Green Exchange_Application

Name of your project:	Conscious Creatives_Green Space
Provide a brief statement of the purpose of your project : (100 words)	Sustainable design can educate, accumulate support and organise people. We aren’t saving the world, but we are taking an active role in raising awareness and encouraging action with a green garden/social space with a sustainable approach. Our approach will be one, which only collaborates with environmentally sound organizations. We have the power to make a difference to the students of LCA. By presenting them and educating them through flora, fauna and sustainable approaches to design. Through a hands on approach and first hand experience. Having two sites allows us to work with HE and FE students furthering our reach and potential growth.
Total number of project participants:	20 students currently with the potential of upto1600 students across all years, as well as staff members.
Please give more details about how you plan to run your project and what it will achieve. (200 words)	The project has already started in terms of planning the space and materials which we have available to us. The project will start to run as soon as funding is available. With research and planning already complete, we also have action days booked ready for building and planting. The space will become a focal point in the College as a sustainable and environmentally responsible space, which in turn will hopefully feed into student’s work and practice. Seeking guidance and further support from Leeds University Union Green Exchange team, the students’ Union will organise workshops and trainings sessions for all students and staff. The Conscious Creatives will attend initial workshops with the Green Exchange to ensure the green space are planned and executed appropriately. What will be achieved is that all students and staff will have access to the social space and garden. The space will provide an opportunity to students that will allow them to work and educate themselves in a student led environment. If they were to feel inspired by the space and the Conscious Creatives any student is more than welcome to volunteer to be part of the society and to help toward the garden space maintenance.
Are you working alongside an existing project or community group:	Not at the moment but in the future we hope to collaborate, with other like minded organisations.
Give details of community group/project:	The Green space project working alongside all sustainable initiatives groups within College. With the successes of these we hope to collaborate.
How will your project demonstrate a commitment to sustainability? (Reference project criteria) (200 words)	The problem we found was the lack of student participation with the College. This was our first project, to create a society, where students can share their views and use their skills. We learn by working together, sharing our experiences and understanding. The outcomes of the discussions were more about participating and belonging than about specific items of content. The students will engage from the starting point and continue to support and maintain the space. Named the Conscious Creatives, we aim to demonstrate design responsibility for both the environment and social as a whole. Workshops, action days, guest speakers and collaboration projects will achieve this. Through the green space this is a place where all of the above can happen and will happen throughout the building process. Getting students to work creatively with their College environment and to engage in sustainable approaches. Through production of using sourced and gathered only reclaimed materials, to further demonstrate the commitment. With this and an hands on approach it is a much more effective method of teaching and learning which will help to show sustainability and their own responsibilities.
Will your project provide opportunity for students to be gain volunteer experience?
Do you confirm that your project is not for profit of you or any other organisation?
How many volunteers can your project support and what opportunities will be available to them?  (100 words)	All students would benefit from sustainable approaches to design, sustainable approaches to living and working with the environment. Other skills would include organisation, planning, time management, working in a team and opportunities to network with other like-minded individuals and organisations. Initially 10-20 volunteers for the curating and production of the space will be needed, from art direction to first hand production building. Once completed the space has the potential to engage with staff and students through timetabled workshops. All Volunteers will have the availability to work with specialists and training through community engagement.
What skills do you hope to gain from your project?  (100 words)	I hope to enhance my own skills through this experience of co-managing the project. Curating and developing my skills of how a to change a space into something which is sustainable and socially engaging. Working in collaboration with like-minded organisations, and individuals can be the catalyst to making a positive impact in our communities and around the world. This is what I want to gain overall.
How will you measure the success of your project? (100 words)	Success can be measured already by the support of the Colleges Sustainable Committee and the growing numbers of people wanting to get involved through volunteering and donating their own time for the project. The project will be measured as a success through the finished outcome and engagement from the College. The sustainable legacy, which will be that students continue with their maintenance of the space. The long-term benefits would be the introduction of new students coming to college and learning about the methods and methodologies of sustainability.