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- Green-Schools #andshecycles initiative promotes cycling for teen girls
Six students from St Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, have been recognised at the #andshecycles awards ceremony in Dublin. Chloe Lehane, Daimhin McKenna, Ellen Murray, Ellen O’Donoghue, Emily Mehigan and Rachel Twomey were all awarded for their efforts to promote cycling among their female peers, with Ellen Murray receiving the higher honour of Outstanding Ambassador.
An initiative of Green-Schools Travel, the #andshecycles campaign was developed following research which indicated a staggering discrepancy in the number of female teens who cycle to school, compared to their male counterparts, with estimates as low as just one in every 250 girls across Ireland cycling. The aim of the campaign is to explore, understand and address barriers to cycling for teenage girls.
The #andshecycles Ambassador Programme is an extension of this campaign with a focus on addressing the teenage cycling gender gap through trained student leaders who take action to enable and empower teenage girls to cycle to school. Throughout the school year, student ambassadors have taken part in a number of trainings including leadership and communication, bike maintenance, track cycling, and ambassador training, which have helped them to achieve significant actions within their school communities.
This year’s 44 ambassadors were celebrated for their achievements at the ceremony in Richmond Barracks in Dublin on the 1st of May, with Miss Murray one of 3 ambassadors honoured for their exceptional contributions to the campaign. All ambassadors received a medal for their contributions, and were congratulated by An Taisce’s Director of Education, Cathy Baxter. Cycling enthusiast and performer Elaine Gallagher also provided enlightening entertainment on the history of women cycling.
Addressing the audience at the awards ceremony, Orla Patton, #andshecycles Coordinator, said, ‘The ambassadors have been working tirelessly throughout the school year to dismantle gender barriers, promote inclusion, create opportunities for girls to cycle, and act as real role models within their school communities. The work done by the ambassadors is nothing short of amazing and has made incredible, lasting change in their own schools and beyond.’
Notes:
Green-Schools Travel
An Taisce has been working on the national Green-Schools Travel theme, which focuses on promoting sustainable travel on the school run, since September 2008. The Travel theme is funded by the Department of Transport and is supported by the National Transport Authority.
The ultimate aim of the Green-Schools Travel theme is to encourage students, parents and teachers to walk, cycle, scoot, Park ‘n’ Stride, use public transport or car pool instead of using the private car on the school run.
Green-Schools
Green-Schools (known internationally as Eco-Schools), is an international environmental management education programme, environmental management system and award scheme that promotes and acknowledges long-term, whole-school action for the environment, and is operating in 58 countries around the world including; almost all EU member states, Africa, South America, North America, Canada, Oceania and Asia. Green-Schools is an initiative of FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education).
The Green-Schools programme is based on a seven-step environmental management system and continual improvement process which is very student led and also involves the wider community. Green-Schools is a themed programme with schools initially working on the themes of Litter and Waste and then moving onto themes such as Energy, Water, School Travel, Biodiversity and Global Citizenship. Schools that successfully implemented the programme are awarded the Green Flag. The award must be renewed every two years.