Climate Ambassador scheme

This scheme was originally launched by the University of Reading and STEM Learning, with support from UKRI. In December 2023, the Department for Education partnered with the University, The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education (EAUC) and STEM Learning to expand the scheme to all 30,000 education settings across England. A key aim of the extended programme, as part of the Department for Education's Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, is for all education settings to have a climate action plan and a sustainability lead in place by the end of 2025. 

To support this expansion, nine regional hubs in each of England's education regions have been set up so that experts can be matched with education settings in their area.

• Southwest Regional Hub
• Volunteer to become a Climate Ambassador
• Training
• Partner organisations

Southwest Regional Hub

The Met Office is the host for the Southwest Regional Hub. As a regional hub we will bring together volunteer Climate Ambassadors from a range of backgrounds including private, public, charity and university sectors to support local education settings in developing and implementing Climate Action Plans.

Climate Action Plans will include action across four main areas:

• decarbonisation and energy efficiency.
• climate adaptation and resilience.
• biodiversity and green infrastructure.
• climate education, green skills and careers.

In addition to this, behaviour change and systems change will play a major role in the success.

Nicki Schantz the Southwest Regional Hub Manager said:

'Becoming part of a growing network of Climate Ambassadors is an excellent opportunity to promote climate action at a local level, by helping education settings develop and implement a whole institution approach to climate action planning, relating to carbon reduction, biodiversity, curriculum and resilience and adaptation.’

Volunteer to become a Climate Ambassador

We’re looking to recruit volunteer ambassadors from across the southwest who work in the private, public, charity or university sectors to put their sustainability expertise to work. You may work with school leaders and staff to develop climate action plans or you may work with staff and students in the implementation of the plans.

Climate Ambassadors (PDF 534.1KB) provide tailored support to help start of progress climate action plans. Some examples of this might be to:

• Get started creating and progressing their climate action plan, providing you with the help to inspire action in your setting and the advice to initiate your plan
• Identify ways to decarbonise your operations, saving money and reducing harmful emissions that contribute to climate change
• Plan and adapt to the impacts of climate change, like overheating or flooding, to minimise risk of disruption to learning
• Increase biodiversity across your settings estate and improve access to green space for your learners and staff
• Provide advice on how you can weave climate education and green careers inspiration across teaching and learning activities and upskill your staff to build their confidence in teaching about climate and sustainability.

You may already be connected to education settings through your work, family or volunteer activities, but if not and also interested in becoming a Climate Ambassador you will be supported by the regional hub and provided with training to build on the key skills required to work closely with the different education settings. Climate Ambassadors will undergo an induction that will include a full DBS check and mandatory safeguarding training.

Your expertise could make a critical difference to the ability of nurseries, schools and colleges to reduce their carbon emissions, improve biodiversity and young people's connection with nature, while also helping them adapt to climate risks and provide world-leading education in sustainability and climate change critical for their future lives.

Become a Climate Ambassador in your own nursery, school or college

We are also looking to recruit Climate Ambassadors who already work in education settings such as governors, senior managers, sustainability leads or teachers who can build capacity withing their institutions and develop a network of peer-to-peer learning.

Having a Climate Ambassador placed in your own setting can help develop agency amongst staff who will feel confident to take ownership in the creation and implementation of climate action plans with the support of other climate ambassadors and partners. With access to valuable training, the Climate Ambassadors programme can provide upskilling for, and support to, staff. Ultimately this will enhance young people's climate education and skills development.

Why Volunteer as a Climate Ambassador?

As a Climate Ambassador you will be making a genuine difference to your community, supporting education settings that need and value your contribution.  You will inspire future generations and with positive solutions to environmental challenges. 

Also, you will be able to develop your own sustainability and climate leadership skills - for yourself and those you work with - with training on climate essentials, systems change and working with education settings.

If you would like to work with us or become a climate ambassador, please contact us at: [email protected]

If you are an education setting (PDF 729.5KB) and would like to request the support of a Climate Ambassador please register your education setting.

Training

Climate Ambassadors bring to the programme a set of diverse backgrounds and existing knowledge.  As such, we understand that you will have strengths in particular areas but may want to improve your skills in others. Therefore, we intend to offer a free training programme that you can access to help contribute to your own professional development.

You will be provided with flexible, free training on the role of the Climate Ambassador and how they can support schools develop and implement their climate action plans in line with the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. This focuses on decarbonization, biodiversity, curriculum, careers and green skills, adaptation and resilience, and behaviour change. In addition you will also have access to a variety of training opportunities such as Carbon Literacy Training and a Sustainability Leadership programme for those who would like to develop their climate and sustainability knowledge and skills further.

Partner organisations

Education settings need a wide variety of skills, including project and change management, communications, technical sustainability and climate expertise, to help them develop and deliver meaningful climate action plans. 

Organisations (PDF 421.3KB) large or small, across the Southwest can also support the scheme by signing up as a partner. As an employer you can support the programme by including Climate Ambassadors as part of your corporate volunteering schemes.

By becoming a partner, your organisation will have access to a structured, relevant and meaningful volunteer option for your employees, while also supporting your organisation’s community engagement and social value goals.

Find out more by contacting us at [email protected]