Generation Restoration – Big Launch

Event Objectives:

 The 2021 – 2030 UN Decade of Restoration focuses on restoring, at grassroots, local ecosystems. This launch event will give our innovative partnership an exciting role in this and enable our students be part of a longer-term ecosystem regeneration project with tangible outcomes.

A carousel of activities, led by specialist facilitators, will engage students with the natural environment, introduce them to ways that local ecosystems and biodiversity can be improved at their own school sites and beyond, and start a longer-term project to develop skills and progress actions.

Outcome and legacy:

• Students will become ‘EKST Student Restoration Ambassadors’.
• Students will develop problem solving and communication skills.
• Students will understand more about local ecology and conservation and experience how creativity and innovation is central to solution based sustainable design.
• Students will take their learnings back to their own schools so that they can create similar spaces.
• Students attending this launch event will then be invited to an annual event (over 3 years). Each year new skills and knowledge will be developed. The focus in year one focus will be soil, year two will be oceans and year three is tbc.
• Students will have external facilitators come to their own schools’ site in the winter following the annual event to help them progress plans on their site and within their community.

Pre-event:

• We can accommodate four students from KS3 or KS4 from our ten schools at this event.
• Schools to pick KS3 or KS4 students who have an interest in the environment and green initiatives.
• Students will attend in their own clothes and bring with them a packed lunch, water bottles, warm clothing, waterproofs if wet and a pencil case.

On the day of the event:

• Upon arrival students will be mixed into three groups. CCCU student ambassadors to be group leaders.
• Students will be asked to fill out an evaluation form at the start and at the end of the event.
• Students will take home a pack with actions and inspiration for next steps going forward.