Community Engagement
The Community Engagement branch facilitates effective communication and coordination between GUEST, other departments within the university and external organisations. These organisations include NGOs and social enterprises. A central focus is ensuring that environmental sustainability is looked at through an intersectional and inclusive lens.
The branch also aims to develop partnerships with schools around Glasgow and help to facilitate educational and interactive biodiversity sessions, with a particular focus on bringing these opportunities to school children who would be less likely to access them due to socio-economic disparities. These occur on the allotment sites in the local areas or in the schools themselves. By developing these relationships in partnership with social and ecological-justice-oriented research programmes, the CE branch aims to promote widening participation and foster positive associations.
More generally, the branch supports other parts of the GUEST team to promote effective engagement with community organisations with a range of events and projects.
Community Engagement 2024-2025; A message from Sam
This past term, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to various environmental sustainability outreach initiatives. I helped facilitate the Climate Fresk workshops for local schools, where students engaged with the science behind climate change. I also participated in events such as the AI Ethics and Biodiversity talk, where we explored the role of AI in enhancing biodiversity efforts, and the Climate Futures Gathering, a platform for discussing climate action and community. Looking ahead, I’m excited about upcoming workshops, including Sustainable Labs in February and the AI, Water-Use, and Sustainability Workshop in March!
Contact: Sam Gibbons
samantha.gibbons@glasgow.ac.uk