Schools Waste Education Project

The Waste Education Project has worked with schools across Devon since 2008, engaging more than 150,000 pupils.

The project supports Devon County Council’s strategy to support schools and equip children with behaviour, skills and knowledge for a more sustainable future.

Objectives

To develop and deliver a range of engaging workshops, assemblies and resources about waste reduction, reuse and recycling.
To work intensively with some schools to reduce their waste and recycle/compost more waste.
To spread the message to parents and carers beyond the school gates using take home letters/activities and community events.
To train and support teachers to deliver waste education messages.
To support schools to compost food waste on site and use composting as a teaching resource within the curriculum.
To facilitate school trips to waste management facilities.

Approach

The education team develop resources such as workshops, assemblies, teaching packs, videos and training events. These have waste reduction, resource efficiency, composting and recycling messages for pupils and adults.

The team also facilitate school visits to waste management facilities such as recycling centres, landfill sites and energy from waste plants.

Messages in school are taken home via letters containing activities and information about local recycling provision.

Schools are also supported to engage with their wider community on waste issues and the team deliver after-school workshops and larger events for parents and carers.

Outcomes

In our most recent delivery year (2019-20) the education team engaged:

82 schools
4,848 pupils in workshops and audits
5,488 pupils in assemblies
924 school adults
1,072 pupils via other events and activities
Delivered 111 days in school

100 per cent of teachers rated the input they received as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ overall and 96 per cent of teachers reported that pupils were “more enthusiastic about recycling and reducing waste” as a result of input from Resource Futures.