Recent Project - Education for Sustainable Communities Study Visit

EU Transversal Study Visit

Education for Sustainable Communities

Monday October 14th to Thursday October 17th 2013
Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK

Promoting acquisition of key competences through the education and training system - Education for active citizenship and sustainable development

Many schools and colleges in the UK have been developing strong links with their local community groups and businesses. This study visit will explore the leadership, support and teaching approaches that are required to make these links and promote more sustainable communities. Adam Cade, Director of SustEd – Sustainability Education, will draw on his extensive experience of work with UNESCO/UNEP, EU Leonardo, Comenius and Youth in Action projects, as well as with local authorities, schools, colleges and universities in the East Midlands region and internationally.

Many UK schools and colleges have been exploring and developing ways of responding to the challenges of sustainable development, and especially local citizenship. Community groups and businesses have been working on this in partnership with educational institutions to help them in the formal and informal curriculum, the management of the campus and the culture of the institution. The schools, college, local authority, community groups and major businesses in the town of Stamford have been working together for over three years to develop these links. SustEd has been working with them as networker, facilitator, trainer and fund-raiser.

Participants learnt:
  • How schools, colleges, local authorities, community groups and businesses can collaborate to develop innovative approaches to education of sustainable development, global citizenship and health education;
  • How leaders and managers of the curriculum, school environment and community links can develop social, civic and environmental competences and an institutional culture of care for individuals, each other, the local community and the planet.
Participants:
  • Visited primary and secondary schools, and a vocational college that have collaborated locally;
  • Observed teachers working outside the classroom;
  • Met a range of partners from the local authority, community groups and businesses.
EU Transversal Study Visit
Education for Sustainable Communities
Group Report


1 What made the projects/programmes/initiatives successful and worth exploring?

The Study visit on Education for sustainable communities used the small and relatively privileged market town of Stamford for its community focus. It explored the process of transition – in pedagogical terms from transmissive teaching to transformative learning, in personal terms from learner to worker and citizen, often through volunteering, and lastly in social and societal terms from unsustainable to more sustainable lifestyles, behaviour and communities. The challenges of successfully making these transitions in schools and colleges were highlighted in the context of a national education system that has recently abandoned the Sustainable Schools programme and developed a more prescriptive National Curriculum. However headteachers, teachers, pupils, businesses, local authorities and non-governmental organisations were able to demonstrate to the Study Visitors the wide range of ways in which these challenges can be overcome.

The visit explored how local primary, secondary and vocational schools can collaborate with businesses, local authorities, and community groups to develop a more sustainable local community and innovative approaches to education of sustainable development. It also demonstrated how school leaders can develop an institutional culture of care for individuals, each other, the local community and the planet.

  • Leadership is vital to make these transitions. The visit showed that this leadership can come from both students and teachers, but needs to come from senior managers with a policy commitment for it to be long-term and widespread (eg. The Green Prefects at Stamford High School, and the Eco-teams at the primary and secondary schools reviewed, managed and suggested changes to the senior school management teams, through the School Council, key teaching staff or local authority support staff).
  • Partnerships showed how these transitions were enabled more effectively by encouraging cooperative, social and experiential learning. They were both vertical partnerships (eg. primary – secondary – tertiary education levels, with primary and secondary pupils working on energy reduction in their schools, or university students volunteering in schools) and horizontal partnerships (eg. private fee-paying, state maintained and vocational schools working together in a small town).
  • Citizenship and entrepreneurship education were the key parts of formal curriculum that could explore and develop these transitions (eg. twinning of two primary schools – one with a much more mixed ethnic background from Peterborough, and sustainable, low carbon construction projects in the wood using resources from the wood).
  • The guided visits by staff and pupils showed that a caring culture and informal curriculum that values care of the planet, as well as care of others and oneself is best able to make these transitions (eg. Welcoming visitors, opening doors, switching off lights, explaining all features, notices etc, all staff knowing interests of visiting group, pride in people and place around the school, college, knowledge of heating, waste management systems, delivery routines etc.).

The theme of transition built on the principles and approaches of the Transition Town network, the Egan wheel of sustainable communities, UNESCO's characteristics of Education for Sustainable Development, and the former National Sustainable Schools Framework.

The study visit included shortish presentations, guided and informal tours by pupils, practical and class activities, educational games and roleplay, chats with educators and learners, question and answer sessions.

The participants described some interesting approaches by their institutions to education for sustainable communities – in Poland (the school naming day with pupils, parents and the local community, the celebration of teachers on Teachers Day), in Germany (differences in education, economy and culture between the sixteen Länder or federal states, especially the richer south and Hesse, and the Comenius Regio Partnership called The Green Way-Developing sustainable schools, between Main-Taunus-Kreis, Hesse and Solihull ), in Italy (the importance and value of learning different European languages (as well as music, songs and dances!) especially English, the integration of different sectors working with and in schools, projects on sustainable education, participatory approaches, waste and the green economy), in Slovakia ( the ELOS project – Education stretching Borders - on European and international education, and ethics in teacher
training), in France ( the Certificate for specialising in green tourism, and organic farming courses), in Finland (the education system without school inspections or a detailed curriculum), in the Czech Republic (examples of how leaders and managers of the curriculum can collaborate with community groups and businesses in the field of social and civic competences), in Hungary (the inequalities in Europe, integration of Gypsy children, the racist views of and about Gypsies, Jews and other cultures).

Above and beyond this we learnt from the good ( and less good!) aspects of the English education system - formal, informal and non-formal for all ages, learnt from each other about our experiences, organisations and countries, made good future contacts for possible visits, exchanges and projects, and importantly had an enjoyable and rewarding time, with good company.

2 For each project/programme/initiative

Title
Country
Name Org.
Website
Contact
Email
Target
Learner
Features
Community Involvement Team
UK
Cummins Generator Technologies www.cumminsgeneratortechnologies.com
Nic Bertrand, General Manager for Hybrid BU nicolas.bertrand@cummins.com
Long-term partnership with 7 key organisations, including 3 schools.
Employee volunteers help local community organisations and schools. This boosts staff motivation and transferable skills, and supports green projects eg. river clearing, nature trail and renewables technologies. Funding provided for PV panels and bike powered demonstration unit.
Green and Fair Trade Initiatives
UK
Stamford High School www.ses.lincs.sch.uk/page/?pid=16
Mary Cade and two Green Prefects
Dyl Powell, headshs@ses.lincs.sch.uk
11-18 pupils
Extra curriculum activities led by teacher and green Team pupils. Activities during Green Week, Meatless Monday, vegetarian meal competition, Fairtrade tuckshop, producing and selling products on a town market stall, links with charities, regular "green" assemblies, interview with shoppers and shopkeepers about consumption and production.
Private secondary school
UK
Stamford High School www.ses.lincs.sch.uk/page/?pid=16
Dyl Powell, headshs@ses.lincs.sch.uk
11-18 pupils
This single sex, fee-paying private secondary school, with standard uniforms, illustrated issues of inequality and control leading to different educational achievement. But exclusiveness was reduced while social inclusion and multicultural tolerance was increased by the horizontal partnership of the private school with state school and vocational college.
Education and training for sustainability in the wood
UK
Hill Holt Wood, near Lincoln
An Environmental social enterprise www.hillholtwood.com

Nigel Lowthrop, Founder/ Director admin@hillholtwood.com
16+ NEET young people (Not in Education, Employment or Training)
This illustrated how sustainable, low impact, low carbon construction from local materials, in a non-threatening, non-formal, but alien environment, can be a practical motivator for some learners, especially those who have been excluded from school and a working life.
It showed the difficult management of difficult young people in a caring inspirational culture set in a calming woodland.
It also showed the green lifestyle and housing of the staff living in the woodland.
www.channel4.com/lifestyle/green/green-people/hill-holt-wood.html
Learn Sustainability website – online course
UK
SustEd – Sustainability Education
http://susted.blogspot.co.uk
Adam Cade
adam@susted.org.uk
16+ students, educators and community groups
A 15 hour course about Sustainable Development and Education is a short online course for educators, trainers and 16+ students as an introduction to sustainable development.
Http://learnsustainability.weebly.com
Ethica – The Ethical Finance Game
UK
SustEd – Sustainability Education
http://susted.blogspot.co.uk
Adam Cade
adam@susted.org.uk
16+ students, educators and community groups
A role play game on ethical finance and investment, developed as a Leonardo Transfer of Innovation project.
Http://susted-ethica.blogspot.co.uk
Community engagement and environmental management by a 14+ vocational college
UK
New College Stamford www.stamford.ac.uk
Christine Toulson, Assistant Principal christine.toulson@stamford.ac.uk
Andrew Patience, Principal andrew.patience@stamford.ac.uk
16+ vocational and academic students
It won the EAUC Green Gown Award for social responsibility in 2011. It described the Green Week, curriculum audit of sustainable development, link to Transition Town group, campus environmental management, student pledge, travel, waste and energy programmes.
It was part of the horizontal partnership between a state and private secondary school and the vocational college.
Developing low-carbon management led by pupils
UK
Stamford Queen Eleanor School www.queeneleanor.org.uk
Wendy Hamilton, Headteacher Wendy.Hamilton@queen-eleanor.lincs.sch.uk
11- 16 yr. pupils
Guided tour by the Green team of 4 pupils. Volunteering and funding support from Cummins.
Day workshop by Transition Town group for 200 pupils with green lifestyle activities. Involving local businesses, authority and community groups.
The local authority as a key supporter
UK
Lincolnshire County Council
Vanessa O'Brien, Sustainability Team,
7 – 16 yr. pupils
Legal requirement of the Carbon Reduction Commitment for schools. The SCORE programme
and facilitator for sustainable communities.

www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/parents/schools/for-schools/lincolnshires-sustainable-schools
vanessa.o'brien@lincolnshire.gov.uk

on carbon management is supported by Lincolnshire County Council. Pupils are trained in energy management using an Energy card game produced by Centre for Alternative Energy and a Day workshop for teams of mixed primary and secondary pupils.
Transition of padagogy, communities and learners
UK
SustEd – Sustainability Education
http://susted.blogspot.co.uk
Adam Cade
adam@susted.org.uk
School, college and community staff
It describes the transition to sustainable school and communities, the transition from transmissive teaching to transformative learning, and the transition from learner to worker (often via volunteering). It shows how education for sustainable development (ESD) can transform our way of living, thinking, behaving, producing and consuming.
Inspecting sustainable schools
UK
SustEd – Sustainability Education
http://susted.blogspot.co.uk
Adam Cade
adam@susted.org.uk
School staff
This activity used role-play as a teacher of a school given a poor OFSTED inspection for its ESD to ask how to improve each criteria so it could be marked as Outstanding.
Greeniversity
UK
Peterborough Environment City Trust
www.pect.org.uk
Ian Tennant, Greeniversity Regional Manager ian.tennant@pect.org.uk
16+ learners in community buildings, spaces
Greeniversity volunteers run free green courses and workshops for the local community. this is a growing national network, supported by the recruitment of trainers and marketing. It matches community needs with endangered basic green and domestic skills. www.pect.org.uk/working-with-us/beyond-peterborough/greeniversity
Supporting graduates as change agents
UK
Change Agents UK. www.changeagents.org.uk
Nick Goodman, Group Chief Executive. nickgoodman@changeagents.org.uk
University students and graduates
They help young students and unemployed graduates to prepare for a career in sustainable development and get internships and green jobs eg. EU Leonardo Mobility programme for graduates to work with host organisations in EU countries for 9-16 weeks.
Graduate placement programme to tackle fuel poverty
UK
Change Agents UK. www.changeagents.org.uk
Nick Goodman, Group Chief Executive. nickgoodman@changeagents.org.uk
University graduates and fuel poor householders
This project reduces the consumption of electrical energy, and so saves money, in disadvantaged poor households. An interactive activity matched domestic electrical appliances to their energy usage.
Learning in a primary school with the local community and outdoors
UK
Malcolm Sargent Primary School. www.malcolmsargent.lincs.sch.uk
Tim Cox, Vice- Principal. Tim.Cox@malcolmsargent.lincs.sch.uk
3-11 yr. pupils
They used a guided tour of classes, buildings and grounds to show the Pirate theme day for Yrs 3/4 and the Victorian school day for Yrs. 5/6. They had volunteering and funding support from Cummins. A day workshop on green lifestyles by the Transition Town group was organised by Stamford Transition Town group for 500 pupils with green lifestyle activities. It involved local businesses and community groups, and the local authority.
Student volunteering for Carbon Footprinting management in local schools
UK
Environment Team, Leicester University www2.le.ac.uk/offices/estates/environment/home/team
Dr Emma Fieldhouse, Head of Environment Team. ejf13@leicester.ac.uk
University students and school pupils, staff
University students volunteered to support local schools in the management of their school energy as part of the Carbon Footprinting project. This innovative project has been shortlisted for the EAUC Green Gown Award for Social Responsibility. They are looking for EU partners to expand and promote this project.
School Naming Day
PL
Szkoła Podstawowa im. Polskiej Niezapominajki w Szczodrem
Agnieszka Cichorek
acichorek2000@yahoo.de

pupils, parents and the local community
It described the school naming day for Forget-Me-Not School, with pupils, parents and the local community
Teachers Day
PL
Urząd Miejski w Zabrzu, Wydział Oświaty

Ewa Wolnica
ewka41@op.pl

Teachers, pupils, parents and the local community
It described the celebration of teachers on Teachers Day, October 14th
The Green Way - Developing sustainable schools
DE
Landesschulamt u. Lehrkräfteakademie-Staatliches Schulamt Landkr. Groß-Gerau und Main-Taunus-Kreis
Pia Painter
pia.painter@gmx.net

Teachers, local authority education staff
Differences in education, economy and culture between the sixteen Länder or federal states, especially the richer south and Hesse, the Comenius Regio Partnership The Green Way-Developing sustainable schools between Main-Taunus-Kreis, Hesse and Solihul
Value of learning languages
IT
I.T.C.S. Vittorio Veneto-Gaetano Salvemini
Francesca Neiviller
francesca.neiviller@virgilio.it

Pupils, teachers
The importance and value of learning different European languages (and music, songs and dances!) especially English
Sustainable education for all levels by Cooperative
IT
Anima Mundi Societa Cooperativa Sociale
Daniele Vignatelli
daniele@animamundi.it

Teachers, pupils, local community, businesses
The integration of different sectors working with and in schools, projects on sustainable education, participatory approaches, waste and the green economy
ELOS – Education stretching Borders project
SK
Faculty of Education, Comenius University in Bratislava
Nataša Ondrušková
natasa.ondruskova@fedu.uniba.sk

Teachers
The ELOS – Education stretching Borders - project on European and international education, and ethics in teacher training
Certificate in green tourism
FR
CFPPA Venours /EPLEFPA Poitiers-Venours
Aude Valentin
aude.valentin@educagri.fr

Vocational students, farmers
The Certificate for specialising in green tourism, and organic farming courses
Finnish Education system
FI
Kitee Upper Secondary School and Central Karelia Liberal Adult Education Centre
Kyösti Värri

School staff
The education system without school inspections or detailed curriculum
Collaborative curriculum
CZ
High School of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Services SČMSD Šilheřovice

Šárka Rozhonová
sarka.rozhon@seznam.cz

School staff
Examples of how leaders and managers of the curriculum can collaborate with community groups and businesses in the field of social and civic competences
European inequalities
HU
Edelény Regional education office
Katalin Kovácsné Balla
katalin.balla.kovacsne@klik.gov.hu
Teachers
The inequalities in Europe, integration of Gypsy children, the racist views of and about Gypsies, Jews and other cultures


2.1 Approaches taken by participating countries (both host and participants’) regarding the theme of the visit. Are there any similar approaches/measures in participating countries?

What aspects are similar and why?
  • High interest by schools in working with local businesses and civic/social groups.
  • High interest by pupils and older students in getting out of school to learn from and work with businesses and civic/social groups.
  • Administrative and organisational management problems of taking pupils out of school and inviting outsiders into school.
  • Poor understanding by staff and pupils of the practical lifestyles and personal behaviour changes needed to develop the local community more sustainably in terms of environmental management, levels and type of consumption, and societal fairness.
  • Slowness of the transition for young people from learning in school to paid work and responsible citizenship.
  • Slowness of the transition to more sustainable local communities and lifestyles.
  • Slowness of the transition from transmissive teaching approaches (as seen in the role-play of the Victorian classrooms in the visited primary school) to the transformative learning approaches (as seen in the values of the student guides in the two secondary schools).
What aspects are different and why?
  • Interest and culture of local businesses to working with local schools – high in England.
  • Proportion of private, fee-paying schools – high in England.
  • Levels of inspection – low in Finland.
  • Prescription of the curriculum – low in Finland.
  • Time and space for extra-curricular activities and projects – low in France, high in England.
  • Governmental support for education for sustainable development – high in Germany and Finland, low in England and several other countries.
  • Levels and experience of volunteering in, by and for schools – high in England.
  • Subsidiarity or regional and sub-regional power-holding, delegation and collaboration between different levels of power-holding - high in Germany, fair in UK, low in Italy, but increasing.

Participants noted some key characteristics of the English education – the growing budgetary and curricular independence of schools under the new Academy system, the inequality between private, fee-paying and public, state-maintained schools, the enthusiasm and motivation of school staff and pupils, the wide range of educational resources, the development and use of volunteers, the strong focus on the environmental management of the school buildings and grounds, the wide range of external links by schools, and innovative approaches to education for sustainable development, citizenship and volunteering.

2.2 Challenges faced by participating countries (including host) in their efforts to implement policies related to the theme of the visit.
What are the challenges?
Creating sustainable communities everywhere is a challenging task. It requires us to integrate the delivery of social, economic and environmental goals, to take a coordinated approach, that includes schools, to deliver public services that work for everyone, including the most disadvantaged, and to think strategically for the long-term. Education for sustainable communities requires more learning that is rooted in the local community, with issues identified by the local community and solutions found for the local community.

The community-based approach to education for sustainability has many challenges that are common to most schools across Europe:
  • Lack of leadership from above – both senior managers in schools and local authorities.
  • Lack of confidence, motivation and skills by most teachers to integrate sustainable development, citizenship and entrepreneurship education across the curriculum.
  • Lack of time and flexibility in the formal curriculum.
  • Those living in deprived areas are the least likely to participate in community activities, and so the least likely to volunteer to work with schools.
  • Many pupils, and their parents, are living in relative poverty and so are a basic part of unsustainable communities.
  • Old pedagogical paradigms rule most European education systems conserving them as unfit for sustainable communities. These are both the cause and effect of unsustainable education systems. Lack of innovation and conservative thinking has fossilized education in our fossil fuelled lifestyle and community.

2.3 Name and describe effective and innovative solutions you have identified that participating countries (both host and participants) apply to address the challenges mentioned in question 2.2.
Please mention specific country examples.

We only identified a single publication from 2001 by a team of educators in Hungary, Poland and the US that has a local focus on education for sustainable communities - Guidebook on Community-based approach to education for sustainability – Developing a new generation of leaders through school-based programs linked to community issues. Institute for Sustainable Communities, as part of the Partners in Education (PIE) Project.

  • From Hesse, Germany the regional school authority for Main-Taunus-Kreis were partners in a Comenius Regio Partnership with Solihull, England called The Green Way which focused on developing sustainable schools.
  • From Poland Szkoła Podstawowa (Forget-me-Not School) described their school naming day with pupils, parents and the local community.
  • From Italy Anima Mundi Societa Cooperativa Sociale described their projects on the integration of different sectors working with and in schools, projects on sustainable education, participatory approaches, waste and the green economy.
  • In Slovakia the Faculty of Education at the Comenius University in Bratislava described their ELOS – Education stretching Borders - project on European and international education introducing some approaches to local and global citizenship education.
  • In France education for sustainable communities was introduced to the agricultural vocational school (CFPPA Venours /EPLEFPA Poitiers-Venours) through their Certificate for specialising in green tourism, and organic farming courses.
  • Long-term partnerships, employee volunteers and funding from Cummins Generators have enriched community links and education for sustainable development in Malcolm Sargent Primary School and Queen Eleanor School.
  • Green Weeks at the two secondary schools and the vocational college in Stamford, as well as at Leicester University, have developed an institutional culture of local citizenship and community-based education for sustainable development, as well as established and enriched valuable local collaboration and partnerships.
  • Hill Holt Wood, a social enterprise, has enabled young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) to develop skills related to sustainable construction.
  • Support from Lincolnshire County Council has improved the carbon management, and associated education, of the primary and secondary state schools.
  • SustEd has worked with all the schools and the vocational college in Stamford to introduce education for sustainable development through school assemblies and community events eg. on apples and healthy local food (with Stamford Community Orchard Group), on bikes and safe, sustainable transport (with Stamford Transition Town and Cummins Generators), on sustainable tourism at Rutland Water (with Rutland Cycling and Anglian Water), and on a community hub using Google Groups and Docs etc. (with Cummins Generators).
  • Peterborough Environment City Trust's Greeniversity project has enabled volunteers to promote and run free workshops and courses on sustainable living led by volunteers.
  • Change Agents UK have recruited and trained recent graduates to work as interns with local communities on fuel poverty projects.
  • Undergraduates from Leicester University have volunteered to help local schools with their carbon management as part of a structured programme.

2.4 Assessment of the transferability of policies and practices. Could any examples of good practice presented in this report be applied and transferred to other countries? If so, why? If not, why not?

  • National and regional governments could trust schools and teachers and abandon prescriptive national curricula and inspections as in Finland.
  • National and regional governments could introduce policies to support education staff with a sustainable schools framework, and associated resources, like the framework and resources developed under the last Labour Government (1998-2010).
  • The Community Involvement Team (CIT) programme of Cummins Generators at Stamford could be replicated to other large businesses in both England and other EU countries, especially as there are Cummins factories in several other EU countries.
  • A Green Week could be used to introduce sustainable management, education, lifestyles and communities to schools.
  • The horizontal partnership of the vocational college with the two secondary schools (one state-maintained and the other private and fee paying) could be applied in other countries.
  • Volunteers could be recruited to provide free workshops and courses on sustainable living, supported and marketed by a coordinating organisation.
  • Young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) could be offered training and employment in sustainable, low carbon construction using local materials, and based in woodlands.
  • The volunteering of university undergraduates and the paid internship of recent graduates could support the sustainable development of schools and local communities, especially in the neighbourhood of the university.
  • The Greeniversity project, the Carbon Footprinting in schools project of Leicester University and the work of Change Agents UK could be transferred to some other countries. Anima Mundi from Italy have already confirmed an interest in working with SustEd to develop some of these projects in Italy.

3. Creating networks of experts, building partnerships for future projects is another important objective of the study visit programme. Please state whether and which ideas for future cooperation have evolved during meetings and discussions.

We await the details of the new 2014 -2020 EU Lifelong Learning Programme. A Leonardo or Grundtvig Partnership project on community-based education for sustainability may be developed with some partners. There was also specific interest in extending PECT's Greeniversity project and Leicester University's Carbon Footprinting in Schools project to other EU countries, possibly Italy. Lastly the French agricultural vocational school, CFPPA Venours /EPLEFPA Poitiers-Venours, and SustEd are keen to develop a Leonardo Partnership project with others on training for community-supported organic agriculture. Change Agents UK are also keen to explore extending their Leonardo Mobility project to send graduates to Anima Mundi Societa Cooperativa Sociale in Italy.

4. What is the most interesting/useful information that the group believes should be communicated to others? To whom, do you think, this information will be of most interest?

The study visit explored the process of transition – in pedagogical terms from transmissive teaching (telling learners) to transformative learning (enabling learners to change); in personal terms from learner in school to worker and citizen in the local community, often through volunteering; and lastly in social and societal terms from unsustainable to more sustainable lifestyles, behaviour and communities.
Transition to a more sustainable lifestyle and community is possible and worth the effort. Good practices are available and can be adapted to different organisations, cultures and countries. But we all need a deep change of mind and feelings, helped by responsible, far-sighted educators, peers, communities and governments.