The EVC Magazine Autumn/Winter 2025 - Magazine - Page 39
Sustainability
"We need to recognise the value of
school trips as a way of bridging the gap
between education and meaningful change"
Making connections
It’s vital to be clear about what you want to
achieve from each visit. Are you looking just
to enhance what’s taught in the classroom?
Is your goal personal development? Or is
there an opportunity to make sense of that
messy world while also tackling some of the
problems facing the next generation?
As individuals, we often don’t value or protect
what we don’t feel connected to, so nature
immersion is vital – ideally in a phone-free
environment – helping to boost mental
health, imagination and social connection.
Getting young people involved in
conservation volunteering is a tried and
tested way to deepen environmental
awareness and instil a sense of purpose.
It shows we can all make a difference,
however small. And yes, you can do useful,
meaningful conservation work with children
as young as Year 6. It’s even proven to increase
classroom attainment, as students connect
the dots between those separate subjects.
And the best part? It can all be achieved in the
UK at a fraction of the financial and carbon
costs associated with overseas travel. Maybe
it’s time to start looking closer to home.
THE EVC MAGAZINE – AUTUMN/WINTER 2025-26
39
