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Cheltenham Education Partnership 'ChangeMakers’ Project Launch
Careers Hub News
25 November 2021
Cheltenham Education Partnership 'ChangeMakers’ Project Launch
Cheltenham’s secondary schools came together to have their voices heard on climate change with local government officials, the council and industry specialists.
On Wednesday 10th November, Cheltenham Education Partnership (CEP) launched their ChangeMakers Project, a collaboration of young people from across 10 Cheltenham state and independent secondary schools taking action against climate change. Launched in parallel with COP26, the project aims to empower Cheltenham’s young people with a voice and support them to take positive action towards more environmentally sustainable schools and communities.
The CEP ChangeMakers Launch event took place from Cheltenham Town Hall and involved teachers and students (ChangeMakers) hearing from and asking questions with industry specialists including Planet Cheltenham, Severn Wye, Logical Utilities, FoodLoose, and Plastic Free North Devon.
Alex Chalk MP for Cheltenham and Councillor Max Wilkinson (cabinet member for Climate Emergency) took to the stage for a panel discussion in which students asked the questions they wanted answers to regarding local and government level priorities for addressing the climate change emergency.
Alex Chalk MP said: “The CEP ChangeMakers launch event was a fantastic, well organised, opportunity to share ideas with young people about how best to take action here in Cheltenham to promote sustainability and tackle the climate crisis. I particularly welcomed the focus on green transport, and I’m hoping the students I met will be the Cheltenham cyclists of the future!”
Following a number of presentations and panel discussions the ChangeMakers (students) came together to debate their views on how Cheltenham’s schools and community are being impacted by climate change and where action towards supporting sustainability is needed most. Working in teams the ChangeMakers identified and agree on the top priorities for tackling climate change locally.
The sustainability actions agreed upon by the ChangeMakers are being fed-back to their respective school/college eco-groups where various initiatives are being planned. The ChangeMakers from across each participating school will continue to meet during the course of the next year to share their progress and develop their knowledge and experience through collaborative learning opportunities.
In May 2022, Cheltenham Education Partnership are planning a larger ChangeMakers Summit, where the ChangeMakers will be accompanied by approximately 500 students from across all 10 schools. During the event, students will present and celebrate their achievements since the projects launch. Attendees to the Summit will again include local government and council representatives, and industry specialists. Planning is also underway for the Summit to be supported by the University of Gloucestershire’s Sustainability Team and CEP’s newly appointed supporting partner GFirst LEP.
Through their support the partnership aims to educate and inspire Cheltenham’s young people on future careers available to them within sustainability.
Roxanne Gladyng, Enterprise Coordinator at GFirst LEP comments: “Truly, the event was both incredible and inspiring. I haven’t stopped smiling!”
For more information about the CEP ChangeMakers scheme and to follow students’ climate change actions over the coming months visit the Cheltenham Education Partnership website: www.CEPCheltenham.co.uk
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