Alex Christides Stuart Close Robbie Collinson Ross Yule Leadership and Sustainability

Bucksburn Academy Sustainability/Environmental Education Key Themes in our work 1 What is the environment? 2 How does it work? 3 What are we doing to it? 4 What can we do to help it?Influences World Wildlife Fund –Psychology and Sustainability Natural Change Project – research People are not making the necessary lifestyle changes required to protect the planet. Traditional approaches are not working. Humans need to experience the natural world to learn how to care for it. Leadership and good communication also crucial.

Give young people outdoor experiences to make them want to care for the environment and sustain this interest throughout their lives. Cater for every ones needs and interests. Find peoples strengths. Give them responsibility to lead outdoor activities, learn new skills and build teams of enthusiastic people who will bring change. Vision for our Environmental work

John Muir (21 April 1838 – 24 December 1914) was a Scottish-born Naturalist and author. He emigrated to America and believed all people should experience wilderness to gain a love and care for nature. He believed that as human beings, nature is crucial to our health and wellbeing. We need to interact with nature to develop our love and care for it. At Bucksburn Academy we use the John Muir Awards to discover wild places in our community and look after them. The awards help the pupils develop greater care for nature and helps them to make lifestyle changes in a spirit of fun and adventure. For more information see: Who was John Muir and why is he an important person?

The model that inspired Bucksburn Academy Projects 1&2 John Muir Award Handbook

For their John Muir Award children and adults have to discover a wild place, explore it, take care of it and tell others about their experience. On June 12 th 2010, November 6 th 2010 and May 20 th 2011, we had “Woodland Community Days”. Here pupils, teachers, members of the community and Aker Solutions staff worked at improving a green space in Sclattie Wood. An outdoor classroom is being created. The activities we undertook were as follows: Project 1: Sclattie Wood In partnership with Aker Solutions and Bucksburn Newhills Community Council The S5/6 John Muir Award class work each week in the wood as part of their new course and these pupils will be trained to deliver the JMA in their communities, workplaces, universities and collages. This will aid life long involvement. Sclattie Wood Making and putting up bird/bat boxes Litter picking Clearing and marking out the path Cutting back branches and overgrown shrubs Planting bulbs and plants Making clay faces on the trees Designing tents for an outdoor classroom – in collaboration with the Art department

In our Castle Project we have been working at Castle Fraser, Crathes, Drum and Fyvie Castles. (see NTS letter and display) On these projects we have: Project 2: Community partnerships with the National Trust for Scotland Working with NTS at local castles Put in paths for wheelchair and public access to the castle grounds Cut back overgrown plants and shrubs Planted native species of trees and plants Played environmental games and learned about nature in the castle grounds We discovered wild places and took care of them and gained our John Muir Discovery Award for doing this. For more information see:

“All people need to have a sense of place and feel they are part of, and belong to a community before effective environmental work can be done and sustained” Teacher at Bucksburn Academy

Pupil Perspectives. Brain Storm of the skills we believe we are developing through our environmental work: Leadership skills through the projects Preparing Making bids for money to fund projects Enterprise skills Building teams and partnerships which make the most of all the teams experience and skill levels Negotiating and prioritising tasks. Doing Assessing on site the jobs to be done Delegating and team approach Choosing equipment Developing knowledge and how to use it safely Effective communication skills, supporting, sharing, learning Problem solving, building skills, teaching others Reflecting Assessing the work done, evaluating strengths, weakness and improvements

Sense of responsibility Working in intergenerational and differing ability groups Experiences of inclusion Confidence Team skills Physical ability develops Reporting back successes in community talks, articles Taking skills learned forward into adult life Wanting to be involved more in Eco work Continuing John Muir Awards at University, Collage, Work and in local community as an adult. Personal Development

Deepening understanding and skill base. What is a leader? How do leaderships skills develop? How can we assess and evaluate leadership skills? Where is leadership in our projects and how can we progress these? Questionnaire Video Interviews Bucksburn Academy Responses Comenius Regio Eco Schools’ Net: Leadership Research In partnership with Aberdeen City Council, Italian partners and the University of Aberdeen

Over 130 pupils have experienced John Muir Awards 100 responses to the research questionnaire on leadership. Results so far are showing: Lots of fun and adventure working and exploring. Great atmosphere on the JMA days. JMA valued personally and as an employment tool JMA work had helped build confidence, improve behaviour and relationships. “People see me better now” Pupils exploring the outdoors more in their own time Pupils were more aware of the environment now and wanted to care for it. Questionnaire Responses from Bucksburn Academy

Neighbourhood priorities – meet school and community needs Intergenerational skill transfer Lifelong learning in school and beyond Pupil voice in community councils Community and business knowledge utilised in partnership working Celebrate success in the community. Inspire and motivate. Life long and sustained No one off projects. Embed the work in the community Bucksburn Academy Community Model Developing Leadership: The Community Model JMA now part of the school curriculum in S5/6 personal development courses. JMA foster understanding, motivate, bring action.

1 The importance of Outdoor Learning and its contribution to the Scottish Government’s strategic objectives towards creating a more successful country. 2 Develop self evaluation instruments and tools to aid the assessment of outdoor, sustainability/environmental education at Bucksburn Academy. 3 Devise strategies and techniques to develop leader capacity in pupils at Bucksburn Academy both within the school and in their community. Developing Leadership Capacity Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning

Curriculum for Excellence: The Ten Dimensions of Excellence Promotes well-being and respect Develops a culture of ambition and achievement Works together with parents to improve learning Works in partnership with other agencies and its community Fosters high quality leadership at all levels Develops a common vision among children and young people, parents and staff Reflects on its own work and thrives on challenge Values and empowers its staff and young people Engages young people in the highest quality learning activities Focuses on outcomes and maximises success for all learners Successful learners Confident individuals Effective contributors Responsible citizens Learning and Teaching