Empowering Young Voices: The Green Skills Academy engages students on climate change views
Introduction
The Green Skills Academy at Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion has been working with 4theRegion, to facilitate Welsh Government funded Climate Conversations which aim to find out the views of students on Wales’ adapting climate.
These important conversations sought to understand young people’s perspectives on climate change and encourage their participation in shaping solutions.
Initially, these studies were carried out with students at Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion with young people taking part from various sector areas including construction, hairdressing, art and agriculture.
A report, following the conversations, written by 4theRegion on behalf of The Green Skills Academy at Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion revealed a spectrum of understanding, from those with a limited grasp of the systemic nature of climate change and a relaxed attitude towards it, to those with a sophisticated awareness exceeding many adults.
It also revealed a tendency to focus on individual actions like recycling and reducing plastic use, which suggests a need for broader education on the complexities of climate change.
When students were asked to reveal words that describe their feelings about climate change, the most common were “worried”, “concerned”, “sad” and “scared”, to lesser popular words such as “indifferent” and “don’t know”.
Asked whether the local area will start feeling the effects of climate change with regards to severe storms and flooding, 62% said they think they are already feeling the effects.
Some young people, particularly the art students, expressed an appetite for reducing reliance on global supply chains and rebuilding local resilience, especially when it comes to food systems.
This aligns with concerns raised by young farmers about the economic pressures they face, underscoring the need for policies that actively support local food production. However, one of the most striking insights from these conversations was the widespread sense of disempowerment among students with many young people feeling powerless to make a difference.
When students were asked to reveal words that describe their feelings about climate change, the most common were “worried”, “concerned”, “sad” and “scared”.
Accessibility of current solutions were also a concern with students as well as big corporations prioritising profit over planet.
These results found varying levels of engagement and response, in particular, agricultural students are concerned about the economic implications of climate change, with related policies a significant concern, alongside the perception of environmental blame on the sector.
Jemma Parsons. head of the Green Skills Academy commented: “Conversations about climate change, resilience and adaptation need to be commonplace across schools and colleges, and embedded into each curriculum area. Coleg Sir Gar is addressing this by currently piloting the delivery of the WJEC Sustainability in Action qualification to a group of our Performing Arts and Media students alongside their further education studies.
“The Green Academy at Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion will be liaising with Welsh Government to share these results to help inform future planning while continuing the conversation with learners and supporting them with gaining the skills needed for a future ‘green’ workforce.”
The Academy, based at the Coleg Sir Gar Gelli Aur Campus, delivers skills, training and qualifications in areas of emerging technologies and principles for both individuals and employers, many of which are fully funded for eligible individuals.
With a strong emphasis on collaboration with industry experts, courses on offer include IEMA Environmental Sustainability Management, Domestic Energy Assessment, Retrofit Coordination and MCS recognised Renewable Technologies.
The Green Academy aims to demystify sustainability and promote greener living and work practices and to equip individuals and organisations with the knowledge and skills necessary to support Wales in achieving Net Zero by 2030.
One of the most striking insights from these conversations was the widespread sense of disempowerment among students with many young people feeling powerless to make a difference.
Green Skills Academy
Established in 2021, The Green Skills Academy is on a mission to demystify sustainability and promote greener living and work practices. Our vision is clear: to equip individuals and organisations with the knowledge and skills necessary to support Wales in achieving Net Zero by 2030.
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