Planet Earth Games and Association of Colleges competition is open for 2024/25 enries

Further Eduation Competition Open For Entries

October 15 , 2024

Planet Earth Games and Association of Colleges team up for 2024/24 event

The Planet Earth Games Further Education competition with AoC Sport is back and open for entries. The 2024/25 academic year will be the fourth year of the competition which is a catalyst for around 25,000 sustainable wellbeing activities on campus and in communities each year.

The annual event drives climate action through the power of sport and physical activity, setting challenges for colleges and sixth form's staff and students that support UN Sustainable Development Goals and empowering young leaders to organise their own challenges to inspire local participation.

From January through to the Earth Day (22 April) climax, colleges and sixth forms score points on live leaderboards at planetearthgames.org through student and staff participation. Derby College won the inaugural event in 2021/22, followed by Keighley College in 2022/23 and last year, Bradford College took the honours.

It is now firmly established as the UK’s biggest sustainability competition for the Further Education sector with around 25,000 students taking part. Planet Earth Games helps colleges and sixth forms to deliver the Department of Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change strategy through:

Immediate short-term activities around climate action, connecting to nature and active wellbeing
Launching of long-term legacy projects that support sustainability and net zero transition
Lifetime outcomes, developing green leadership skills among young people

Annual entry for colleges is £350 and is now open by creating a team. Plus, there is 50% discount (to be reimbursed after payment), courtesy of AoC Sport for colleges that have signed their Sustainability Pledge and have signed up to the Student Leadership Programme and are looking to recruit Green Ambassadors.

Chris Broadbent, Founder, Planet Earth Games said: “Working with Association of Colleges has been one of our most rewarding programmes. The competitive element to Planet Earth Games has been a rallying call for collective action for participating colleges, motivating staff and students alike.

“The innovation, ambition and efforts that have gone into some of the projects have been incredible. Colleges have built outdoor jungle gyms, created awareness campaigns like environ-menstrual week and developed positive habits including cycling and wellbeing walks that have changed college cultures.

“Eco anxiety around climate change is a growing phenomenon and Planet Earth Games is helping young people in Further Education by empowering them to take action, make a tangible impact and have some fun with it, not only contributing to environmental sustainability, but supporting their own wellbeing.”

There is also an information session on Tuesday 12 November 1-1.30pm for Further Education leaders who wish to know more.