Cork teens learn to live sustainably through Generation Glas programme

CORK teenager Megan O’Brien has recently completed the inaugural Generation Glas programme, which supports young people from Foróige youth projects to become sustainability ambassadors, so that they can engage underrepresented groups in green issues.

A core part of the course is training the young participants, aged 15-18, in sustainability event management.

Megan was one of a group of young people from Cork, who co-designed an event that took place in Red Abbey Court in Cork city last month, featuring live music, an art display, a clothes swap, and climate games.

Megan loved every minute of the programme and is deeply grateful for the opportunity to get involved in a programme that has changed the way she lives and views the world.

“I’ve been going to my local youth club since I was in fifth class,” she said. 

I attend now on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. A group of us go kayaking in Cork city on Tuesdays and on Wednesdays we write about how our day has been and learn about various things like relationships.

“We are so lucky to have brilliant youth workers. Brian takes us kayaking and then we have Angela on a Wednesday. They are always there for us. The place feels like a second home.” Megan can’t imagine life without the support of Foróige.

“All of us in the youth club would be lost without it. The youth workers are very hard-working; they would help you with anything, and they are always trying to do stuff for us. They are very caring, and they listen.” 

Such is the enthusiasm of Megan’s youth workers that it was their idea for her to complete the Generation Glas Programme.

“My youth leader called me and asked if I wanted to do it. At first, I was a little bit apprehensive because I didn’t know much about sustainability but then that became a kind of motivation. 

I thought, if I knew something more about sustainability, I could live more sustainably.

The programme ran for eight months. During that time, Megan enjoyed learning new communication skills, became more comfortable with public speaking, and learned about all aspects of sustainability, including food waste, biodiversity, and climate justice.

“One of the main things I learned is that the climate crisis is unfair. I learned that Ireland doesn’t live very sustainably but it also doesn’t feel a lot of the impact compared to other countries. I was shocked when I found that out. We are very bad for food waste. People either buy too much or they don’t use it in time, or don’t use it all.” The programme involved a great deal of commitment, another way in which Megan has developed life skills for her future.

Eight months feel likes a long time and we had called every two weeks. We also had guest speakers who came in and taught us about whatever area they were involved with in relation to sustainability.

“We had Eimear Manning visit us both in person and on a call. She was a massive hit. As a marine biologist, she was able to explain how sharks have been affected by climate change. How pollution affects them.” The practical side of the course was a particular highlight for the Cork native as she experienced an unprecedented feeling of agency.

“The event part was a massive part of it. All the organisation was handed down to us. We began by sitting in a circle and brain-stormed. We thought very carefully about what would make a good location and what we most wanted to teach.” The events started small.

“Just four of us visited Brook Lodge National school. We decided together that we were being educated on sustainability, so we wanted to also educate people younger than us, coming up behind us. We wanted them to get on board so they could help too. We ran two days in the school. On the first day, the four of us spoke to two sixth class groups. We spoke in our area of interest, for me that was food waste.” 

The experience taught Megan the importance of teamwork, and how everyone playing to their strengths makes for a good event overall.

“Ella is very good at fashion, so she spoke about the damage of fast fashion. Oisin loves fishing so he referenced Eimear Manning, and then James spoke about bees.” On the second day, the four changemakers brought the children to Dooleys to choose two trees. They planted them and painted stones to go around them, reminding the young ones of their agency in helping and healing nature too.

Then came the bigger event in Red Abbey in Cork, involving between ten and 15 ambassadors.

“We decided to have an event in Cork and Red Abbey Square seemed like a good location. We had live music to bring passers-by in, and then Ella organised a clothes swap as part of her interest in fast fashion. 

It was great. We were very organised, and we had rails beneath a marquee so the weather wouldn’t be an issue. But that wasn’t all.

“We also organised to have a guy who does sustainable games. His message was great and very simple – just use what you have. We ended up having a snowball fight with white socks. It was a massive hit. Everyone enjoyed it. People walking past got involved too.

“It was also a special event for us because our families came, and we had a board of pictures of all the work we had put into the programme. It felt great.” Although Megan finds it difficult to pinpoint the highlights on the course, having enjoyed it all, she suspects that event management may play a role in her future.

“There were so many good elements. I loved the organisation of setting up the event. It was great to see the impact on people.

“I also loved meeting new people in Cork and getting closer with my own friends in the youth club. Going on trips and sharing a room means you get quite close.

I was constantly learning new things, every hour - I was learning so much, from everyone. That was the thing – everyone brought something. I also really liked that my social skills and my communication skills got way better.

“If you told me last year, I would be on a call doing a newspaper article I would have felt sick, but here I am talking to you and I’m fine.” And it’s not only Megan who has been changed by the course.

“We have talked about sustainability in our family. I was bad for taking really long showers. I’ve stopped that now.

“We are also much more conscious of food waste. I help now with the shopping and with what we eat. My mum has always been very good at teaching me that you can’t go shopping without a plan, but I actively help with that now. Before, I would have gone shopping, but not really been aware.” Megan would recommend the programme to anyone.

“Even if you know nothing about sustainability, you should go for it. I feel it is very beneficial to learn about it and see what we can do to help. Every one of us.” Generation Glas will run for a second time starting in July, 2024, with more information available on www.biorbic.com/generation-glas.