2nd Year Students say ‘YES’ to Sustainability
The World of Work programme has drawn to a close for this academic year leaving behind a trail of inspiring events and remarkable achievements. A significant feature of this year’s programme was the Introduction to Sustainability session, complimented by the YES campaign (Youth Engagement in Sustainability).
The sustainability session aimed to:
- introduce basic concepts and terminology related to sustainability.
- spark and nurture an interest in sustainability.
- provide insights into the sustainability initiatives of partner companies.
- engage students in practical sustainability challenges.
Supported by Gas Networks Ireland (GNI), the YES campaign encouraged students to propose ways of making their school or community more sustainable. The winners were rewarded with a pizza party with their classmates while supporting the environment by planting a tree.
Almost 3,000 2nd year students participated in the sustainability session and 408 students from 16 schools nationwide took part in the YES campaign.
With soft skills honed through the World of Work’s presentation and teambuilding sessions the students developed innovative ideas for the campaign. They received support from their partner company, class teacher and other not-for-profit environmental sustainability agencies.
Students were encouraged to work together showing their journey from idea development to execution demonstrating evidence of planning, teamwork, communication, impact on the school/community as well as the relevance of the project theme and the ongoing lasting impact of the idea.
Winning Projects
1st Place: Beneavin De La Salle College, Finglas
The students created a herb garden using repurposed gas pipes and decorated with spare paint from the art room. Supported by their partner company Gas Networks Ireland, the project was praised for its long-lasting impact providing fresh herbs for the school canteen and local nursing home residents, who will care for the garden during school holidays.
2nd Place: Inver College, Carrickmacross
Building on the success as last year’s winners, students organised a shoe recycling initiative supported by Kingspan and the charity “In My Shoes”. Shoes were collected and donated to developing nations which also prevented shoes from ending up in landfills.
3rd Place: Colaiste Pobla Acala, Achill Island
Students planted flowers, fruits and herbs with the assistance of local primary schools and their partner company Atlantic Technological University. An information leaflet about the plants was produced in Irish and Ukrainian.
All entries showcased remarkable creativity, teamwork and strong support from partnering companies. The programme demonstrated the significant impact of collaborative efforts between schools and businesses to promote sustainability.
A sincere thanks to everyone who made this year’s programme a success. We look forward to continuing our efforts in the 2024-25 academic year.
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