GAP unveils new resources to chart a path for sustainable schools
Global Action Plan is proud to announce the launch of new supports for teachers and students in Ireland. Just Action is a set of teacher resources to develop educators and learners as active global citizens, empowering school communities toward local climate action.
The classroom resources and self-guided teacher training programme were created in collaboration with three European project partners. The process involved extensive consultation with primary and post-primary teachers to understand the barriers they experience to student engagement and sustainable schools. Teacher feedback every step of the way ensures the new resources can be used by all teachers, whatever their knowledge, skills and subject area.
To mark the publication of the Just Action resource, GAP is hosting a special event on October 2nd at 5pm at The Teacher’s Club, Parnell Square, Dublin.
This event, Schools as Hubs of Climate Action, will explore the unique potential of schools as spaces where students learn for and through climate action that ripples out across communities.
The event will feature a panel discussion on the vital role schools can play in climate action. Speakers include:
- Anne Dolan, Lecturer at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick
- Codie Preston, Coordinator of the Irish Schools Sustainability Network
- Orla Quigley, Sustainability Officer at the Irish Secondary Students Union
Attendees will be invited to contribute their visions of how to transform our schools and education systems for greater climate action.
Collaboration across Europe
The Just Action resources were developed in partnership with educators and experts from Ireland, Norway, Italy and Spain. This project, funded by the EU’s Erasmus+ programme, was shaped by extensive input from teachers, ensuring the materials directly address classroom needs.
The initial phase sought to understand the barriers as teachers see them, such as limited time for planning, the feeling of working in silos, and the perceived apathy of colleagues. By designing with these needs in mind, the team developed a set of easy-to-use, curriculum-linked activities that can be shared and used by teachers of all stripes. An accompanying teacher training module helps build educators confidence to engage in conversations about the interlinked topics of climate change, human rights, inequality and injustice.
The resource takes teachers and students on a journey from local to global, from awareness to action, and from individual to community.
Schools as Climate Leaders
With the climate crisis intensifying, it is crucial to position schools as leaders in local climate action. Just Action provides educators with the tools to teach about climate change, and empowers students to take meaningful action beyond the classroom. With students as active participatory citizens supported by informed and capable teachers, schools can be at the heart of climate solutions driving meaningful, real-world change.
