Exploring Aotearoa New Zealand with my children and seeing our country’s natural beauty through their eyes has reinforced for me the importance of preserving our environment for generations to come.
Here in New Zealand, we’re motivating young Kiwis into conservation action through the Nestlé for Healthier Kids Sea Cleaners programme.
The programme gives schools across New Zealand the tools and know-how to tackle the rubbish problem plaguing our precious waterways, helping students understand the impact of not putting litter where it belongs.
The power of partnership
Created and delivered in partnership with non-profit organisation Sea Cleaners, in conjunction with School Kit, the programme is educating and empowering the next generation of Kiwis to contribute towards a cleaner environment and understand the real-world impacts litter can have.
Together, we want to encourage more kids to get outside, understand how litter negatively impacts nature and do their part to keep the environment litter-free.
The programme’s free, curriculum-aligned resources are developed by teachers, resulting in powerful teaching and learning experiences for students.
The physical and digital resources deliver innovative and challenging activities that get kids excited to learn about the impacts of dropped litter in their local neighbourhoods and understand how rubbish makes its way to local waterways and out to the ocean.
Our comprehensive lesson plan branches into science, social science, geography, arts and more, providing students with the knowledge and tools to make a difference in the environment. How-to guides support schools to conduct their own local clean-ups, so kids get hands-on and engaged in the lessons.
Inspiring change
The programme continues to grow, as participation increases each year.
I’m encouraged to see how many teachers feel it’s important to teach these lessons. Over the four years the programme has run it’s already reached over 84,000 students to take positive action for the planet.
I’m proud of the work we’re doing to engage and educate kids about the importance of keeping our whetūao healthy.
I can’t wait until my own kids are old enough to experience this conservation programme and understand their role in keeping the sea rubbish free.
