Hi! My name is Jodie, I am 17 and from the UK. I was one of the 18 original phase 1 event coordinators, who organised the event from August 2020, until it took place in November.
Though I am now working as a project coordinator on Teach the Teacher, typically checking my emails, and then see what I need to do for the day – whether that’s zoom meetings with partners, making graphics, liaising with our press team or talking with UN/government departments.
My biggest win so far was when Teach the Future – a climate education campaign – put on an action in front of the Department for Education, as part of wider UK work, where we ‘gave’ Gavin Williamson (Education Secretary) a report card on climate education. For me, the journey, both national and international, as a whole has been so important.
Teach the Teacher aims to raise awareness of the lack of climate education for teachers around the world – especially since one of the five themes of Mock COP26 was education.
As our project in September, students will give a talk on climate change and their experiences as well as intersectionality and climate anxiety at their schools. It ends with a short section on how teachers can weave climate change into the classroom and start the conversation around sustainability.
It is very hard to keep going in the face of adversity, but I know that the work I do does make a difference. It is important to have a break when I feel burnt out though! I often do 1-2 hours of work every other day to make room for other priorities in my life – like school homework and seeing my friends.
In any sort of lobbying, you’ll undoubtedly experience some difficult times but you should always remember that your work matters!
I would like to thank everyone engaged in this fight and the whole Mock COP26 team for giving Lal Sabuj Society the chance to be a part of this noble work.