Three Island schools partner to create climate action leadership program

Three Island schools partner to create climate action leadership program
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As part of the new program, students will attend the Salish Sea Field School, modelled after the Redfish School of Change and combining elements of the Pearson Seminar on Youth Leadership and VIU’s Xwulmuxw Studies. (Pearson College)

Three schools on Vancouver Island have partnered to create a new climate action leadership program for students.

The partnership, between Pearson College United World College, Vancouver Island University and Royal Roads University will allow students at Pearson College to earn a diploma in climate action leadership.

The Climate Action Leadership Diploma program will launch at Pearson College in the 2022-2023 school year, as long as it is approved by the International Baccalaureate.

“The climate crisis is the most critical global threat facing humanity today. Around the world post-secondary institutions are creating and implementing Climate Change and Climate Adaptation curricula to seize the urgency of the moment,” says Craig Davis, Pearson’s president and head of College in a news release. “CALD is the first-of-its-kind program for pre-university students with a passion for global climate action leadership and represents an innovative approach between aligned educational institutions committed to mitigating climate change.”

The two-year-long program gives students at Pearson access to university-level courses in partnership with VIU and RRU where they will learn about leading climate action, incorporation of Indigenous knowledge and environmental stewardship through student-directed micocredentials and a summer field school.

“We believe that a collaborative, partnership approach taps into the wisdom of all parties and has the potential to grow the capacity of everyone involved. Collaboration is also an essential component of accelerating and amplifying climate action leadership,” says Philip Steenkamp, president and vice-chancellor of Royal Roads in a news release. “Transparent and open communication will build professional connections between all project partners and lead to successful implementation and support of this diploma project.”

In the course, students will learn about the Climate Action Competency framework which was developed by RRU.

Royal Roads University

“Taking action to help do what we can, while there is still time is critical to VIU,” says Deborah Saucier, President of Vancouver Island University. “Today’s students are tomorrow’s climate action leaders and the experience and credit they will get in this program will equip them with the courage and confidence to meet these challenges head on.”

Laura BroughamLaura Brougham

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