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Welcome to the Network News
Welcome to the latest edition of Network News which this time, focuses on the contribution from those in the waste sector in supporting the Scottish education system raise waste awareness and create behavioural change. This issue highlights the role of young people in preventing waste in their schools, colleges and universities and there are also the regular features on developments with the National Waste Strategy, events and news.
As a former primary school teacher, I remember registering my school for the Eco Schools programme. Involving young people in active citizenship and making positive change was, I felt, an extremely rewarding aspect of education and is the reason I subsequently went on to work as an education and training officer for the sustainable development charity Changeworks. After three years in this position I have witnessed a growing desire in young people and teachers to really get involved in reducing waste. Waste provides a perfect context for learning and you only have to read the comments from the eco team members at Strathmiglo Primary and Shawlands Academy in this edition of The Network News to realise how much it means to them being a part of this cultural revolution.
If we are to create behavioural change we must engage, empower and encourage our young people and their schools and exemplify models of good waste practice. The Go Green Campaign run by People and Planet aims to transform the education sector into an example of sustainability by showcasing the efforts of students from across the UK. Inspirational ideas can be found through the excellent Useful Websites for Waste Education Practitioners which should help us waste educators find the tools we need to support our young learners.
With the Scottish Waste Aware Group launching their Waste Aware Schools website and Eco Schools reaching its 500th Green Flag Award, the empowerment and encouragement cornerstones of behavioural change are already in place.
To learn how to engage pupils, students and teachers effectively, the Scottish Waste Education Support Programme (SWESP) can supply the training to give waste practitioners the skills and confidence to support young people involved in active citizenship. A questionnaire being sent to all waste educators should reveal exactly what further skills waste educators need in order to keep up with the pace of change in Scotland’s schools today.
The wind of sustainable change, led by young people, is blowing through the Scottish education system and there are many opportunities for waste educators to support them in making a difference in their schools.
Should I ever return to the teaching profession, I would like to think that, because of our work with young people today, I would be working in a waste-free, sustainable environment where it is the pupils that have created that lasting change.
Neil Fraser
Scottish Waste Education Support Programme Coordinator, Changeworks
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