Connecting youth with nature
Toronto Community Housing's Conservation team partners with the Green Sprouts program to educate children about environmental sustainability.
Toronto Community Housing employees with Green Sprouts program participants.
In today's digital age, children spend more time in front of screens. It is leading to a growing disconnect from nature known as nature deficit disorder. Without this vital connection to the natural environment, many children are not developing a sense of responsibility to protect our planet. We can help by teaching youth about their natural surroundings and conservation.
The Conservation team at Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) actively engages with staff and tenants on different conservation topics. But there is also a need to extend these efforts to the youth in our communities.
The Green Sprouts program
Over the past few years, the Conservation team has collaborated with the Revitalization team's Green Sprouts program to educate youth aged 9 to 12 about environmental sustainability. This program covers topics like water and energy conservation, waste management, and how eco-friendly building systems work.
This program is particularly important in the Lawrence Heights community. This area is undergoing significant revitalization, including the creation of 1,208 units with eco-friendly components.
Participants engage in interactive workshops and art-based activities. At the end, they run a community campaign where they share their knowledge with neighbours.
"We’re really enjoying the chance to be creative here and come up with some fun and engaging things to do with the kids. We’re trying to teach them about conservation but in a fun and meaningful way," says Tanya Krejberg, TCHC’s Program Coordinator. "We’re really trying to develop more materials and activities that we can use to engage youth."
Participants from the Green Sprouts program participate in a carbon footprint activity.
Other community-focused Conservation sessions
This year, the Conservation team ran two sessions with the Green Sprouts program. The first session focused on waste management, featuring a slideshow presentation and a waste sorting relay. The kids also painted and added beads to Earth Day medallion necklaces made from salt dough.
The second session was called "Carbon Footprint: What Is It and How Can I Help?" This session featured a slideshow presentation, Conservation Jeopardy, and a carbon footprint colouring activity.
Empowering youth to make a difference
Teaching children to be respectful of nature empowers them to make a difference. There are simple actions like turning off lights when leaving a room, turning off the tap while brushing teeth, and using a re-fillable water bottle. These activities are easy for kids to do and encourage their families to get involved too.
Children engaging in outdoor activities.
Through leading by example, we can show children simple daily activities to protect our planet. Learning about conservation at a young age will help youth grow into mindful adults who understand the impact of their actions on the environment and future generations.
If you run a youth program and are interested in having TCHC’s Conservation team run a session on conservation, please reach out by emailing Conservation@torontohousing.ca.
