Students from Alesco Senior College are leading a large-scale ecosystem restoration project as one of 18 local climate action initiatives to receive a share of funding from City of Newcastle.
The project, designed and facilitated by ReGen Alliance, will see students plant 750 native trees on their campus in Elemore Vale, turning degraded bushland into a living classroom.
The funding has been delivered through City of Newcastle’s Youth Climate Action Grants thanks to a $150,000 contribution from Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund.
City of Newcastle Executive Manager Environment and Sustainability Marnie Kikken said the response from young people and community organisations has been inspiring.
“These projects reflect the energy and innovation of young Novocastrians committed to creating a safe and climate-resilient future,” Ms Kikken said.
“With this latest round of funding, we’re not just supporting environmental outcomes, we’re supporting education, equity and empowerment, all aligned with the goals of the Newcastle Environment Strategy.”
Deputy Chairperson of City of Newcastle’s Liveable Cities Strategic Advisory Committee Cr Elizabeth Adamczyk said this funding gives our young residents the chance to design and deliver urgent climate solutions.
“These projects show that when we support youth with the practical tools and resources to address their climate change concerns, they’re empowered to make a visible, lasting impact in their own communities and shape a healthy and sustainable future for our city,” Cr Adamczyk said.
ReGen Alliance’s Living Classroom project is putting this into action, with Alesco Senior College students participating in weekly learning sessions, to lead all stages of the project from site preparation, to planting and monitoring.
Co-founder of ReGen Alliance, Rebecca Giddins, said the program offers a chance for students to grow confidence and connection through nature-based learning.
“This program creates a safe, positive space where students can connect with nature and develop a sense of purpose. This project will offer a long-term educational opportunity to observe how ecosystems grow and adapt over time,” Miss Giddins said.
City of Newcastle is one of only three Australian local governments selected to participate in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ global initiative and has now distributed $225,000 across 30 projects over two rounds of funding.
Microgrants between $1,500 – $7,500 were available to young people aged 15 to 24, or organisations who represent them, to design and deliver local climate action projects.
Among the young grant recipients are University of Newcastle students Luca Surman and Ryan Muir, whose Bingage initiative began as a university project and evolved into a smart recycling initiative.
Mr Muir said the project incentivises young people to participate in recycling by gamifying the process for students living on Callaghan Campus.
“By linking everyday actions to social recognition, data insights, and reward-based challenges we’re aiming to build lasting habits and a culture of sustainability among students,” Mr Muir said.
“Participants engage through smart bins and an integrated app that rewards positive recycling behaviours, like rinsing bottles or returning sponsor-branded waste, with points.
“Once the return target is met, the student or team with the highest contribution wins a major prize, and the collected waste is upcycled into infrastructure projects through local businesses and installed on campus.”
Other successful projects include Lambton High School’s Eco Bloom project, which will see students create a pond and garden habitat for local wildlife through native planting and water conservation techniques, and Hunter Innovation and Science Hub, which will deliver an electric vehicle festival for youth and hands-on solar energy education for primary school students.
Newcastle High School’s Conservation Critters program will see students deliver guided nature tours and pollinator picnics to educate people of all ages about biodiversity, the value of native species, and how to take environmental action in their own backyard.
Projects funded in round two of the Youth Climate Action Grants align with City of Newcastle’s Climate Action Plan, supporting clean technology, circular economy initiatives, green and blue space restoration, electric transport, and the development of zero-emissions industries.
