MD2995 London Schools’ Climate Kick-Start 2022

Introduction

1.1. The London Recovery Board’s programme for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic seeks to build back better and make London a greener, fairer and safer place to live and work. Accelerating the delivery of a cleaner, greener London is one of the Board’s five core aims.

1.2. As part of the recovery programme, the Green New Deal mission, jointly coordinated by the Mayor of London and London Councils, aims to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies, and improve air quality, by doubling the size of London’s green economy to accelerate job creation for all. This mission has four overarching objectives:

• improve London’s natural environment; improve air quality; and tackle the climate and ecological emergency
• promote and incentivise activities that sustain and grow London’s green economy
• prioritise interventions reducing health inequalities and social injustices
• engage Londoners and businesses in the journey to become a zero-pollution and greener city.

1.3. Given the work the GLA is doing to put London at the forefront of global green policy, 2022 represents a major opportunity to engage Londoners in environmental issues.

1.4. Key themes for GLA’s engagement work are equity, protecting the most vulnerable and inspiring younger generations for change.

1.5. Young Londoners are among those most likely to feel the worst effects of the climate emergency. The GLA therefore intends to work with a number of partners and London secondary schools to make London an exemplar city in terms of engaging young people on the climate and ecological emergencies.

1.6. Green jobs and skills are integral to help tackle inequality by providing higher-skilled, better-paid work that many families in London need to make ends meet, as well as driving inclusive growth and tackling underlying inequalities.

1.7. London’s green jobs skills-gap is projected to be significant. To meet it, employers will need to attract half of all education leavers with potentially relevant skills, which represents a tenfold increase on current levels.

Background

1.8. The first London Schools’ Climate Kick-Start took place from 1 to 5 November 2021 (approved under cover of MD2832) during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. It gave students at London schools the chance to make a real difference during this important time of environmental action.

1.9. The programme was led by the GLA and supported by a number of strategic partners, including Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy, UK-wide schools climate campaign Let’s Go Zero 2030 and the Museum of London.

1.10. The programme was further supported by a network of 30 organisations working with schools in London, including the London Schools Climate Summit, Global Action Plan, the World's Largest Lesson, the Eco-Schools London network, Votes for Schools, WWF and the Green Schools Project.

1.11. Key outcomes from the Climate Kick-Start in 2021 included the following:

• 66,000 students were involved from 48-plus schools across London, representing one in eight of all state-funded secondary students, making it the largest programme of its kind in London. Nearly half of the schools involved had not taken part in an environmental programme before, and 92 per cent of students gained an increased awareness of environmental impacts as part of the programme.
• The Climate Kick-Start reached some of the worst-affected and least-represented audiences when it comes to environmental issues, helping to address environmental justice. Nearly 40 per cent of students who took part were from lower income households, and 65 per cent of students were from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, suggesting the programme was highly successful in reaching under-represented audiences.
• The programme has built support for London’s environmental agenda through tangible, local, relatable ways for young people to engage with climate change and environmental issues. Data suggests that it is kick-starting continued environmental action in many communities across London as a legacy of the programme (88 per cent of schools think it will lead to new climate and environmental projects at their school).

2022 programme overview

1.12. The London Schools’ Climate Kick-Start 2022 will build on the success of the previous year, but with the added focus of encouraging students into green careers as a legacy. In particular, we are keen to harness the high level of engagement from lower-income and Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, as they are currently under-represented in the sector.

1.13. A week of career-focused activities will take place in Autumn 2022, delivered with the support of the Jobs and Skills team and the Careers team, to build a pipeline of potential candidates for the Mayor’s Green Academy Hubs and associated careers programmes. Alongside face-to-face activities led by sector professionals, a digital ‘green careers’ toolkit will be made available to all secondary schools in London.

1.14. At the end of the week, a Mayoral prizegiving event will award prizes of £10,000 each to five London secondary schools. The funding will assist with the costs of projects co-designed and delivered by students over the following year, giving them practical experience of designing and implementing environmental solutions to help prepare them for their future career.

1.15. The week will comprise:

• Four ‘flagship’ careers taster events, building on the success of the event hosted by the Royal Institution in 2021. These will be supported by the four Careers Hubs in the sub-regions, which will help to develop sustainable relationships between employers and schools, building on existing careers programmes to link green skills, environmental action and different pathways into green jobs.
• A number of stakeholders will deliver ‘hands-on’ workshops in around 15-20 secondary schools to help engage students with key areas of the sector, such as sustainable travel, energy systems, food and green infrastructure. These sessions will be allocated to schools via an open “expression of interest”.
• A digital ‘green careers’ toolkit will be made available to all secondary schools in London, produced in collaboration with the Careers Hubs and a well-established careers partner. This will include information on career pathways in academia (the kinds of degrees students might want to choose) and vocational options such as apprenticeships and ‘green’ jobs of the future.
• The prizegiving event, where five London secondary schools will each receive a £10,000 prize and ongoing support with the development and execution of their project. Grants will be administered in line with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code via an open application
• process.

Legacy and learnings

1.16. With the new Natural History GCSE still three years away, there is a gap in the current secondary school curriculum to cover climate change and ecological emergency in depth (it is currently split between geography and the sciences). This week of activities will not only ignite interest in young people to take long-term action on climate change, but crucially encourage them into greener, more sustainable careers, which will have a real impact on London over the next 10 years.

1.17. The Climate Kick-Start will work towards the following aims:

• In the short term, encourage the topics of climate change, ecology and air pollution to be pushed to the top of schools’ agendas, ensuring students know the impact of these issues on their day-to-day lives.
• Upskill London schools to develop pioneering projects to promote greener, more sustainable choices and reduce the impacts of climate change and air pollution on local communities. These will be shared through peer-to-peer networks across the city to catalyse further action.
• Enable students to make informed decisions at Key Stage 3 before going on to choose GCSE subjects and help channel them into green career pathways.
• In the long term, create a generation of Londoners engaged with green careers and more aware of the impact their work will have on the environment; and fill a vital skills gap in the green and clean sector career pipelines.
• Aid teachers’ continual professional development, helping them to better understand green skills and jobs of the future, and to support students to gain the necessary knowledge and skills.

1.18. This programme builds on the existing coalition of stakeholders to make future schools’ engagement more aligned. This includes the work of the Mayor’s Peer Outreach Workers Team, and the Young Ambassador and London Youth Assembly programmes, to help shape future Mayoral policies.

1.19. This programme forms part of an integrated public engagement campaign on climate and biodiversity, which includes climate justice project Greener Together (approved under cover of ADD2484) and Grow Together (approved under cover of DD2572); and last year’s Climate Kick-Start (approved under cover of MD2832). It builds on the successes and learnings of the National Park City Festival (approved under cover of MD2285).

1.20. The Climate Kick-Start further supports the work the Mayor is already doing to help young Londoners impacted by the effects of climate change and air pollution, through schemes such as:

• the Schools Climate Resilience Programme (approved under cover of MD2827) that will support schools to build their resilience to a changing climate through water efficiency and sustainable drainage measures
• the Grow Back Greener Fund (approved under cover of MD2827) – £1.2m in funding to support community projects to improve access to green spaces and make London more resilient to a changing climate
• the Schools and Early Years Climate Change guidance – advice for London schools and early years settings to help them better prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including overheating and flood risk
• the London Community Energy Fund (approved under cover of MD2862) – grant funding to support green community energy projects such as solar panels on schools and GP surgeries
• the Schools Air Quality Audit Programme (approved under cover of MD2096 and MD2340) and Pollution Helpdesk (approved under cover of MD2714) – audits of primary schools in London’s most polluted areas and funding to help schools take action, such as schemes to prevent ‘engine idling’ outside school gates
• Breathe London (approved under cover of MD2587) – with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, a network of air pollution sensors installed at hospitals, schools and in local communities to measure pollution locally, producing real-time air-quality data that Londoners can access
• School Streets – with funding from TfL and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, roads surrounding schools are closed to motor traffic at drop-off and pick-up times, enabling children to walk or cycle to school, reducing car trips and improving air quality.

Project partners and stakeholders

1.21. As per the previous year, the GLA will deliver the programme with the support of a stakeholder steering group, including Ashden (Let’s Go Zero 2030) and Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy. Additionally in 2022, this will include members from the GLA’s Jobs and Skills and Careers teams, plus the manager of the Green Recovery and Strategy team.

1.22. Consultation has taken place with the GLA Education and Youth team, the Peer Outreach Workers team, the schools working group, and officers leading on other school-focused projects within the Environment and Energy unit, in order to ensure that the programme is integrated into a consolidated list of ‘asks’ for schools and that the GLA engages schools effectively.

1.23. As in the past year, the GLA will collaborate with 30 organisations working with schools in London, including the London Schools Climate Summit, Global Action Plan, the World's Largest Lesson, the Eco-Schools London network, Votes for Schools, WWF and the Green Schools Project in order to promote the opportunity through their networks.

Budget

1.24. Additional funding of up to £60,000 will be sought from third parties which, if secured, will increase the total project budget to £190,000.

1.25. £50,000 has already been agreed in principle from Bloomberg Corporate Philanthropy, plus up to a further £10,000 to cover the prizegiving event costs, which would satisfy the additional funding outlined in 1.24 above. In the event however, that third-party funding targets are not achieved, planned expenditure will be reduced accordingly.

1.26. The proposed maximum expenditure of £190,000 breaks down as follows:

• £26,000: external project team (including grant administration, health and safety, evaluation and outreach)
• £60,000: schools’ activity programmes (four flagship careers hubs, and in-school activity)
• £50,000: five Climate Kick-Start prizes
• £13,000: Climate Kick-Start prizegiving event
• £12,000: marketing, design and creative costs
• £20,000: schools’ resource/‘digital lesson’ creation and legacy
• £9,000: contingency and administration costs.
  

2.1. The objectives for the London Schools’ Kick-Start programme align with the Environment Communications and Engagement Strategy, plus the Green New Deal objectives. The programme content also corresponds with the five principles of the Green New Deal and the Mayoral strategies and priorities as outlined in sections 4.2 to 4.8, below. The objectives and expected outcomes are as follows:

• economy: illustrate the positive impact of a green recovery/road to net zero on jobs and the economy in London with tangible examples (e.g. creating green jobs and providing new skills)
• equity: engage and empower under-represented groups with environmental programmes as part of environmental justice – giving a voice to the worst affected but least engaged and ensuring a ‘just transition’
• support and trust: raise awareness of environmental impacts in London, building support and trust for the Mayor’s environmental action through local, tangible and positive examples
• promoting greener options: using the Mayor’s platforms to promote greener behaviours, including green careers provision.

2.2. We aim to attract at least 50 London state secondary schools to take part, and around 30,000 to 60,000 students to participate overall.

2.3. Of these students, we aim for 80 per cent who take part to have a better understanding of employment opportunities within the green sector; 50 per cent to consider a green career in the future.

2.4. As a legacy of the programme, green skills will be included in the strategic plans for all four sub-regional Careers Hubs (these strategies feed into all secondary schools in London) and a minimum of five per cent of future work visits and placements through the Careers Hubs will be 'green' – involving at least 1,125 students.

2.5. We will also create a number of video case studies and social media assets to create a broad reach across London, targeting under-represented communities.

3.1. Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the Mayor of London must have ‘due regard’ of the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; and to advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations, between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not. This involves having due regard to the need to remove or minimise any disadvantage suffered by those who share a relevant protected characteristic; taking steps to meet the different needs of such people; and encouraging them to participate in public life or in any other activity where their participation is disproportionately low.

3.2. It is proposed that our engagement work focuses on equity, protecting the most vulnerable and inspiring future generations for change.

3.3. Lower-income and Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups continue to be some of the worst affected by environmental impacts in London and the wider UK, as well as being disproportionately affected by Covid-19. However, these groups are often under-represented in environmental programmes and groups (i.e. the worst affected have the least visibility).

3.4. Schools have been shown as a good way to reach under-represented communities, especially in primary and secondary education before higher education begins to exclude some groups in our society.

3.5. Our programme will focus on Key Stage 3 pupils (typically 11-14-year-olds), with an understanding that we are particularly keen to engage lower-income and Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners by making the programme inclusive and appropriate. Engaging this age group allows young people to make informed choices about GCSEs relevant to green career pathways.

3.6. A full outreach plan will be drawn up for the project to ensure we reach schools with pupils from under-represented groups. This will be delivered through effective partnership engagement; designing tools and resources effectively; placing less administrative burden on the schools themselves; and incentivising schools to take part through grant-funding opportunities.

3.7. We will also use mapping data to identify and reach out to schools most at risk of the impacts of climate change, air quality, access to green space and health inequalities.

4.1. The key risks and issues are set out in the table below:

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

4.2. As part of the recovery programme, the Green New Deal mission has a commitment to ‘engage Londoners and businesses in their journey to become a zero-pollution and greener city.’

4.3. The primary recovery mission focus of this project is the Green New Deal, but it is also relevant to A New Deal for Young People.

4.4. It aligns with the Mayor’s Strategy for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (A Great Place To Live, strategic objective 12) and the Health Inequalities Strategy (objective 3.3: Healthy Places and Healthy Communities).

4.5. It aligns with the London Environment Strategy Proposal 5.3.1.e:

the Mayor will work with civil society organisations to develop a series of campaigns that engage Londoners and enable them to enjoy, participate in and contribute to London becoming the world’s first National Park City.

4.6. It aligns with the Skills for Londoners Strategy, supporting a core objective to 'reduce barriers to participation in lifelong learning and progression in work, through the creation of an all age careers offer.’

4.7. It links directly to the achievement of Gatsby Benchmarks for schools, particularly GB2: learning from career and labour market information; GB4: linking curriculum learning to careers; and GB5: providing encounters with employers and employees.

4.8. It also aligns with London’s Economic Recovery Framework: “Supporting disadvantaged residential communities and expanding access to employment through widening pathways into global growth industries including finance, green and health tech sectors.”

Conflicts of interest

4.9. No officer involved in the drafting or clearance of this form has any conflicts of interest with the proposed programme.

4.10. If any conflicts of interest arise during the delivery of the programme (i.e., a GLA officer has links with an organisation that applies for a grant) they will declare that interest and not take any part in assessing that grant application or awarding funding to that organisation.

5.1. Permission is being sought for the receipt of £60,000 and expenditure of up to £190,000 for the London Schools’ Climate Kick-Start programme – a programme which engages young Londoners at secondary schools to help tackle the climate and ecological emergencies whilst encouraging the take-up of green careers.

5.2. This programme will be delivered by the Authority in partnership with external stakeholders.

5.3. £130,000 will be funded from the Engagement budget held within the 2022-23 Environment Unit budget. The remaining balance of £60,000 will be sought from third party contributions to further supplement the programme. In the event where this cannot be fully secured, other sources of funding will be pursued or alternatively the programme activities will be scaled back accordingly.

5.4. The proposed breakdown of the budget can be found above in paragraph 1.26.

6.1. The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:

• the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of the improvement of the environment in Greater London
• in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:
  • pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
  • consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
  • consult with appropriate bodies.

6.2. In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty – namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010 and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (as set out in the Equality Act 2010) and persons who do not (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

6.3. The GLA may seek third party funding by way of grant funding or sponsorship. In the case of sponsorship, which may be sought pursuant to the provision of discretionary services to third parties under section 93 of the Local Government Act 2003, officers must ensure that such sums secured do not exceed the costs of providing the corresponding sponsorship services to the third parties in question.

6.4. If the Mayor makes the decisions sought, officers must ensure:

• no reliance is placed upon third party funding until legally binding agreements are in place between and have been executed by the GLA and the third-party funder/sponsor
• that to the extent that expenditure concerns the:
  • award of grant funding, it is distributed fairly, transparently, in manner which affords value for money and in accordance with the requirements of the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code and grant funding agreements are put in place between and executed by the GLA and recipients before any commitment to fund is made
  • payment for services, those services are procured in liaison with TfL Procurement and in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code and contracts are put in place between and executed by the GLA and contractors before commencement of such services.