Google supports student ideation and climate action
Over the last year we have had the opportunity to work with Google to bring new ideation activities and inspiration to Apps for Good students across the UK. Google has also supported our Innovate for Climate Change course by providing funding, delivering Industry Engagement sessions and providing technical support during the roll-out. Encouraging young people to explore how technology can help support them to take climate action.
Co-creating our Youth Ideation Toolkit
This year we launched the Youth Ideation Toolkit – a series of youth - and team-oriented idea development activities. It aims to support teams in developing their ideas in a fun and engaging way, using a range of creative and innovative approaches. To develop the Toolkit, we did what we often do – look to industry for best practice examples, with Google joining us for a team session to scope the toolkit in early 2023.
Google volunteers Alfred Biehler, Tom Cannon, and Ben Pickering supported Apps for Good’s Senior Learning Manager, Dr Emma Posey, to iterate and refine this exciting new resource.
Inspiring ideation with the Chiltern Learning Trust
In February, Google volunteers delivered an ideation focused session to the 14 Schools and Academies across Chiltern Learning Trust, giving students the opportunity to hear from real life tech- innovation professionals.
"Coming up with a new, original idea for an app is perhaps one of the biggest challenges the children face and to be supported by one of the world's most famous tech companies as part of the process made the students feel that anything was possible."”
Emma Darcy, Director of Technology for Learning at Chiltern Learning Trust
Emma went on to say that, "It was wonderful for staff and students from across our Trust to have an ideation session from Google at the start of the Innovate for Climate Change course." She said, "The idea of 'acceptable failure' and working through thoughts and ideas until you get to the right one provided some important life lessons as well as an understanding of how large corporations work. I also really enjoyed the fact that our school staff said they learnt as much as the students!"
Supporting students to take climate action
All Apps for Good courses including Innovate for Climate Change are 100% free to schools, thanks to the generous funding provided by Google and other partners. This solutions-focused technology course educates young people about the climate crisis, enables them to take action by designing a climate app and prepares them for green jobs of the future.
“I learnt a lot about carbon emissions - it made all of us more aware. It makes me want to do more and get engaged with something in the climate field.””
Saimun, Student at Challney High School for Boys
As a result of the Industry support from Google and our other partners including Bank of New York Mellon and Ovo Foundation, nearly 1,900 students have taken part in Innovate for Climate Change this year, with many of them entering the annual Apps for Good Showcase with their sustainability-focused app designs, such as Pawprint from Dunoon Grammar School.
Making Innovate for Climate Change more accessible to Welsh schools
As the Welsh Government focuses on increasing the number of Welsh-speakers, support from Google enabled us to offer Innovate for Climate Change bilingually, in both English and Welsh, making the course more accessible to Welsh speaking teachers and students.
Wales is one of the key regions our partnership will focus in the coming academic year.
Looking ahead
We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Google in the coming academic year and are particularly excited about working with Google to offer exciting industry engagement opportunities for students across the UK in future.
Building on this year’s partnership, we look forward to working together to reach even more students with Innovate for Climate Change, empowering young people to solve the climate issues they so passionately care about.
This partnership supports our mission to give every student the opportunity to access the benefits of a computing education to help shape their future. ”
Michelle Finnegan , Program Manager at Google
Michelle added, 'We are excited to continue to work together to empower even more young people in the UK to develop the computing and essential skills they need to create solutions to real-world problems like climate change.’
We're incredibly grateful for the support of Google. To find out how you could become an Apps for Good partner, visit www.appsforgood.org/partners or send us an email to partnerships@appsforgood.org.