PACTS Success Story - Patrick Gordon

Engaging young minds through PACTS has produced inspiring results, and this was demonstrated in an initiative led by Patrick Gordon, a teacher in South Cambridgeshire. Through workshops, collaboration with local government, and a connection to global environmental efforts, students discovered their voices could influence both local and international action on climate change.

Imagine students not only learning about local governance but actively shaping it. That’s exactly what happened when teacher Patrick Gordon, an educator at a South Cambridgeshire school, seized the opportunity to host a local council meeting in partnership with the PACTS initiative. The result? A powerful experience that gave students a voice in environmental policy and showed them that their ideas could influence real-world decisions.
This PACTS story began when the South Cambridgeshire Council proposed holding a meeting outside their traditional chambers and inside of a school. The idea landed in Patrick’s hands, as his school values his enthusiasm for sustainability and community-based initiatives. Patrick suggested not just hosting the meeting but involving students directly through workshops, an idea the council eagerly embraced. These workshops took place before the students formally addressed the council. Five workshops were organized on pressing environmental topics: biodiversity and nature, water, food waste, air quality, and the circular economy. 40 students from local schools participated in the workshops, facilitated by environmental council officers and councillors. In these small groups, students discussed local environmental challenges and brainstormed potential actions. The council members helped to support students by providing information on outlined local issues and actions already underway, giving students valuable context and a foundation for meaningful discussion. Each group crafted a question to present at the council meeting. At the council meeting, representatives from each workshop posed their group’s questions to the council’s Environmental Advisory Group.

Adding even more value to the event, Pippa Halings, then head of the Environmental Advisory Group and now an MP, was in attendance. She engaged students in an open Q&A session and even held informal “surgery” hours during lunch, where students could discuss their concerns and ideas one-on-one. One particularly memorable interaction was with a student passionate about creating a youth sustainability council. Pippa’s encouragement during their conversation and eagerness to participate, reinforced the idea that young people can and should have a seat at the table when it comes to policymaking, especially when these policies impact their futures.

The impact of this initiative didn’t stop at the council meeting, it blossomed into something extraordinary. Before her attendance at COP16, the Nature and Biodiversity Summit, Pippa invited students to share their thoughts on environmental issues, a gesture that further elevated the impact of their voices. The students’ contributions ranged from personal reflections to urgent calls for action. One heartfelt paragraph, written by a 15-year-old student, was quoted directly by Pippa at the summit. This moment ensured that the voices of South Cambridgeshire’s youth were heard not just locally but on an international stage. Patrick recalls the excitement of the student whose words were shared: “She said, ‘It’s my birthday this weekend, but I don’t care. I’m going to write something right now and send it.’” This simple invitation from Pippa transformed one young student’s call for environmental action into a message heard across the world.

The success of this initiative has inspired Patrick to plan even more ambitious projects to further give students a voice in the fight for climate action. For Patrick, the PACTS initiative is a perfect example of how schools can bridge the gap between education and real-world issues, “The students feel that their voices are being heard. It’s not just about venting frustrations but actually contributing to solutions.”

By empowering students to interact with policy decision-makers, PACTS demonstrates how student voices can reach beyond the classroom. Teachers looking to inspire their students and connect their school curriculum to community action will find a model in Patrick’s story. His story and the excitement meeting with Pippa instilled within his students, shows the value of investing in young people, not just as future leaders, but as powerful voices who can make change for today.

By Amelia Carchidi