The problem
Today’s young learners are growing up in the fastest-changing period in human history and will inherit an uncertain and climate-challenged world.
They will have jobs that don’t yet exist.
Many are disconnected from nature. Yet they are ill-equipped to take on these challenges and thrive without a radical change in the way they learn.
Their teachers are overworked and under-resourced; many suffer from stress and burnout; few know how to ‘teach the future’ (or have the resources to do so) and a growing number plan to leave the profession.
The pandemic has only served to shed light on, and exacerbate, this problem.
We need today’s learners to be able to design and shape a
world that is equitable, sustainable and socially progressive.
The solution
Equipping today’s teachers and learners with the knowledge, skills and mindsets they need to thrive in tomorrow’s world: sustainable learning for a sustainable future.
Cymbrogi Futures is a programme in its pilot stage; designing unique learning journeys for both educators and young people to empower them to take on their futures with confidence.
Their suite of programmes includes both online and residential programmes (hosted on their natural site) focused on their ‘Core Four’: sustainability, wellbeing, creative skills and
collaboration.
The team will deliver three core programmes, initially in Wales, for teachers, young learners (8-11 year olds) and ‘tomorrow’s change-makers’ (12-16 year olds), with eventual plans to
scale UK-wide.
Helping today’s learners shape tomorrow’s sustainable world.
Work in action
Cymbrogi Futures wants to enable a generation of educators to grow and thrive personally and professionally, with the right resources to support their wellbeing and professional development as well as the knowledge, skills and mindsets to ‘teach the future.’
This will help equip a generation of learners and school leavers with the knowledge skills and mindsets to thrive in tomorrow’s world.
Inspired by, and aligned with, the groundbreaking new curriculum in Wales, its Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Cymbrogi Futures Core Four programmes for educators and learners are:
- Sustainable & Circular Futures
- Owning Your Wellbeing
- Creative Skills
- Collaborative Learning
There are three core delivery programmes at varying stages of design and development:
- ‘What Matters?’ Educators programme – designed and undergoing pilot phase
- Young learners programme (8-11 yrs) – designed and undergoing pilot phase
- Tomorrow’s change-makers (12-16 yrs) targeted at a specific need identified in Wales to help schools deliver the ‘Enterprise Challenge’, a key component of the Welsh Baccalaureate.
These groundbreaking programmes will deliver through both online modules and onsite residentials in one of the most inspirational natural sites in the country, over either a term or an academic year, to match the pace and needs of the participants.
‘What’s unique about Cymbrogi is how it helps you see the interconnectedness between the Core Four elements – and the importance of all of them to learning… ‘
Teacher/participant
The Big Changers
Liza Lort-Phillips, Founder and CEO
Liza has 20 years experience in global sustainability with business, non-profit and social enterprise sectors, many at board level. She has lived and worked in China, Africa and Latin America. A farmer’s daughter from West Wales, she has a strong connection to natural ecosystems and the importance of nature in how we learn. She’s also a volunteer mentor for educational charity Refugee Support Network (RSN).
Inspired by Wales’ groundbreaking Wellbeing of Future Generations Act and new curriculum, and guided by the UN Global Goals, she founded Cymbrogi Futures.
Mathew Jones, Co-Founder and Director
Mathew is Welsh born and bred, with over twenty years experience in education and a passion for making a difference to young people’s lives. He has worked with over 400 Welsh schools and trained over 3200 Primary and Secondary Teachers. In his ten years as Assistant Director for Teacher Training at the University of Trinity St Davids, Mathew sat on the National Digital Learning Council for Wales, worked with the Welsh Government on the new Curriculum, the Education Workforce Council (EWC), Estyn and the Education Consortia. He is currently the Primary PGCE Tutor for Wales for the Open University.
Rob Gratton, Director, Cymbrogi Learn
Rob is an experienced educator with over a decade working as teacher, school leader, teacher trainer and researcher with the UCL Institute of Education. He has helped to shape a number of innovative and ground-breaking education projects in education both in the UK and overseas. His particular area of expertise is Collaborative Activity, how we can both harness the power of collaboration through enhancing our innate capacity and ability to collaborate. His experience in learning design and teacher development is helping shape Cymbrogi Learn, Cymbrogi’s online and residential delivery platform of programmes.
