Case Studies
Filter case studies by sector
Green Changemakers, a growing body of further education staff in the West Midlands and Warwickshire, are coming together as an influential community of practitioners and rapidly redefining the part colleges play in Green Skills and sustainability. These Green Changemakers are active within many parts of their organisations bringing about transformational change from within.
The Green Changemaker course was designed and delivered within the regional Local Skills Improvement Fund Project funded by the Department for Education.
Only four months into the initiative, the 40 Changemakers from 17 different organisations were already active in effecting deep changes in their respective colleges, not just across the curriculum and pedagogy, but in strategy, the college environment and the student experience. With further Green Changemaker courses in the offing, and an interactive virtual tutor hub in development to give educators across the region the connectivity, resources and support to keep updated, the future of skills in the West Midlands and Warwickshire certainly looks Green.
It was launched to help tutors find their way in a world where most people want to do something but are petrified by #ecoanxiety. Green Changemaking is a game-changer, shifting those good intentions to sustainable change and aligning practice to strategy within their colleges
Fircroft College is deeply committed to promoting social, climate, and environmental justice, with a focused strategic goal of cultivating global sustainable citizens. This commitment is evident in the college’s comprehensive climate action plan, which impacts all aspects of its operations, including curriculum development, campus management, community partnerships, and staff engagement. Embracing the concept of ‘Climate Joy,’ staff are encouraged to align their personal passions with the college’s sustainability objectives, leading to the creation of individual sustainability objectives tailored to the interests of each member of staff. As a result, staff fully understand and embrace the college’s sustainability mission. For example, the college’s Senior Vice Principal discovered his own ‘Climate Joy’ in cycling and initiated a successful cycling project, resulting in the creation of new bike facilities at the college and national recognition for promoting cycling.
Funding from Sports England means that qualified staff will be able to lead regular rides from the college and share the joy with people who haven’t cycled for a long time and don’t have a bike.
Partnering with Dyson Energy Services and Westdale Midlands Ltd, Coventry College has developed a green skills insulation technician bootcamp to address skills shortages in energy-efficient retrofit services. The bootcamp, funded through the Strategic Development Fund, offers training in various insulation measures and in giving energy efficiency advice. Learners are recruited from referral networks across the West Midlands. They undergo rigorous training and interviews with around half of bootcamp participants securing permanent employment in retrofit because of the programme.
Attending the insulation bootcamp and then joining Dyson Energy Services has been career changing for me. Being able to help communities very similar to the one I was raised in has such a rewarding feeling – that feeling of making a difference!
