Green Gown Awards 2019 - University of Bristol - Winner

The Sustainable Futures online course has been taken by over 5,700 people, including over 2,000 students at the University of Bristol. It uses video case studies of people making a difference in diverse ways - including homelessness and housing, microplastics and the circular economy, food waste and sewage to energy. It uses honest and open interviews with our video contributors regarding the challenges they have faced and the way they work with others to avoid the ‘lone hero’ narrative and encourage personal reflection by the participants about the roles they can take and the challenges they face.  

The online discussions have been extensively used (with 47% of participants actively engaging in them) and created a highly supportive environment. Feedback from participants shows that the course has motivated many to change their behaviour, to engage more in communities and volunteer, to consider sustainability related career paths, and to take more care of their own wellbeing. 

Top 3 learnings:

• Get a diverse group of contributors involved in the design of the course content. 
• Use personal stories, not just facts, to really engage the learners and promote reflection on their own strengths, passions and life paths. 
• In any educational project, consider personal sustainability. The challenges can be daunting and depressing, so support learners in both personal wellbeing and building a supportive community. 

Videos

• Green Gown Awards 2019 - University of Bristol - Next Generation Learning & Skills (click to hide)