!

1. Our digital noticeboard: Visit https://t.ly/CliAmbEast/ and bookmark it and follow it. Keep tabs on this noticeboard for news, resources, ‘How to…’ guides, Ambassador profiles and more. The Padlet is regularly updated by myself and the lovely folks from our Sister Projects.

2. WhatsApp Community: Climate Ambassadors, Sister Project leads, and leaders and teachers for education settings in the East all can have access to our vibrant WhatsApp Community. If you would like access to this community, please email me at climateambassadors_ea@uea.ac.uk, using you work email and let us know your name, job title and name of education setting.