Young Energy People

Background

Schools have begun to embrace the national policy in relation

YEP! 2010
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to the development of sustainable schools and yet this remains challenging in the face of the restricted amount of time teachers have to invest in the exploration of sustainability issues with their pupils. Much of the work is undertaken through student-led environmental groups and school councils and in the majority of cases the energy topic is one of the least frequently negotiated.

The YEP! project has proved that it is possible to address issues relating to energy use whilst engaging students in relevant, 'real-life' tasks. The project places equal priority on the need to fulfil educational policy and standards and to motivate young people to take action against climate change. YEP! also takes advantage of the work-related learning curriculum as an interesting context to deliver sustainable energy education to students.

Aims

YEP! works with students to initiate and support sustainable energy practices in schools and businesses to reduce the associated negative effects of energy use. In doing so YEP! demonstrates to students the application of energy management skills to employment and bring the field of energy related careers into focus for pupils, teachers and workplaces.

Project Activity

The project work, led by SWEA, in eight European regions has followed a common theme and approach. In Gloucestershire we have been working with five schools to develop and pilot a programme of work in which schools and local businesses have cooperated in implementing energy saving measures. The school building has been used as a case study for pupils to develop skills in energy auditing, basic energy management and initiating an efficiency campaign. Following their training students have been given the opportunity to transfer their skills to a local workplace initiating energy savings there.

Our project schools are provided with opportunities to take part in a range of activies and events

Below are some of the comments made by the students and staff at our project schools.

My YEP Story by Aimee Williams

My YEP Story by Cressida Mawdesley-Thomas

Funding

The total cost of the 3 year work was €194,500 (£131 970) which was freely provided to schools as a result of 50% funding from Energy Intelligent Europe (The European Commission). Match funding was provided through Gloucestershire County Council and the Severn Trent Recovery Fund.

Partners

YEP is a European partnership co-ordinated by:


Severn Wye Energy Agency, Gloucestershire, UK

Energy Agency of Livorno Province, Italy
Energieberatung Prenzlauer Berg, Germany
Agency Energy Ribera, Spain
Energikontor Sydost, Sweden
Energy Agency of Perugia, Italy
Regional Energy Agency Crete, Greece
Energy Agency of Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Gloucestershire Schools

In consultation with the projects steering committee the following schools have been enlisted in the project work:

Overview of the Project Plan

Project partners have worked with a minimum of five secondary schools and five businesses, although the number of businesses has, in most cases, exceed this in order to accommodate the number of pupils requiring placements.

Project participants have established a local steering group with representatives of the key actors to inform the local project work. These have included secondary school teachers, educational authorities and business representatives, in addition to representatives identified at a local level with links to the project work (e.g. other environmental educational groups, agencies).

Secondary schools and steering groups have supported and contributed to the development of a work programme, led by the project partner, which has trained a School Energy Management Team of pupils (SEMT). Training has included basic surveying skills and how a programme of improvements can be instigated on the basis of their observations. The school building and community has, therefore, been used as a basis for the acquisition of skills that have then been transferred to the workplace.

The sole responsibility for the content of this document lies with the authors. It does not represent the opinion of the European Communities. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Coordinator

Rachel Close - Head of Training & Development

[email]rachel
[phone]01452 835069

Related Projects

YEP! 2010

FEEDU - Power to Change

School Energy Diaries

Prison Energy Project

School Energy Management Teams have been matched with workplaces supporting and informing the project action so that pupils will have the opportunity to visit a place of work and apply their knowledge to a real life context. This has increased the general awareness of energy use and efficiency measures for pupils, teachers and workplace staff and has had the additional benefit of introducing pupils to the possibilities for future careers in the field of sustainable energy.

The pupil programme has been supported by quality resources developed on the basis of a review of existing good practices. Through the careful evaluation of the project activity these resources have been trialled and assessed to create best practice examples that will now be made available for use in the 2010 phase of the project.

As a result of our project activity, the following results have already been noted: