Mayor Tracy Brabin funds
innovative sustainability programme
set to ‘inspire thousands of young
people’ across West Yorkshire

The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, has invested in a brand-new sustainability programme designed to ‘inspire thousands of young people’ across West Yorkshire.

The “Green Innovators” primary programme is designed to engage, inspire and educate young people about future career opportunities within the green economy, as well as enhance their confidence and attitudes to learning. It will encourage participants to develop their sustainability knowledge, taking part in projects designed to inspire new and exciting ideas to help the planet.

The programme will bring together 100 educators and more than 120 volunteers from key businesses to inspire and engage over 4,000 primary school students aged 7-11 from 30 different schools across the region. Parental and carer involvement is also highly encouraged to help embed learning throughout the school ecosystem.

Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) specialist Ahead Partnership has designed this collaborative programme with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to feed into its wider “Growing Talent Greener Futures” programme, a multi-year scheme which aims to connect secondary school students with the green agenda.

As well as boosting interest in careers that will support a greener future, the aim of the Green Innovators primary initiative is to break down gender and social stereotypes and provide engaging activities which connect young people to opportunities. It will launch this academic year and will run until March 2026.

The launch will create a long-standing offer of support for participating students throughout their schooling journeys, helping to address their educational needs at each stage, broaden insights into the sector, and promote an inclusive, confident and skilled future workforce.

Ahead Partnership and the Combined Authority are currently encouraging businesses from all areas of West Yorkshire’s sustainability sector to get involved by putting forward volunteers for the programme.

The impact of this latest investment into young people is set to support wider sustainability goals for the region. By promoting skills, interest and understanding of the green economy, the Combined Authority is investing in a stronger future talent pipeline to support it in implementing its net-zero by 2030 goals.

In a 2022 study from the Learning and Work Institute, more than three in five young people said they were passionate about sustainability, but said they had never heard of green jobs.

This underscores the critical need for early education on these topics, ensuring that young people can access opportunities within this vital sector and contribute to the UK’s overall climate change targets. It will also create a huge opportunity for young people to find out about the high-skilled, well-paid careers open to them that fits with their values and interests in sustainability.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

“The future is green, so we’re investing now to ensure that young people in West Yorkshire have the skills and the opportunities they need to succeed.

“This collaborative initiative will raise aspirations and build confidence, while showcasing the strength and innovation of our region’s growing green economy.

“As we work to deliver net zero by 2038, we must continue to inspire and open doors for the next generation to thrive in a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire.”

Georgina Johnson, Programme Manager at Ahead Partnership, said:

“We are incredibly excited to launch the Green Innovators Primary programme.

“We know it’s important to introduce opportunities to young people early. The OECD has found those as young as seven are having their career aspirations limited by harmful stereotypes. Programmes like this are crucial for helping them to think about their future goals and providing them with inspiring and diverse role models. We are committed to providing each young person with career guidance while they are on their education journey.

“Given the crucial role that green skills will play in all our futures, this brand-new programme couldn’t come at a better time, and is a fantastic way to inspire and provide meaningful opportunities for thousands of young people across West Yorkshire.”

For more information about Ahead Partnership, please visit: http://www.aheadpartnership.org.uk.