Young people in Bristol will be inspired to follow in Greta Thunberg’s footsteps thanks to funding from educational charity The Ernest Cook Trust.

CSE has received funding to support the employment of a Green Mentor who will enable young people to lead the way as Green Influencers on social action projects in their communities.

The pioneering Green Influencers scheme is funded by the #Iwill Fund, which supports young people to access high-quality social action opportunities and is backed by £25m of seed funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and Department for Culture, Media & Sport.

Green Influencers aged from 10 to 14-years-old will spring up across Bristol after CSE was among 36 host organisations awarded grants to support the employment of 40 Green Mentor posts.

Together they will turn words into action with a wide range of measures to protect and enhance the local environment and tackle climate change.

Kate Elliott-Rudder is the Green Mentor for CSE. Kate says, “The programme aims to equip young people with skills and knowledge they can carry with them as they grow older. While helping the environment is a primary goal for the Green Influencer programme, so is building confidence, agency and enthusiasm in the young people of our future. Who says learning can’t be fun?”

From 2021 to 2023, under the Green Influencers Scheme, The Ernest Cook Trust funded CSE to employ a Green Mentor to lead the programme, with further financial support provided to ensure they instigate lasting change right across their communities.

The Ernest Cook Trust has awarded grants worth a total of £720,000 to host organisations, and the young Green Influencers are at the forefront of nature connection, environmental awareness and social action in schools and communities across England.

Dr Victoria Edwards OBE, Chief Executive of The Ernest Cook Trust, said: “The Ernest Cook Trust’s new funding programme will empower young people in Bristol to follow in Greta’s footsteps and positively engage in environmental social action projects.

The scheme is being rolled out nationwide following successful pilot schemes at Action for Conservation in London, East Riding Voluntary Action Services in Hull, Groundwork Greater Manchester, Groundwork Northamptonshire and Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.

The initiative also gives participants a valuable opportunity to develop leadership skills. Nine people aged 14 to 20 are members of the Scheme’s Youth Advisory Board. They have steered strategic decision-making and will help select grant awards for Green Influencers projects.

Young people in Bristol interested in joining the Green Influencers Scheme should contact megan.blyth@cse.org.uk or nick.stromberg@cse.org.uk

For information about the Green Influencers Scheme visit The Ernest Cook Trust.