Local schoolchildren are putting their ‘Ideas Into Action’ to help tackle climate change

Twenty-two Pupils from Kingsham Primary School, Chichester have been working on the ‘Ideas Into Action’ programme led by the council’s Youth Engagement Officer. The pupils formed three groups to bring together their ideas on addressing climate change at a local level, while encouraging other young people and their communities to help.

The ideas include encouraging students to walk, cycle, scoot or skate more, and stopping people parking on the green close to the school; helping protect hedgehogs and providing more food and homes for them; and helping biodiversity by planting wildflower areas around the school and local area.

Each group presented their ideas to the rest of the school in their own ‘election’ on 20 May, complete with ballot box, polling booth, and special voting slips, enabling pupils to vote for which idea they believe is best.

‘Ideas Into Action’ has been running since 2014 and encourages young people to get involved with local democracy and community projects. The project involves students forming different groups to come up with ideas for what they would like to see happen in their local community in response to different issues, with this round focusing on the issues of climate change.

“Ideas Into Action is such an important project as it’s all about encouraging young people across our district to become more engaged with their local communities,” says Councillor Tracie Bangert, Cabinet Member for Communities and Wellbeing at Chichester District Council. “We will be asking them to think about how big issues such as Climate Change will impact on their local communities and help them to realise the influential role they can play and highlighting how they can make a difference.

“It’s important that young people have access to the opportunities that programmes such as ‘Ideas Into Action’ offer. It’s a wonderful programme that helps young people become community-minded individuals and helps them develop some important life skills like critical thinking, contributing ideas, and working with others.”

If people would like to find out more about ‘Ideas Into Action’, and the further support for young people that the council provides, they can visit: www.chichester.gov.uk/article/25879/Support-for-young-people