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If your group is interested in applying for the Youth Climate Action Grant from the City of Toronto, the TDSB has a number of educational partners who are willing to help with the process!
Why Work with a Partner?
Why Work with a Partner?
These partners won't fill out the grant application on your behalf, but they will brainstorm with you to make your application as strong as possible, perhaps using one of their programs as the "seed" to develop your climate action. Think of it as training to strengthen your team as their program guides you in your own action within your community.
If you are unsure of what kind of project to do (after reading the Take Action! section), please reach out to the TDSB EcoSchools team.
What Happens with a Partner?
What Happens with a Partner?
Educational partners will meet with you virtually to first discuss your ideas, and maybe select one of their programs that will best compliment your own goals. Leverage their expertise to make your climate action work within the TransformTO framework and ensure we are all working toward reducing GHG emissions!
After your team has had a chance to work out the details of your plan, meet with your partner one more time to confirm it all aligns and that you have your educational requirements.
As part of your application, use the city YCAG funding to cover the cost of the partner program, if there is a fee.
How Do We Start?
How Do We Start?
Check out the participating TDSB Educational Partners and their programs below. When you've made a choice, reach out to the contact person with your request to work with them on the grant proposal! They'll arrange to meet your team virtually to begin the process! Alternatively, reach out to the TDSB EcoSchools team.
ACER’s "Climate’s Sake" workshops examine, monitor, and maintain tree species and their impact on our local community and ecosystem. Facilitated by ACER’s staff to provide students the opportunity to learn how to track the health and growth of trees, perform tree audits, and hands-on data collection, participate in tree caching, analyze data, and implement tree management activities.
Workshops touch on citizen science and inquiry-based learning in the classroom and experiential learning outdoors in connection with tree plantings occurring on the school site.
Contact Alice at office@acer-acre.ca
EcoSpark offers integrated teacher training and student sessions to actively engage in citizen science practices to understand and address issues such as climate change, water quality, pollination, and land use planning. EcoSpark facilitators, in-person or online, lead hypothesis-driven research and data collection workshops for students and teachers on their school grounds.
Contact Paul at paul@ecospark.ca
Green Thumbs will help selected elementary schools to grow food gardens on their school grounds, providing students hands-on experiential learning opportunities. The fruits and vegetables produced are then used in the schools’ nutrition programs and classroom cooking. Gardens are designed with ecological principles, incorporating trees, shrubs and perennials along with annual food crops. Curriculum links include science, social studies, language, math, and art.
Contact Sunday at info@greenthumbsto.org
Roots & Shoots is a globally-recognized youth leadership program that helps young people become community leaders not just of tomorrow, but of today. Roots & Shoots teaches young people how to design action projects that tackle the intersection of biodiversity loss (animals), environmental inequity (people), and climate change (the environment) in their local community.
Contact the Roots & Shoots team at rootsandshoots@janegoodall.ca
An interactive presentation in person or via video-conferencing puts tree preservation, protection and awareness into practice. This presentation uses fun and engaging demonstrations, discussion and role-playing to explain the importance of trees in our day-to-day lives and long-term environmental needs. Students learn how and why trees make us feel better and live healthier lives, five simple ways to assist the survival and preservation of urban trees and the role and career of an arborist. Suitable: Kindergarten - Grade 6.
Contact Warren at info@pricklethorn.com
Relay delivers renewable energy and environmental education programs in classrooms and communities. Relay is creating systemic change for a greener future and fostering the next generation of green energy leaders.
Contact Aidan at Aidan@relayeducation.com
The U of T Trash Team’s school program increases science and waste literacy in Grade 5 classrooms while fostering curiosity in our natural world through STEM-based activities. Our interactive lessons explore the relationship with plastics and their impact on aquatic ecosystems. Delivery in-person or virtually, students participate in inquiry-based learning and focus on tangible solutions in waste reduction. Students also have an opportunity to engage with scientists in the field, learn about current research in plastic pollution and career options available in STEM. Lessons are offered at no charge.
Contact Rafaela at rafaela.gutierrez@utoronto.ca
Each of The Starfish Canada’s workshops, which can be offered virtually and in-person, unique activities that inspire students to think on a global scale while keeping local issues in mind. They aim to help youth become solutions-oriented thinkers and interdisciplinary communicators. The Starfish Canada works closely to educate and empower youth and young adults, helping them be conscious leaders of tomorrow. It's important to expose students to different environmental issues and how each story is a thread in the tapestry of our social, economic and political world.
Contact Sujane at learning.development@thestarfish.ca
Post-secondary volunteers and staff lead a variety of sessions that enhance the STEM curriculum and help students develop scientific inquiry, problem solving and critical thinking skills. Students see direct application of STEM concepts to real-life environments. Let’s Talk Science Outreach volunteers act as role models to provide information on post-secondary education and future careers in STEM. Let’s Talk Science is partnered with over 50 universities and colleges across Canada, each with their own local outreach program offerings. Examples of workshops include Feast for the Senses, Super Science Challenges, DNA Biotechnology, and action project activities such as Tomatosphere Seed Planting. In addition, Let’s Talk Science Professional Learning staff can model activities and learning in the classroom in real time through co-learning opportunities. Delivered in person or virtually. Serving: K-12.
Contact Leigh at l.paulseth@torontomu.ca
Interactive workshops led by certified instructors bring nature programming to all students. Using hands-on exploration, activities and games, sessions enhance students’ understanding of natural environments and ecosystems and students' own roles in conservation efforts. Three programs are offered with a variety of workshops to choose from for all ages.
Watershed on Wheels (WOW) workshops examine the importance of our waterways, rivers and aquatic ecosystems; available free of charge.
Native Plants Program (NPP) offers native plant seeds to grow in the classroom and students learn all about wildlife-supporting plants that reflect our natural heritage and environment; available free of charge.
Beyond the Park workshops offer environmental and nature-themed topics such as bird species, wetland habitats, local urban wildlife, and aquatic ecosystems, to teach students how to be good stewards.
Contact Colin at Colin.Love@trca.ca
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