Creating Change

The holistic, long-term Enviroschools journey creates fertile ground for a range of learning and action.

When tamariki/ students connect with their place and its people, and then plan, design and take action, they are creating change.

Through this empowering experience, they will become life-long change-makers.  The collective exploration is based in the concept of ako, where all participants are simultaneously learners and teachers, and everybody learns from each other.  It is a process of co-creation between people and all of the elements and energies around us. Caring for our place and the whole planet becomes a living curriculum where skills and competencies are gained through experience and mahi within meaningful community settings.

In the following stories you can see how Enviroschools participants are learning with their heads, hands and hearts – connecting with nature, exploring indigenous wisdoms, forming relationships with tangata whenua, collaborating with people in their diverse communities, and finding out about their own qualities and passions.  Learning and action in Enviroschools does not just have environmental outcomes but social, cultural and economic benefits too.

Creating a Lasting Legacy: Woodlands School's Fallen Tree Project

Over the last eight months, Woodlands School students have been on a remarkable Enviroschools journey, transforming a fallen tree with deep sentimental value into a legacy for their school community. After months of planning, consultation, learning, collaboration, and action, the completed seat now sits proudly...

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Spreading joy through Tākaro in Whakatū and Te Tai o Aorere

In Term 2 of 2026, Te Tau Ihu (Top of the South) was fortunate enough to host a visit from Harko Brown to provide a kaiako workshop about hauora/wellbeing and whanaungatanga/connection through tākaro, or traditional Māori games. Everyone enjoyed the day and took their learnings...

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Composting for Climate at Kāpiti College

At the end of 2023 and leading into early 2024 the Kāpiti College Eco Action Group set a goal to focus on re-establishing their ‘tired’ composting and worm farming systems in their māra kai as well as some strategies for strengthening rangatahi connection with the...

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AWE – Te Mauri o Wharemauku – A learning journey along an awa through four seasons

Weaving together the voices of the Wharemauku awa with a team of haukainga taiao practitioners, environmental educators and the community, AWE: te mauri o Wharemauku was a series of four seasonal workshops that provided a unique curriculum experience for educators within the Kapiti rohe. 

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Protecting the Majestic Kauri of the Waikato

The Waikato Regional Council Kauri Protection Experience was first piloted in 2023 at Wairakei Primary School. The programme combines the immersive Kauri Pou Kaitiaki virtual reality experience, a Wētā Workshop designed education trailer, with curriculum-aligned learning resources developed in partnership with Waikato Enviroschools.

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