About the workshops

These free children’s workshops, aimed at KS2 and KS3 school children and spread across the entire academic year, will merge theory with practice and engage, inform, and educate school children on topics such as climate change, sustainability, natural catastrophes and the 3 R’s: Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. By connecting with our younger generation, we hope to inspire all those who call Belfast, and Northern Ireland, their home that Belfast is an ambitious “green” city with a focus on improving its citizens’ lives whilst promoting the UK’s net zero 2050 goal. Pupils will focus on next steps for implementing these skills into their daily lives, their schools, and their local communities.

Delivery of 12 workshops — 6 each for the two age-groups in KS2 and KS3 — will utilise worksheets, quizzes, and discussion exercises to form part of the programme and will be a timely opportunity to discuss the development of sustainability in Belfast, youth involvement and improving our communities impacted by climate change.

During the training programme, each school cohort will undertake a discreet supplementary school project, with a prize-giving ceremony for best supplementary project held at the end of the academic year. Each project will require a visual diary and independent adjudication will take place to select the winning project.

Towards the end of the project, participants will undertake a biodiversity nature hike (with support from each school) in a location such as Cavehill Country Park. The day-long event will allow school pupils to mix outdoors, understand what biodiversity is and how ecosystems exist. To bring the project to a close, pupils will be invited to a graduation and prize-giving ceremony, hosted on the new Belfast campus.

Pupils will also receive a certificate upon completion of the project. We additionally aspire to have the programme made available online through the Schools Outreach website.

Workshop Content

  • Workshop 1: Becoming Architects of Change

    This children's workshop focuses on the Climate Emergency, its importance and how we can adapt to our changing world. We begin this workshop by looking at our connections to nature through a short video and group activities. We then discuss and explore how we should work to protect nature and create a poster to showcase our love and appreciation of the beauty of our natural environment.

    Learning Outcomes

    Be able to understand the climate issue and speak about humanity's impact on natural resources. Have a basic understanding on the UK's net zero agenda and how we can improve and work towards sustainability.

  • Workshop 2: Lessons Learned from Other Countries

    This workshop focuses on what we can learn from other countries like Turkey, India, Indonesia, the United States, etc., on the brilliant things young people and the countries have done on their climate journey.

    Learning Outcomes

    Learning from other countries in their climate journey, understanding what the other countries have done well and how Belfast can use some of these ideas in our city.

  • Workshop 3: Caring About Carbon

    A workshop on how what carbon is, why we should reduce our carbon footprint, and the best ways, we as individuals and as a society, can do this.

    Learning Outcomes

    Able to understand basic information on carbon and its impact on the environment, both in nature and construction.

  • Workshop 4: Remembering the 3 R’s: Reducing, Reusing and Recycling

    A workshop to talk about the ways we can improve our environment by using and highlighting the 3 R's in our everyday lives.

    Learning Outcomes

    Be able to understand and discuss how the planet and its people are impacted by climate change, deforestation, and pollution. Understand how reusing, reducing, and recycling play a big part in our sustainable journey.

  • Workshop 5: Building a Better Belfast

    A workshop on improving our building landscape (Architectural Retrofit) & Renewable Energy and what they mean.

    Learning Outcomes

    Understand how renovating and working on older buildings to bring them up to a modern standard is better for the environment. Be able to discuss what renewable energy can do to be as sustainable as possible.

  • Workshop 6: Figuring Out the Future – Together

    A workshop on how to be sustainable by using smart choices in our daily lives and focuses on what the future holds — for Belfast and beyond. This workshop also includes learning how to make your own terrarium.

    Learning Outcomes

    Able to understand that small daily sustainable improvements over time help to work on the bigger picture which will encourage others to follow suit. Able to understand that future climate resilience means working together for the benefit of current and future generations.