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"The climate crisis is taking a growing toll on the mental health of children and young people, experts have warned." (Guardian 2021)
What is this toolkit?
Our toolkit aims to provide schools with tools to help identify and reduce eco-anxiety amongst pupils.
Find out how the climate emergency is affecting children in your school using the survey
Use the sustainability audit tool to create a whole school strategy
Read about how the 4 case study schools have put sustainable actions in place.
Why is this toolkit important?
According to The Guardian, "Eco-anxiety – the chronic fear of environmental catastrophe – is affecting many young people’s daily lives, with six in 10 feeling very worried about the climate crisis, according to a global survey of youth last year". As educators, it is our responsibility to provide reliable information about this crisis alongside a curriculum that inspires action, gives hope and connects our pupils with nature to ensure that they contribute to greener choices. We want our pupils to develop sustainable habits that they carry with them through life. This will help to reduce their personal eco-anxiety whilst also contributing to a more sustainable, greener planet. Unfortunately the current UK curriculum contains very little in terms of content regarding any of these aspects. This toolkit aims to empower and inspire schools to take action themselves and build in ways to connect their pupils to nature and instill these critical habits.
“The best chance of increasing optimism and hope in the eco-anxious young and old is to ensure they have access to the best and most reliable information on climate mitigation and adaptation (Educate),” they said. “Especially important is information on how they could connect more strongly with nature (Environment), contribute to greener choices at an individual level (Ethos), and join forces with like-minded communities and groups (Engagement).”
Mala Rao and Richard Powell, of Imperial College London’s Department of Primary Care and Public Health
How to use the toolkit
Follow the 3 steps below:
Step 1: Use the survey below to find out the level of eco-anxiety in your school.
Find out the level of eco-anxiety at your school using this survey. Click on this button (make your own school copy before sending out) -->
Step 2: Use the Sustainability Audit (below) to help create a strategic plan for your school in order to foster a sense of hope and reduce eco-anxiety.
Step 3: Read through the case studies of the 4 schools to see the actions they have taken to tackle eco-anxiety in their schools. See how each action relates to the 4 Es in the audit tool above.
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