The National Climate Campaign empowers underserved communities across Scotland with climate change knowledge
Building on their success during COP26, where they first united under the banner ‘Scottish Science Centres Together for Climate’, Science Centres in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dundee have once again joined forces to form the National Climate Campaign (NCC).
Together, the centres aim to continue the legacy of COP26 by informing, inspiring and empowering a diverse audience to tackle the climate crisis and ensure the discussion on climate change remains open.
Working together to further climate science education in their communities, the National Climate Campaign saw each science centre deliver a coordinated and interactive campaign of over 89 events, reaching over 13,000 members of underserved and underrepresented audiences by the end of March 2022.
The programme strived to make science more relatable and helped learners develop their science skills to understand the world around them.
The four science centres offered a programme of events tailored to different groups local to them, from both within the walls of their centres and outside in the community.
Glasgow Science Centre reached over 3,000 school pupils in remote, rural and deprived areas by providing access to their online and interactive ‘Learning Labs’, while also facilitating transport and visits to the centre from a variety of community groups, including Glasgow Disability Alliance, Yorkhill Green Space and African Challenge Scotland.
The centre has brought together partners in science education to deliver the learning and engagement programme– including providing film screenings of The Ants and the Grasshopper in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful.
In addition, Glasgow Science Centre organised litter pickings and climate café sessions, shining a light on the importance of science in the community and engaging with groups who are often the most affected by changes in our climate.
Stephen Breslin, CEO of the Glasgow Science Centre said: “We set up the National Climate Campaign to ensure that there is a legacy of climate engagement left behind after COP26.
“We hope that by providing communities across Scotland with our knowledge and resources, we can act as a magnet for climate engagement and help empower young people to make considered decisions and learn what climate change means for them.”
A spokesperson for the NSPCC, who took part in visits to Glasgow Science Centre as part of the National Climate Campaign said: “Having the opportunity to go to the Science Centre inclusive of travel and lunch was invaluable to the families, as travel and access to food are barriers that are often forgotten about when providing activities free of charge to the public.’
“The visit to the centre allowed the children to broaden their horizons around science, a topic which has so many elements, but isn’t always understood. Some of the children linked their school eco projects to the work at the science centre and shared this with the community team.
“The families expressed how much they enjoyed the experience, pointing out that they wouldn’t be able to afford the trip on their income and that both children and adults alike, learned so much and had a great day out.”
A highlight from Aberdeen Science Centre’s 20-event programme was last month’s Supper and Science Evening, where families came together to cook an evening meal at Northfield Academy.
While the meal was cooking, Science Centre staff ran a series of climate-themed workshop activities, including one where they recreated an oil spill with feathers and soap, to give the children some hands-on climate science experience.
In Edinburgh, Dynamic Earth delivered a packed programme of events including the delivery of STEM kits to a local children’s hospital. The boxes contain a variety of activities and experiments for young people on earth and environmental sciences with connections to climate change and marine environments.
Alongside their 10 in-person events and digital programme, the centre have also been running climate change workshops with community audiences, including the Edinburgh Young Carers Project Care for Carers, the Citadel Youth Centre and family learning activities with local primary schools.
Over 1,000 primary school pupils took part in Dundee Science Centre’s experiments and challenges during COP26 Schools Week, while the centre has created 150-climate themed community kids for young people, containing a mini solar-powered windmill as well as other items to show how environmental sciences connect to climate change.
Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “Young people have been among the strongest voices calling for urgent global action to address climate change.
“This campaign will make sure that young people in communities across Scotland continue to play a key role in our journey to becoming a net zero nation, delivering a lasting legacy for COP26, and making their voices heard loud and clear.”
Kostas Minas, Head of Education and Learning at Aberdeen Science Centre said: “We are excited to be part of the National Campaign, which we hope will engage our local communities on what we can all do to help the environment and how our actions impact the planet, whilst demonstrating how science can help us understand our world and feel empowered by knowledge.
“We’re grateful to be able to work so closely with Scotland’s three other science and discovery centres and I’m sure this campaign will leave a legacy of collaboration between the organisations.”
Eilidh Massie, Marketing Director at Dynamic Earth said: “It is so important for people to not only learn about our amazing planet, but also to understand that the Earth’s climate system is something we have taken for granted for too long.
“At Dynamic Earth we’re committed to reminding people, young and old, that we need to act now before the damage is irreversible.
“It has been a fantastic opportunity to work collectively with Scotland’s Science Centres as part of the National Climate Campaign to further these messages.”
Carlene Cura, Development and Fundraising Advisor, Dundee Science Centre said: “As COP26 approached, the climate emergency dominated the news and will, quite rightly, remain high on the news agenda.
“Now and in the future, Scotland’s Science Centres have a responsibility and an opportunity to bring these important global topics down to a grassroots level, into our local classrooms, community centres and homes, from city centre flats to rural communities.
“We see it as a privilege to take these important messages, make them accessible and relevant to all and shape fun and engaging activities around them, creating impactful, memorable activities for our audiences and helping them understand and explore the role they can play in our futures.
“It’s particularly important that these messages reach underserved communities who may not typically visit a science centre or have the digital resources to access our activities online, but whose potential to make a difference is exactly the same. That’s where our community outreach box has been extremely valuable, giving individuals and families the chance to get involved wherever they live, and whatever barriers they might face.”
For more information on the National Climate Campaign and Scottish Science Centre’s climate change education programming visit:
https://www.glasgowsciencecentre.org/discover/our-world-our-impact
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