Green School Green Community program

Today is a critical time for the world’s youth, not only do we face extraordinary challenges, such as a man-made climate change, growing population and health impacts, large scale social issues of war, poverty, and inequality. Champawat lies in the southeast region of Uttarakhand, India which is facing the effects of climate change. The livelihood opportunities are limited and people have a lack of ownership of the environmental problems facing the region. Considering the current scenario of the environment, where mankind has exploited natural resources to such a great extent, we must take steps to educate future generations to think of solutions to reduce air pollution, improve waste management, encourage water conservation, increase energy efficiency, etc. Almost every school and college an environmental studies subject where students are given factual information about the environment and related threats. The defeats the purpose behind environmental education which is to inculcate a sense of belonging to the surrounding environment and tackle any issues that might present itself.

The Green School, Green Community Program holds environmental education classes in government schools, based on experiential learning or Do-It-Yourself (DIY) activities. The approach is to build awareness and knowledge through effective experiential learning towards energy, waste, agricultural indigenous solution and practices in a student’s daily life with a pedagogy. Through this project a team youth fellows was created. These fellows were trained to become local changemakers, by making them aware of the environmental and social issues, discussing solutions and putting them into action like designing a solar lamp themselves, being sensible towards cleanliness and hygiene and undertaking energy, water and waste audits in their communities. Teach For green aims to bridge the gap between surrounding environment and human community by strengthening individual’s interaction with nature through 'learning by doing’ concept and hence ensure a life-long learning of this value.

We are strategically planning to achieve sustainable development by building relationships with school, community, and environment, mentoring students to become changemakers and giving ownership among people to take steps to conserve the Mother Earth. The purpose of this program was to foster young leadership qualities, responsibilities, and ownership among young students in order to influence and build a self-reliant community.

• Building a synergetic relationship with the school and community representatives

• Carrying out pre-designed activities with students as per the course module

• Conducting community-based activities through students as part of the program

• Continuous monitoring and mentoring of students

• Preparing reports and regular summaries of the daily activities

• Regular follow-up and evaluation of various processes of the program