Your Green Future - West of England 2015

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West of England 19-20 May 2015

Really relevant for the future - future studies and careers.

Valuable and credible as real industry representatives posing real problems.

Teacher

Welcome to

Your Green Future In May 2015 we were pleased to return to the West of England to deliver our biggest Your Green Future event to date.

This marked our fourth event in the region and the celebration of Bristol as the European Green Capital. This award promotes and rewards the efforts of cities to improve the environment, and is a perfect complement to Your Green Future’s ambitions to boost skills and awareness for a stronger and more sustainable economy.

At the event hundreds of students worked alongside businesses. Together they addressed a series of real business challenges, details of which can be found in the ‘Day to Innovate’ section of this brochure. The following ‘Proof it works’ section shows how Your Green Future not

only has a great impact on students and teachers but, how it also gives back to the local businesses who support it.

But we can’t claim all the credit! Your Green Future highlights the importance, and possibilities, that partnership working can bring about. You can find out about our partners on the Local Delivery Team page.

Notably, partnering with the University of the West of England (UWE) gave us a fantastic opportunity to work with their students, who were not only able to develop their own skills and links with local businesses, but provided role models for the school students considering further education.

Your Green Future is a project by Severn Wye Energy Agency, an independent charity and not-for profit company which aims to promote sustainable energy and affordable warmth through partnership, awareness-raising, innovation and strategic action. www.severnwye.org.uk

Contacts

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

Cecily Etherington Project Manager cecilye@severnwye.org.uk 01452 835076 Hosted by:

97%

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?

9 events

2571 STUDENTS

run across the South West and Midlands.

aged 12 to 118 years old have participated with their teachers.

119 Schools

233 Businesses

have attended the events.

have supported the events.

the West of England We were pleased to return to the West of England, to deliver the 4th and largest Your Green Future event for schools in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset.

When: 19th and 20th May 2015 Where: University of the West of England,

Department of Architecture and the Built Environment

Who attended?

440

12 -18 years olds from 15 schools

16

university students

34

businesses bringing 72 business representatives

Student Stats?

55%

Male

45%

Female

Really really enjoyable day, pupils learnt a lot!

Teacher

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

Big thank you to the volunteers on the day: Rotary and UWE students

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

Create future megacities

Engaging work s h o p s products fit for 2015

Manage waste & resources

Plan our Future energy

The opening speaker was inspirational and the students were enthused by him.

Teacher

What happened Speakers Liz Zeidler Director of Happy City & Chair of Bristol Green Capital Partnership Griff Holland Owner, Friska

“ Liz was very passionate and inspiring.”

Student

Career Pathways Exhibition Delivered by: Oakgrove Associates All students spent time in the Career Pathways Exhibition and were set the challenge of interviewing local and national organisations.

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 walking around and talking to people about their jobs at the different stalls.”

Student

Workshops Your Business Future Develop food and fashion products fit for 2025

Delivered by: Just Ideas Sustainable Solutions Thanks to Pukka Herbs for providing the workshop prizes

In a nutshell Teams of students worked with successful businesses to develop fashion and food items of today into products fit for 2025.

Each team entered their product into the Future Food and Fashion 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 • T ree Top Tee: A t-shirt with a collar made from a fabric that takes in CO2 and converts it into oxygen - reversing carbon emissions and regulating temperature! • E arth Cheese: cheddar cheese, locally produced in a zero waste system, delivered to your door by solar powered drones. • A wetsuit that uses your kinetic energy to charge a battery which dries your wetsuit before you take it off. Also multi size so you only need to invest once.

Something I will think about next time I buy food or clothes From now on I will think about where my clothes actually come from and how they were made.

I will look for the Fairtrade logo so the people who have made it get the money they deserve.

I will think about if it can be reused or altered to make it last longer.

I will think more about food miles when I buy food.

I really enjoyed seeing the creativity levels within the ideas the young people developed.

Bristol Textile Recyclers (BTR Ltd)

Q

One thing I have learnt That there are lots of clothes that get thrown away!

About the various factors that make a product sustainable.

That food can make a difference to the environment.

How a product causes a lot of waste from the transportation, packaging, or the manufacture of the product itself.

94% of students students enjoyed this workshop

Workshops Your energy Future Plan our future energy needs & deliver them today

Delivered by: Severn Wye Energy Agency, as part of Night Hawks

In a nutshell Students worked in teams, with diverse businesses, 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.

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.

“The session about energy in the Snowdonian NP was excellent and the students really enjoyed the challenges it set them.�

Teacher

A great opportunity to engage with the next generation of workers.

Ecotricity

Q

One thing I have learnt about renewable energy and energy efficiency That there are many more factors included in the production and installation of renewable energy than I thought.

That you can reduce your energy use even if you don’t have a lot of money / don’t want to spend a lot!

How to reduce energy to a target within a specific budget.

We learned how we can save energy in a house.

How teaching people about their energy use can dramatically reduce usage.

92% of students students enjoyed this workshop

Workshops Your Innovative Future

Invest in cutting edge technologies to address today’s challenges Delivered by: Graphic Science

In a nutshell During this Dragons’ Den style workshop leading 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.

87% of students left the event with a better understanding about what engineering is and what engineers do

pitches • E lectric aeroplane technology, which uses solar panels on wings to keep the batteries charged mid-flight by Airbus • H ewlett Packard’s dense & energyefficient Moonshot server system • U WE’s plan for a “Uni-Cycle” scheme where students could rent bikes rather than having to buy.

• A foot bridge which would be lit using Pavegen tiles (these use kinetic energy from footsteps to generate electricity) by Mott Macdonald.

• S GS College’s plan for a new college which gives young people the opportunity to gain the skills needed for STEM careers.

I thought the idea of getting the business mentors to pitch to the school children was brilliant. It turns around the whole model of the Dragon’s Den and puts the young people in charge Hewlett Packard

Q

I most enjoyed Finding out about what jobs there are in engineering, also that we got to speak to real businesses.

I enjoyed learning about different ideas and understanding why they liked / believed in their project.

How we got to decide how much to invest, because it put us in a place where we had to provide our opinions.

Seeing things from a business perspective.

Learning about engineering, so now I know what GCSE’s I have to get.

“Their questions were remarkably perceptive and showed good awareness of broad issues.”

Mott MacDonald

Workshops Your Resourceful Future

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

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.

Q

How could we deal with waste better?

By making it into other things e.g. process the waste into energy.

Making people more aware and by rewarding people who recycle / reuse items.

Don’t buy more than you need!

Recycle more food waste and show people what will happen in the future if we don’t recycle.

big ideas Students came up with a plan for University Hospitals Bristol to meet with their manufacturers to change the design of single use items, such as crutches, to make them reusable.

They would then put a deposit on the crutches, to ensure patients brought them back, and advertise that other people also needed the equipment.

This would not only reduce waste but save money!

[I most enjoyed] engaging with the students, it has been years since I did something like this.

I very much enjoyed the day Bristol Water

Q

What should your organisation do next regarding waste?

Use Aardman to make NHS patients bring back equipment.

Give left over food to charities and fine people for putting food in the black bin.

Better signs on all food packaging.

Start spreading messages to stop people wasting - waste and education.

Advertise the amount of waste in the aftermath of Glastonbury Festival. And not allow much to the festival.

Workshops Your Green city

Create our future megacities

Delivered by: The Architecture Centre

In a nutshell Interdisciplinary teams of students worked with architects, planners, and landscapers in order to think about the challenges of future ‘megacities,’ notably the big question ‘How will cities feed themselves in the future?’

The students developed 2D and 3D sustainable and creative plans to utilise city space’s to grow food more locally.

They went onto present their ideas to the professionals and their peers for design review.

As a result of working through these challenges students gained an understanding of sustainable placemaking, the importance of the built environment in tackling climate change, and the interconnectedness of cities and how they are planned.

Big Ideas • A tiered cake-stand inspired tall building for growing vegetables, with light loving plants such as tomatoes and strawberries grown nearest the top.

• T urning disused mines into underground mushroom farms.

• B oat farms to utilise space on water, which could also transport food to where it was needed.

“I particularly liked the megacities 2025 workshop.

Great brief and modelling opportunities.”

Teacher

A brainstorming of ideas to familiarise and encourage the next generation into positive and progressive action.

Askew Cavanna Architects

Q

At the event I most enjoyed Learning about architecture design that was sustainable.

Designing our own way to make a city more sustainable.

The architecture work shop, creating our own building design to grow vegetables for ourselves and businesses.

Creating a model for how to feed a megacity.

“Was lots of fun.Really important issues but dealt with in an engaging way.�

Buro Happold

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?

event stats

Pre event

Pre Event

Post Event

35% Yes 27% No 38% Unsure

24% 67% NGO’s

Post event 89% Yes 4% No

65% 88% energy

7% Unsure 55% 76% Land management

42% 81% Construction

17%

62%

Engineering

28% 66% food & Drink

Fashion

29% 50% Politics

62% 83%

52% 82% Waste & water

Prospects including providing students with a clear view on the current job market and training opportunities Post event opinion

95% 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

UWE Career Services said

“A unique opportunity to engage with a diverse range of school and college students about ‘green’ careers.”

Enhance student’s vocational skills Q

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

76% Communication

80% Decision Making

81% Teamwork

74% Problem Solving

Fun, engaging event‌ Much more effective than a careers talk!

Buro Happold

[I most enjoyed] getting involved and sharing my opinions about having a green future, and interacting with people who are currently working to make the world a greener place.

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 a wide range of college courses “Setting challenging tasks, which we sometimes perhaps avoid, gave students a real idea of real life decisions that have to be made.”

100%

of teachers learnt from THE EVENT

Teacher “Learning more about materials and technologies used within the civil engineering and architecture-very useful for my teaching in sustainable design.”

Teacher

96%

of students enjoyed THE EVENT

Provide ideas and inspiration for schools “I learnt how cross curricular environmental issues are and how I could do similar activities in school.”

Teacher “I found out that large companies are changing to become more sustainable and that these changes will have an impact on the job roles our students will need to be prepared for.”

Teacher

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

Raise the awareness of and promote their organisation “It was a great opportunity to advertise your company to the students and inform them more on sustainability and the environment in the workplace. You could tell the students which A level and degree courses to choose for careers leading to engineering. ” Skansa “Unusual opportunity to directly engage with a demographic not usually exposed to our industry.”

Ecotricity “The event is an excellent opportunity to engage with young people about the relevance of your organisation within a sustainable society. ” Bristol Textile Recyclers (BTR Ltd)

94%

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

Network with a diverse audience “A great way to network and collaborate with other professionals in the built environment industry. ” Noma Architects “I really enjoyed the opportunity to speak with other businesses.”

Ecotricity

88% of businesses said the event provided a good opportunity to network with other businesses

[I most enjoyed] interacting with the students and seeing their frank and open acceptance of a green future.

Askew Cavanna Architects

Inspire and be inspired “I really enjoyed hearing the young people’s ideas - it was refreshing.”

“[I most enjoyed] being inspired by the students”

South Gloucestershire Council

Noma Architects

Tap into new skills “An opportunity to demonstrate to potential future sector employees what it is you do, why this is valuable and how to pursue a career within in it. ” Centre for Sustainable Energy

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 “The event was a useful exercise in problem solving for businesses, using the young brains of our future employees and customers” Cribbs Causeway “The event provided a stimulating environment for engaging with school children gaining their perspective on how to address our waste issues. ” University Hospitals Bristol NHS FT [I most enjoyed] the students!

They came up with some really interesting proposals.

White Design

Thanks to the businesses

Photographers Acknowledgement RichMcD Photography www.richmcd.co.uk

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

100%

of businesses would like to attend another event

Get Involved

Change can happen through education Between 2015 and 2016, 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.

We work 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 which aims to promote sustainable energy and affordable warmth through partnership, awareness-raising, innovation and strategic action. www.severnwye.org.uk

Contacts

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

Cecily Etherington Project Manager cecilye@severnwye.org.uk 01452 835076

About Severn Wye

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

We are doing 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.

Severn Wye supporting the West of England Severn Wye are working in partnership with local organisations and authorities to bring a variety of benefits to those living and working in the West of England.

We Chair the Bristol Green Capital Partnership Education Group, in which we support a network of local organisations, who work in sustainability and education, to develop strong initiatives and to identify opportunities for collaboration.

We are supporting local businesses, including Yate and Willow Brook shopping centres,

with free energy surveys and energy training through our Night Hawks programme.

We are improving the homes of South Gloucestershire residents through our Warm and Well scheme. Since 2001 the scheme has supported thousands of householders in reducing their energy bills as well as making them more comfortable in their homes. This has included seeing more than 12,000 energy saving measures installed in over 8,000 homes.

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

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

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

Over 90% of clients have rated the overall service of Warm and Well as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ for the past five years.

“Exciting, engaging, fast-paced, collaborative, interactive.”

White Design

“Thanks again for organising such a fantastic event! ” Teacher

“I really enjoyed working with people who have jobs in sustainability.”

Student

© 2015 by the author of this brochure (Severn Wye Energy Agency). Severn Wye retains sole copyright to their contributions to this brochure.