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Manchester Metropolitan University held an awards do last week to celebrate individuals from its third and fourth cohort of students successfully completing their training to become Carbon Literacy Trainers (CLT’s). A group of eleven students, on different courses and at different stages in their respective degrees, were awarded their CLT certificates by Carbon Literacy’s Director of Advocacy, Phil Korbel.

During the last couple of years, Manchester Metropolitan University has trained over 950 students to be Carbon Literate. The training can be accessed either through embedded training – in various subject areas and courses including engineering, business, and environmental science, and mostly delivered by lecturers during normal teaching time – or through open, extracurricular courses for students who have an interest in the topic. These extracurricular courses are being wholly led by the students who’ve gone through the Train the Trainer process and become certified as CLT’s.

And what an amazing job they’re doing!

Jane Mörk, Senior Research Assistant at MMU opened the awards talking through the journey of the trainers as well as their students (133 throughout Autumn 18/Spring19), presenting some impressive statistics showing how their knowledge on, abilities around, and confidence to communicate climate change has all drastically increased as a result of Carbon Literacy training…

These are both testament to the climate communication theory and best practice that has gone into developing Carbon Literacy, as well as the skills and enthusiasm of these new trainers.

The group were provided with a round-up of updates and developments from The Carbon Literacy Project, as well as being warmly welcomed into the fold by Phil Korbel, Director of Advocacy. Before Emma Richards, Project Coordinator for The Carbon Literacy Project and previously a Carbon Literacy Trainer at the University spoke about the ‘next-steps’ for the CLT’s as they look to deliver Carbon Literacy training more widely. These steps also apply to others who are looking to develop themselves as Carbon Literacy Trainers:

1. Fill out a profile to be added to the Trainer Directory on our website, where they can be found for work.
2. Attend the Pioneers network – a regular meet-up, download and workshop for those working to deliver carbon Literacy training.
3. Volunteer your time to help deliver Carbon Literacy courses, gaining wider experience and building your portfolio as a Trainer. This could be done by getting in contact with organisations to offer your time and support.
4. Familiarise yourself with the Carbon Literacy Standard, so you understand the mechanisms behind course writing and the certification process.
5. Having done the above, you are in the perfect position to set yourself up as an independent Carbon Literacy Trainer, going out and offering your services in course writing and delivery to organisations yet to start rolling-out Carbon Literacy.

We are proud to have this group of young and highly capable Carbon Literacy Trainers joining our ranks. It is through passionate individuals such as these that Carbon Literacy is able to happen at scale. We look forward to working with the newly certified CLT’s as they continue to develop their training skills and deliver Carbon Literacy across ever more sectors to an increasingly diverse audience.

For anyone interested in getting involved with the delivery of Carbon Literacy training head to the Trainer Zone on our website to find out how you can get started.