New NERC-funded project to open up environmental science pathways for young people

The project, The C3ITEES Passport: a unified model for opening up the environment, will develop a structured, inclusive and place-based model to help young people, schools and communities engage with environmental science, climate adaptation and future careers in the sector.

The Loughborough University-led project brings together expertise from NTU, the British Geological Survey, the University of Leicester, the University of Nottingham, the Environment Agency (East Midlands), Charnwood Forest Geopark and wider partners.

Together, the team will create a “passport” model of environmental engagement, designed to build confidence, knowledge, skills and opportunity over time.

The C3ITEES Passport will support young people to explore their local environments, understand environmental challenges, and see themselves as active contributors to environmental futures. It will also help strengthen pathways into environmental science by connecting schools, communities, researchers, practitioners and sector organisations through a shared model of progression and participation.

Dr Katie Parsons, Research Fellow at Loughborough University and a key architect of the C3ITEES Passport model, said: “Young people have a vital role to play in understanding and responding to environmental change, but too often opportunities to engage with environmental science are fragmented or unevenly distributed.

“This project is about creating a more coherent, creative and inclusive route into environmental learning, action and aspiration. We want children and young people to feel that environmental science is for them, connected to their lives, and relevant to the places they know and care about.”

Dr Sally Little, co-lead in Nottingham Trent University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, said: “I’m delighted to be working alongside my NTU colleagues, Dr Lucy Clarke and Cassie White, on our second NERC-funded collaboration. This reflects the growing strength of NTU’s environmental research expertise and our shared commitment to creating inclusive pathways into environmental science while developing the knowledge, skills and experiences needed for future careers in the green economy.

“By bringing together education, research and community engagement, this project will help inspire the next generation of environmental leaders and support young people to see themselves as active contributors to a more sustainable future. This collaboration reflects NTU’s commitment to delivering research that creates positive impact for people, places and the planet."

Keely Mills, from the British Geological Survey, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to work across sectors to build more inclusive routes into environmental science. By bringing together schools, communities, researchers and environmental organisations, the C3ITEES Passport can help young people see the breadth of environmental careers and the importance of geoscience, climate and environmental knowledge in responding to real-world challenges.”

The project will support NERC’s ambition to widen participation in environmental science and create more equitable routes into the sector. It will place particular emphasis on sustained engagement, partnership working and the development of resources and activities that are locally relevant, accessible and scalable.

Further details about the project, its partners and opportunities for schools and communities to get involved will be announced once the award is formally confirmed.