Your Green Future - Solihull 2016

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Solihull 2-3 March 2016

Thank you Solihull Council for sponsoring this brochure & being the core sponsor.

Solihull Sustainability Visioning Group Businesses working together for a sustainable Solihull The group offers: Practical business support from industry dedicated organisations Networking with like minded businesses A voice to help shape a sustainable future for Solihull Events and workshops

To find out more or to get involved: tel: 0121 704 6529 email: sustainabilityvisioning@solihull.gov.uk

www.solihullforsuccess.com/solihull-sustainability-visioning

Welcome to Severn Wye’s Your Green Future We were delighted to return to Solihull in March 2016 to run its second Your Green Future event.

Following the success of our 2015 Solihull, Your Green Future, we returned for a second year of fun and interactive workshops.

Students from across Solihull and Birmingham were introduced to a low carbon future to discover what that might mean for their career choices.

We were joined again by some familiar faces of the business world; we were delighted to welcome back Jaguar Land Rover and Lush, as well as many new faces, such as Balfour Beatty and Interserve, all of whom kindly gave up their time to support the event.

In this brochure you will find out about the experiences of our Solihull students, their views and those of their teachers, as well as the perspectives of the businesses involved in the event. We would like to thank all our student participants for bringing some truly innovative ideas and challenging questions to the table.

This initiative is a testament to partnership working, over the coming year we hope to be able to give more of today’s young people the chance to get involved in a Your Green Future event but we need your help to make this happen! Find out more on how to get involved at the end of this brochure.

Your Green Future is a project by Severn Wye Energy Agency, an independent charity and not-for-profit company that works for a bright, secure and sustainable future free from fuel poverty. www.severnwye.org.uk

Contacts

Rachel Brain Head of Education & Training rachelb@severnwye.org.uk 01452 835069

Core Sponsor:

Karen Robinson Project Manager karenr@severnwye.org.uk 01452 835060

Hosted by:

99%

of students learnt new things at The Event

Your Green Future What’s it all about?

Your Green Future is an interactive event which engages school students with a low carbon economy, and their potential role in creating this through their career choices.

Each event sees hundreds of 12 to 18 year olds work with businesses in a series of creative activities which investigate the changing face of business, from local sustainable business models to cutting edge technologies.

Overall, Your Green Future will support the local community becoming a sustainable environment in which businesses flourish, communities thrive and individuals have the opportunity to reach their potential.

The project emerges from the background challenges of youth unemployment, STEM skill shortages and, the need to develop a low carbon, resilient economy.

Details can be found at: www.yourgreenfuture.org.uk

Who we’ve engaged with?

11 events

3230 STUDENTS

run across the South West and Midlands.

aged 12 to 18 years old have attended events with their teachers.

155 Schools

301 Businesses

have attended the events.

have supported the events.

In Solihull We were pleased to return to Solihull to deliver the Your Green Future event for schools across Solihull and Birmingham.

When: 2nd and 3rd March 2016 Where: Solihull College Conference Centre

Who attended?

414

12 -18 years olds

34

Businesses bringing 72 business representatives

19

Schools from Solihull and Birmingham

Student Stats?

52%

Male

48%

Female

The active involvement and engagement of the students in all workshops was a testament to the ability of the presenters and the challenging and interesting content.

Teacher

Local Delivery Team In order to deliver the Your Green Future event in Solihull, and ensure it met local needs, Severn Wye Energy Agency set up and worked closely with a Local Delivery Team.

A big thank you should also go to the many volunteers who helped out over the 2 days Rotary, Soroptimist International and Solihull College Students

Thanks to the businesses

Photographers Acknowledgement Michelle Tennison tennisons.co.uk

The photos and feedback statistics may not be reproduced, distributed or modified without the express written permission of Severn Wye Energy Agency.

A day to innovate A creative programme

Inspirational speakers, interactive workshops and an opportunity to make higher education and industry connections.

Develop

innovate with technology

Discover careers in sustainability

Your construction Future

Engaging work s h o p s products fit for 2026

Manage waste & resources

Plan our Future energy

95%

of students enjoyed spending time in the exhibitor hall

What happened Speakers The day is introduced and the scene is set by our speakers Councillor Ian Courts, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council Councillor Penny Holbrook Birmingham City Council Andy Cole Centre Manager, Touchwood Shopping Centre Tim Armitage Associate Director, Arup

Career Pathways Exhibition Hosted by: Oakgrove Associates

In a nutshell

All students spent time in the Career Pathways Exhibition and were set the challenge of interviewing the many diverse local and national organisations represented. This included finding out about the organisation, the diversity of sustainability related jobs and to consider this information against their own interests, talents and aspirations. Students were also able to speak to education and training providers, providing them with an awareness of pathways into jobs from vocational to more academic options.

“I most enjoyed the exhibitor hall as it allowed us to talk and pose our own questions to people in the industry�

Student

Workshops Your Business Future Develop retail products fit for 2026 Delivered by: Just Ideas Sustainable Solutions

In a nutshell Teams of students worked with businesses to develop fashion and food items of today into products fit for 2026.

Each team entered their product into the Future Retail Awards, and voted for the most sustainable entry, in terms of people, planet and profit.

Overall, students gained an understanding of the choices, the opportunities and the challenges of putting environmental, social and economic sustainability at the core of business.

Q

WINNERS Sustainability scanner – an App which can scan the barcode of a product to show where it comes from, how sustainable/ethical it is, and suggests more sustainable alternatives.

Solar Tech – solar panels integrated into the back of a phone case or on a mobile phone charm that uses solar energy to charge the phone.

One thing I will think about next time I’m shopping The standards of the food and whether it’s in season.

Next time I shop I will make sure it’s eco-friendly and is sustainable.

If the products are Fairtrade.

If the packaging is recyclable.

89% of students enjoyed this workshop.

A chance to see some of the difficult environmental problems facing the fashion and food industry and a chance to become part of a design team to create a new product Centre for Sustainable Manufacturing and Recycling Technologies (SMART)

Q

One thing I have learnt in this workshop If things are not sustainable then we will run out of materials that we all use in our everyday life.

I now know what different symbols (on food and fashion products) mean and just how many products take sustainability into account.

That it is easy to incorporate sustainable features into a product but executing it is a lot more complex and requires lots of planning.

We can achieve sustainability in many different ways, and this task has made me think of ways to do this.

Workshops Your energy Future Plan our future energy needs & deliver them today Delivered & Sponsored by: Severn Wye Energy Agency

In a nutshell Students worked in teams, with diverse businesses and knowledgeable individuals, to develop a sustainable energy plan for Snowdonia National Park.

They investigated different forms of renewable energy and considered the relative potential of different methods for reducing consumption, including both behaviour change and technical measures.

Students also considered the types of job roles that may be relevant when it comes to implementing their chosen solutions.

97% of students enjoyed this workshop.

Q

As a result of working through these challenges students began to understand that when making decisions we must consider a range of factors; environmental, social and financial and that a range of solutions will be required as the issues are diverse and complex.

Why do you think it is important to produce and use energy in a sustainable way?

Fossil fuels are finite, therefore their use must be reduced with renewable sources being made available for when the finite resources run out.

To prevent increasing amounts of global warming and to reduce the effect (of global warming).

Thought provoking and interesting discussion potential.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Q

What have you learnt about energy efficiency and production?

I learnt that there are many alternatives to using fossil fuels that are renewable and generate significant amounts of energy.

Renewable energy must become more popular as coal, gas and nuclear sources can’t last forever.

Energy efficiency is very important and we need to find better ways to get energy without harming the environment.

Workshops Your Innovative Future

Invest in cutting edge technologies to address today’s challenges Delivered by: Birmingham and Solihull STEM Centre

In a nutshell During this Dragons’ Den style workshop businesses pitched innovations based on real industry developments to teams of student Dragons.

After the pitches the Dragons had the opportunity to ask questions about the innovations, before deciding how they would invest their £1,000,000 worth of funding. Following investment, the students offered the businesses suggestions on how they could improve their ideas.

Overall, students greatly enhanced their knowledge of the crucial role of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in creating a low carbon future.

85% of students left the event with a better understanding about what engineering is.

72% of students

said that the event had made them think more about a career in engineering.

pitches • T ata Motors had plans to improve the design of their electric cars to make them more appealing to a younger market.

Staying with the transport theme, Centro wanted to develop an App that helped people get from door to door using only public transport, in an effort to lull people out of their cars.

• H ow often do you use that expensive drill you bought? The Borro Club want to develop their existing initiative which encourages people to rent items from an online community rather than buy them.

• J aguar Land Rover had plans to develop material X which being so much lighter than current materials would reduce the weight of a car thereby reducing the amount of fuel used.

The ‘dragons den’ activity was fun, as I could see how companies are trying to help the environment.

Student

Q

One thing I have learnt in this workshop?

I learnt about new materials that are coming into the market to improve the emissions given out into the atmosphere.

You have to think about the bigger picture economically.

Businesses can bring local communities together.

Producing jobs leads to income, supports families, and allows them to put money earned back into communities. This allows them to enjoy a better future economically and environmentally.

“The students were really engaged with our workshop and interacted well with the businesses.”

Entrust

Workshops Your Resourceful Future

Create solutions to minimise waste & sustain resources Delivered by: InterClimate Network Sponsored by: SUEZ

In a nutshell During this workshop, teams of students took on the role of six local organisations. Working with business mentors from these companies they undertook a series of challenges in order to devise a creative solution to tackle a real-life waste issue that their company was trying to address.

Overall, students gained an understanding of the need to reduce waste across major job sectors and experienced how different job roles can help to make positive changes.

“Even our red trains are green!”

Virgin Trains

Q

One thing you will now do about waste?

I will use food leftovers in imaginative ways instead of throwing them away.

Make sure to separate waste properly Recycle more Don’t buy food I won’t eat

big ideas Each team created and presented a strong communications message to outline their solutions to their chosen target group.

For a second year, students working with Virgin Trains came up with the top ideas for reducing the amount of food waste by donating unused food to food banks, using a trolley to collect food waste so that it could be dealt with separately and a reward system for students to gain points towards a ticket to the V festival every time they recycle.

(I enjoyed the‌) Interaction with young people who were engaged and enthused by the task set them.

Birmingham Airport

Q

What has surprised you about waste?

A lot of litter is left on trains.

How much contaminated waste affects the recycling of all waste - 1 black bag can contaminate up to 7 tonnes of recycling!

The amount of food wasted has shocked me the most.

There are a lot of solutions (to waste), you just have to dig deep in the rubbish to find the answer.

Workshops Your Green city

Create our future megacities Delivered by: Solutions for the Planet

In a nutshell Students were tasked to re-design a derelict space into a play area for local children. They were given a plan of the area and key criteria to consider, in terms of surfaces, boundaries, sustainability of materials and the construction process. Working in groups they had to make difficult decisions about which materials to use, considering both the cost and the environmental impact. They also considered the different job roles in the production of these materials and the process of designing and building a playground.

Through the workshop, students’ learned about a wide variety of building materials including where they come from and their impact on the environment. They made decisions and compromises within budget and ecological constraints and understood the different career opportunities linked to designing and building.

92% of students enjoyed this workshop

Students have a lot of free reign to express their creativity, whilst staying within the requirements of the overall objective.

Interserve Construction Ltd

Q

What did you enjoy most about this workshop?

I enjoyed creating the park and coming up with the creative ideas with my group and implementing them.

I really enjoyed this workshop. It was quite challenging which made it fun.

Also, you had to limit some things because of the budget we had, which gave you a different mind-set. The session was also very interactive.

I liked this workshop because it made us feel like we had a responsibility in the real world to help people engage with wildlife.

I enjoyed trying to create a place of sustainable landscape. This helped with my social communication with others in my group and ways of planning and budgeting.

Proof it works

Delivering the Your Green Future agenda Your Green Future aims to meet both school and business needs, and aligns with a real need to develop an understanding of sustainability and to tap into new skills. Careful evaluation ensures its quality.

Take a look at the results!

Developing knowledge, prospects and skills Through life-like practical and creative activities, and communication with professionals, Your Green Future events aim to enhance 12 to 18 year olds knowledge, prospects and skills.

Knowledge of the evolving low carbon, sustainable economy Q

Do you know what a low-carbon, sustainable future means?

Q

Which industries do you think are involved in a sustainable economy?

Pre event 35% Yes 20% No

31%

68%

70%

86%

53%

70%

NGO’s

45% Unsure Post event 90% Yes 4% No 6% Unsure

energy

Land management

Event Stats displayed as

45%

Pre Event

73%

Construction

16%

55%

82%

Engineering/Manufacturing

57%

25%

61%

59%

82%

food

Fashion

30% Politics

Post Event

47%

Waste & water

Prospects improved through a clear view on the current job market and training opportunities Post event opinion

93% of students said

that following the event they have a better understanding of the different types of jobs that are available to them.

88% of students said

that following the event they have a better understanding of the further education pathways open to them e.g. university courses and apprenticeship courses

Enhance student’s vocational skills Q

I think the Your Green Future event has improved my skills in‌

81% Communication

86% Decision Making

92% Teamwork

83% Problem Solving

A well-planned and inspiring event that gave pupils insights into green industries and future ‘green’ opportunities.

Teacher

We found out about different universities and job opportunities at big companies like Jaguar Land Rover.

Student

Developing work related learning Your Green Future event activities are designed in collaboration with teachers to ensure they provide real learning. Additionally, events can kick start future activity and collaboration for schools. Notably, Your Green Future events...

...Link to the National Curriculum and sustainable opportunities in a wide variety of careers “The Your Green Future event was an excellent event, allowing pupils to develop further knowledge of sustainability in a more business and company-focused way.”

Teacher

70% of teachers

felt the event provided them with good networking opportunities and linked well with the National Curriculum.

“The event allowed us as teachers to think more about relating to business and career opportunities.”

Teacher “Lots of real life case studies and green sustainable opportunities for Geography students.”

Teacher “An excellent event that gave students opportunities for creative thinking with regards to sustainability futures and projects.”

Teacher “A great opportunity for your students to see the fantastic opportunities available in the working world.”

Teacher

...Provide ideas and inspiration for schools “The event allowed us as teachers to think more about relating to business and career opportunities.”

Teacher “A good opportunity to create links with other professions to support learning in your subject area.”

Teacher

100% of teachers learnt from the event.

Enhancing business Whilst the target audience is schools through active participation the event is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to...

...Raise the awareness of and promote their organisation “The event allowed us to showcase our sustainability team and show students that there is a career path in the engineering and construction sector for those enthused by the Environment or Green Careers.”

Balfour Beatty “For the businesses, it is a really good opportunity to get students from various schools to know about their business but also about what jobs are involved.”

Entrust “It’s great to be able to promote the green credentials of your business and really reaffirms how transferable your work based knowledge is. Really good opportunity for public engagement” Lush

89%

of Businesses said the event was a good opportunity to promote their organisation in the local area

...Network with a diverse audience “(I most enjoyed…) Being able to meet other organisations and seeing that we all have similar experiences with contamination.”

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council “Great opportunity to meet representatives from local universities and companies.”

Arup

78% of businesses said the event provided a good opportunity to network with other businesses

Inspire and be inspired “Manic, exhausting and rewarding - while there were a lot of groups to work with, it was really interesting to see how the students made sense of the task (both as individuals and as a group), and I really enjoyed trying to encourage them to use logic, mathematics and to consider the overall impact of what they were planning. We work with young people too rarely, and reminding ourselves that we want them to do what we do (but better) is as good an incentive as any to participate in the future.�

Climate KIC

Tap into new skills “By getting involved in this, outreach businesses are training the next skilled generation of workers in the field, and this is a strong asset to many UK companies indeed.”

“A great way to get kids to think about the sustainability challenges of future business and products.”

Happy Heart Cafe

Centre for Sustainable Manufacturing and Recycling Technologies “(I most enjoyed…) the interaction with the pupils and seeing how their perceptions of manufacturing design changed over the period of an hour.”

Centre for Sustainable Manufacturing and Recycling Technologies (SMART)

83% of businesses said the event gave their organisation the opportunity to promote the skills they need now and in the future

Develop new and unique ideas and undertake market research “A good opportunity for you to be challenged in your perception of environmental solutions, the kids bring a lot of new ideas to the table” Arup “It is a great opportunity to work with young people and to help channel their creativity. Some of the ideas that they come up with, could be implemented.”

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

100%

of businesses would like to attend another event

Get Involved

Change can happen through education Between 2016 and 2017, due to the success of our past events, and an increasing demand from all our event supporters, we plan to further develop and deliver the Your Green Future programme.

In order to achieve this aim we would welcome your support.

Opportunities include: • J oin a Local Delivery Team in order to support Your Green Future development and delivery, notably ensuring that the event meets local needs.

• P articipate in an event.

Your organisation can support the event’s creative workshops by volunteering a member of staff to share their expertise. You can also provide an interactive exhibition showcasing your company, its initiatives and opportunities.

• S ponsor an event.

Severn Wye works hard to raise the funds for each event, to enable the schools to attend free of charge. We would welcome your support and opportunities start at £700. Sponsorship benefits, including brand exposure, are outlined on: yourgreenfuture.org.uk

Your Green Future is a project by Severn Wye Energy Agency, an independent charity and not-for-profit company that works for a bright, secure and sustainable future free from fuel poverty. www.severnwye.org.uk

Contacts

Rachel Brain Head of Education & Training rachelb@severnwye.org.uk 01452 835069

Karen Robinson Project Manager karenr@severnwye.org.uk 01452 835060

About Severn Wye

Working for a future free from fuel poverty Severn Wye Energy Agency is a charity and not-for-profit company. Born out of an ambition to end fuel poverty we focus on providing practical expertise to help communities become more energy efficient and sustainable.

We do this by translating strategic thinking into real action, developing projects and solutions, offering impartial advice and technical support and, providing training and education for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Business

- Severn Wye has helped hundreds of businesses from a variety of business sectors to install renewable energy technologies and cut their fuel bills through training, billing analysis, energy surveys and on-going support.

Education - We promote life-long

learning as a means of developing awareness and skills for dealing with energy and climate change issues, and building resilience against fuel poverty.

Domestic - Whether it’s advice on how to reduce fuel bills or detailed bespoke advice on energy efficiency measures and renewable technologies then our team of dedicated and passionate advisers are there to help with technical knowledge and first class customer service.

Communities

- Severn Wye has a strong track record of working with local communities, taking a community development approach which aims to enable and empower those we work with.

Get in touch If you’re interested in working with us or you’d like to talk about how we might be able to help you, your business or school please get in touch.

01452 835060

We look forward to hearing from you.

@Severn_Wye

Severn Wye Energy Agency is registered in England & Wales Charity reg no. 1083812 Company reg no. 3830608

info@severnwye.org.uk www.severnwye.org.uk

Invigorating and inspirational.

Touchwood

“It was a great way for industry experts to engage with young children to encourage them to consider a future in sustainability” Solihull College

“A very rewarding day for both pupils and teachers.”

Teacher

“A great, fun, educational trip.”

Student

© 2016 by the author of this brochure (Severn Wye Energy Agency). Severn Wye retains sole copyright to their contributions to this brochure.