“Never too small to make a difference”: Climate Education in Schools and Stories

Our very own Sacha Dench began our discussion of climate education. Introducing the Round Britain Climate Challenge, she spoke of the importance of engaging young people in climate action through schools. The expedition will break two world records: Sacha will be flying the furthest circumnavigation in an electrically powered paramotor, and the team will be encouraging as many people as possible to sign up to Count Us In! Currently, the record sits at 140,000 — Sacha spoke of how involving schools will be highly valuable in our efforts to break this world record. 

Sacha also discussed the limitations of the green paramotor. The smaller battery will mean Sacha will have to stop and land more often than she would in a petrol powered paramotor. Fortunately, this will mean Sacha will get to hear and speak to lots of people telling stories of local climate change and solutions. The whole story will be recorded and shared with schools! Sacha sees this as a “chance to tell the full story of Britain”, and trigger the young persons’ green revolution!

Our impressive Geography teacher, Kate Stockings, followed to talk us through how the education package accompanying the expedition will be “priceless”, as she values it, for schools. Kate wanted to get involved with the Round Britain Climate Challenge because of its “truly unique nature”, and the opportunity for school students to get involved. In her background as Head of Geography at a large comprehensive school in London, Kate has become aware that climate change is often taught through a global lens. The expedition will provide the opportunity to create high quality, up to date resources to share with as many students as possible and be easily engaging to teachers, as well as offering the chance to help break a Guinness World Record!

Talking us through the plan for the education package, Kate aims to record two videos a week during the expedition in which she will be talking to Sacha and the team about what they have seen and what they have been doing. The footage will then be repurposed for future use in schools year after year education of climate change. Kate’s priority is inclusivity, to “engage our teenagers across the country”!

Matt Larsen-Daw was our representative from WWF-UK. As Education Manager with a background in conservation he spoke of his “love for the UK landscape” that inspired his involvement with this project. The WWF education programme aims to inspire and equip teachers to allow their students to “drive and thrive in a world in balance with nature”. Matt spoke of the importance of this year as a turning point in climate education and climate action. Working with a coalition of around thirty organisations, Matt has put together a school’s action pack that aims to engage students and communities in these issues. He described the Round Britain Climate Challenge as “creating a story that can bring young people and communities onboard with that journey and see themselves as part of the future that we need to work together to shape”. The expedition is one of hope, empathy, action and relevance.

Our Roundtable then moved on to the potential of educating children beyond the school environment. Abi Elphinstone dazzled us with her invigorating words. As a children’s author, she shares with Sacha a love for “adventure and stories and determination to inspire young people to protect our planet”. Abi met Sacha at the Woman of the Year Awards, when Sacha had just flown 7000km from Arctic Russia to Britain, bizarrely paralleling Abi’s own book ‘Sky Song’. 

Abi talked of her “indestructible sense of wonder at our planet” and her mission to write children’s books to both celebrate the natural world and the climate threats we face. Children need to be aware of the climate crisis but, more importantly, they need to feel that they can do something about it. In Abi’s poignant words: “children’s books are among some of the most hopeful things on this planet. They have the power to awaken, challenge and inspire young minds to act”, “nothing is more powerful than a child in possession of a plan, or indeed, than Sacha Dench on a mission to galvanise the nation’s children into saving the planet”. 

Gill Lewis followed Abi with her own motivational discussion of the power of stories to raise awareness, engage and empower children in the fight against the climate crisis. Gill met Sacha after her Flight of the Osprey, and has held a huge admiration for Sacha ever since. Her first book ‘Sky Hawk’ similarly follows the journey of a migratory bird and connects children across the world. She discussed how children’s books can cover complex issues. Children have a thirst for knowledge and books can arm them with the confidence to take action themselves. Whilst we cannot avoid the doom and gloom facts of climate change, Gill wants to inspire hope in children and encourage them to see that “anyone can make a difference whatever age”. Gill closed our Roundtable grippingly: “stories are powerful beasts. They can change hearts and minds and if you can do that, you can change the world”, words that our host Martin Valenti said would be difficult to forget.

A Roundtable full of invigorating and riveting speakers all with a passion for equipping young people with the education to take part in climate action. As the arresting Matt Larson-Daw said, the Round Britain Climate Challenge will “bring hope into the narrative” and “create a legacy of change”. Indeed, the evening was a discussion of hope, positive change and excitement for the ways Sacha and the team are embarking on a groundbreaking journey that will revolutionise climate education for children!