What Cornish pupils told Dame Rachel de Souza at the Eden Project

Ask a room of Year 4 pupils what they would change about growing up in Cornwall, and you had better have a notebook ready.

That was the job for the Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, at the Eden Project today (Tuesday 13 October). Children from Sky Primary School sat down with her to talk about their hopes and worries for the future, as The Big Future survey enters its final week.

📷Credit: Rob Donald

The last stop on a national tour

Eden was the final stop on the Commissioner’s England-wide roadshow. The tour hopes to encourage at least one million children to fill in the survey, which launched last year, so that politicians can listen directly to children’s voices when they make decisions about their lives.

The morning covered community, jobs, nature and wellbeing. And it came with a tour of the green jobs found around the site.

📷Credit: Rob Donald

Green careers they may never have considered

The number of children and young people not in education, employment or training has risen, and many are worried about their future job prospects. So the visit set out to show the range of work linked to horticulture and green industries.

Across the outdoor landscape, the Rainforest Biome and Biome Kitchen, the pupils tried hands-on tasters in horticulture, nature connected wellbeing, digital storytelling and healthy cooking, led by Eden’s own experts.

Sam Kendall, Head of Education at the Eden Project Cornwall, said: “Today we were able to give pupils insight into a few jobs linked to green skills. Whether it’s growing plants, telling stories about the natural world or cooking healthy food, these are real jobs with real futures we’re demonstrating here in Cornwall. Getting outdoors and hands-on in nature also does wonders for wellbeing, and we hope today sparked ideas and ambitions that stay with the children inspiring them for years to come.”

📷Credit: Rob Donald

What they love, what worries them

The pupils told Dame Rachel what they love about growing up in Cornwall, what worries them and what they would like to see change. Then they voted on the issues that matter most to them, in a closing game hosted by Eden’s CEO Andy Jasper.

Dame Rachel said: “It’s been a real privilege to end The Big Future tour here in Cornwall at the Eden Project, hearing directly from local children about what they love about where they live, their hopes for the future and what they want to change to make childhood better.

“The children had brilliant ideas for their communities, and it was clear how much they value places like the Eden Project, where they can get hands-on, learn about the world around them and be inspired by new possibilities.”

Andy said: “It was such a joy to welcome Dame Rachel and the pupils from Sky Primary School back to Eden to take part in The Big Future survey. Hearing what matters to these children, from nature and wellbeing to the jobs they dream of, was a powerful reminder that their voices must be heard by those making decisions about the future.”

He added: “I just love that the charity Eden Project helps to inspire young minds to see the positive impact that being nature connected and pursuing a green career can have. Horticulture is fundamental to our future and becoming more nature connected will help us shape a brighter future for everyone!”

📷Credit: Rob Donald

A million children in 25 years

The visit falls in the Eden Project’s 25th anniversary year. Over that quarter of a century, the education charity has welcomed more than one million children for nature-based learning, building meaningful connections with the natural world.

How children can still take part

For the first time, hundreds of thousands of children will be eligible to vote at 16 in the next general election.

The Big Future aims to hear the views of a million children. It takes about five minutes to complete and stays open until October half term, closing on Friday 23 October. Full details are on the Children’s Commissioner website.

📷Credit: Rob Donald

📷Credit: Rob Donald

📷Credit: Rob Donald

📷Credit: Rob Donald

📷Credit: Rob Donald

📷Credit: Rob Donald

📷Credit: Rob Donald