The Sheffield College

GreenGen: Sparking sustainability with IVE

Through a collaboration with the registered charity IVE, our students are embarking on a transformative journey with us through Applied Creativity Skills Labs!

Open to students from our Academy of Building Technologies, Academy of Engineering & Motor Vehicle, and our sixth form, this initiative empowers young minds to tackle real-world challenges creatively.

Our students, aged 16 to 18, are at the forefront of a groundbreaking campaign advocating for renewable energy solutions in transportation and home heating, while also addressing pressing issues like air pollution and litter/waste. Through dynamic endeavours, they refine employability skills, unleash creative potential, and engage in problem-solving.

Guided by industry experts and supported by esteemed partners like Sheffield City Council and Sheffield University, our project is paving the way toward a sustainable future. By crafting compelling social action/media campaigns, we cultivate awareness about renewable energy and environmental conservation, showcasing the profound impact of collaborative action within our communities.

We are inspiring change to drive toward a greener tomorrow!

What the Judges Thought

An interesting and innovative, collaborative approach, incorporating Applied Creativity Labs™ and culminating in a Dragons-Den style event with local employers. This initiative helps students develop their creative thinking, advocacy and employability skills, as they grapple with potential renewable energy solutions for the transport and construction sectors.  Highly commendable, excellent engagement with employers and a project that could be readily replicated by other departments and organisations. 

What it Means to Win

“Educating students about climate change, as part of our sustainability strategy, and involving them in creative solutions is of paramount importance. Winning this Green Gown Award is a fantastic recognition of their efforts and will inspire them to go further.”

Angela Foulkes CBE, Chief Executive and Principal

Top 3 Learnings

1. In order to ensure that this project was successful, we found it important to ensure that sustainability was a key part of our curriculum and embedded well into vocational areas. This enabled our students to see the relevance and the importance of the work that was being carried out and resulted in students finding the project worthwhile.
2. We found it beneficial to link our project back to the students, by ensuring it was relatable through their actions and/or chosen vocation.
3. Sharing the project with other areas of the college allowed us to ensure that the most appropriate students were selected for the project. We wanted to ensure that this project could have as much impact as possible, therefore student selection was important.