Sixth form students from Brooke Weston Academy took an active role in shaping the future of North Northamptonshire Council’s (NCC) Climate Change Strategy when they took part in a consultation session facilitated by the council’s Sustainability Team.

Nicole Geary, who is responsible for the carbon management programme at the Council, co-ordinated the visit by the team, which also included, Councillor Harriet Pentland, Ian Achurch, Greg Haynes and Nick Bolton. Public consultation for the draft climate change framework, which will inform the Council’s new strategy, will launch on Monday, 16th September, and the Sustainability Team were looking to engage with young people to understand what is important to them in relation to climate change.

The session was introduced by Councillor Pentland, who posed critical questions to the students, including, ‘Should the council do more to tackle climate change?’ and ‘How concerned are you about climate change?’

To capture the students’ responses, the team utilised Mentimeter, an interactive tool that allowed for real-time feedback, enabling the Sustainability Team to gather valuable insights from the students, which will be integrated into the ongoing consultation process for the strategy’s redevelopment.

Our students were also encouraged to voice their questions and concerns, and Hannah Parker Y13, raised a particularly thought-provoking issue. She highlighted the challenge posed by social media algorithms, which often filter out information about local government initiatives like the Climate Change Strategy. Hannah's point underscored the need for better communication strategies to ensure that young people are well-informed and engaged with local environmental policies.

Councillor Pentland acknowledged the importance of her observation and agreed that this area requires further development. The session also saw students enquiring about the future of green transportation in town, specifically the potential introduction of cargo bikes alongside the already popular Voi scooters.

Post 16 Co-Curriculum Co-Ordinator Mrs Hegarty said, ‘Our students' insights and questions reflect a growing awareness and concern for environmental issues amongst the younger generation, which is crucial for the strategy’s success.’

Councillor Pentland said, ‘It was great to be at Brooke Weston Academy to discuss the important topic of climate change with students. Their engagement with the topic, and the feedback given, will help shape the Council’s emerging ‘Climate Change Strategy’. My thanks to all those students and staff involved.’