WIREDGOV

In April 2013, HEFCE announced funding of £5 million to help students to engage with their universities and colleges to promote sustainable development. The Students’ Green Fund will enable students to work with their institutions to make universities and colleges even greener. It is managed by the National Union of Students. Over the next few months, we will feature a selection of the 25 projects which have been funded.

Greener Gloucestershire aims to drive student-led sustainability across the University of Gloucestershire campus, its local community, and the region. The project has five related strands.

Linking employability and sustainability plays a key role in the University’s project. Student social enterprises, such as growing chillies on campus to make chutney, providing affordable marketing for third sector organisations and keeping bees for honey, aim to demonstrate how the innovative and entrepreneurial student spirit can make a difference.

Kate Arnold, Green Fund Project Manager, said:

‘I’m really excited to be working with students to deliver this project. Perhaps the most innovative strand of the project is the Big Green Gap Year project, in which school leavers defer a place at university to undertake a six-month placement, paying a living wage, which supports communities, helps the environment and provides a foundation for their future.’

Another strand involves students in ‘greening’ Gloucestershire business and sport with the help of the Green Impact initiative. Through collaboration with the Local Enterprise Partnership and the Sustainable Sports Foundation, trained student auditors will work alongside businesses and sports teams in the region to improve their green credentials using a tailored sustainability workbook.

This is all tied together through Greener Gloucestershire – an online hub for sustainability to link together higher education and further institutions, businesses, and the community.

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