LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) Education, a United Kingdom-based farming education organization, has recorded its highest levels of engagement to date, with a five-fold increase in the number of young people it has worked with over the past year, according to its latest Impacts Report.
In the last academic year, LEAF Education has directly engaged with 74,044 students (aged 4-18 years), across 63,000 hours and has reached more than a million on social media. The results show the significant impact it is having on educating and inspiring young people about food production, farming, and the environment through experiential on-farm experiences. The report also highlights the steps LEAF Education is taking to raise awareness of the many varied and exciting career opportunities in the agricultural sector.
Other highlights from the report include:
More than 36% of students who have participated in the National Food, Farming and Environment Competition went on to study at land-based colleges.
- LEAF Education Regional Education Consultants (RECs) trained 1,017 teachers across 1,950 hours, with 100% of teachers saying they enjoyed the experience and would recommend LEAF Education sessions to colleagues
- LEAF Education was a lead partner in a pioneering initiative for trainee healthcare professionals (Sustainable Healthcare for our Future), to increase their understanding of more sustainable farming and nutrition. Sixty-three trainee medics participated in two virtual and on-farm training workshops, with 100% reporting that the training had increased their understanding of the connections between health and food production.
“Farming provides an incredibly exciting way to tap into young people’s growing interest in more sustainable diets and climate change,” says Carl Edwards, LEAF Education Director of Education and Public Engagement. “Working with teachers, students, and farmers at a grassroots level, we are seeing a significant increase in the demand for our services. Learning how more sustainable food production and maintenance and enhancement of the environment go hand in hand, is critical in order to equip future generations with the knowledge and skills to help achieve net zero ambitions.”
In addition to working with young people, LEAF Education also provides farmers with networking opportunities, resources, and training on working with schools. This year, RECs have supported 167 farmers more than 400 hours delivering a program of face-to-face and online training courses. Find out more here.
LEAF Education uses food production and farming as a vehicle to support schools in delivering national curriculum and exam specifications. It also has a growing network of LEAF Education Demonstration Schools, set up as best practice examples of using farming and food production as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.
For more information about LEAF Education here.