Our City Our World (OCOW), Brighton & Hove’s unique sustainability, climate change and environmental education programme, has won £100,000 to strengthen its local footprint in secondary schools and roll out in other areas of the UK.
Brighton & Hove was one of five successful applicants out of more than 100. It will use the funding to further develop the programme in the city, ensuring local schools continue to be trailblazers in climate and sustainability education.
The funding, from Let’s Go Zero, also unlocks the potential for longer term income generation through showcasing to potential investors which will support the programme in future years.
Four regional centres will be created over the next year to deliver their own local version of Our City, Our World, called Our Schools Our World. OCOW is the only whole school, whole city approach to climate change and sustainability in the country and more than 90% of the city’s schools are involved.
Councillor Jacob Taylor, joint chair of the Children, Families & Schools Committee, said: “Our City, Our World is a trailblazer in the city and we’re looking forward to sharing the environmental education programme developed with local schools.
“As well as integrating key climate change, biodiversity knowledge and skills within the curriculum, Brighton & Hove’s programme supports schools on their Net Zero journey whilst addressing young people’s mental health and wellbeing. It connects young people with nature and promotes sustainable behaviours at school and home.
“We’re pleased to be recognised for this work by Let’s Go Zero and its potential for shaping national policy for climate education.”
Our City, Our World has been recognised by the Department for Education, National Education Union and National Climate Education Action Plan. It was recently highlighted as a best-practice case study in ‘Local action for a global challenge’ – a report by the Carbon Disclosure Project about local councils’ climate actions.
The council recently found an innovative way to keep funding the programme, despite the overall difficult financial situation faced by local authorities up and down the country. The programme is this year supported by The Living Coast UNESCO biosphere. Sustainability education is one of The Living Coast’s strategic priorities.
Councillor Tim Rowkins, chair of the Environment, South Downs & The Sea Committee, added: “Our young people are leading the way on climate action and sharing their knowledge and passion with their parents and carers and beyond. Our City, Our World is far-reaching, from creating wildlife areas, tree-planting and rain gardens in school grounds to setting up a refill shop, food composting, and energy saving initiatives.
“This project will strengthen partnerships with The Living Coast and join up actions to protect wildlife and habitats, promote sustainability and raise awareness of the international status of our natural environments.”
Let’s Go Zero, run by the charity Ashden, is the national campaign for all UK schools, colleges and nurseries working to be zero carbon by 2030.
The ‘Zero Carbon Fund’ is a one-off grants scheme financed by Green Future Investments Ltd, supporting five organisations over the course of 12 months, helping them scale up their innovative work with schools.
Alex Green, Head of Let’s Go Zero said: “To win the grants, applicants had to demonstrate how their work is addressing a compelling need, and how they will measure impact and sustain the project beyond the funding.
“We prioritised those that focus on less-advantaged areas and those that include youth and community voices in decision-making. We’re incredibly excited to see what sort of changes will be made over the next year.”