manchester environmental education network
Manchester
Manchester Environmental Education Network, or "MEEN" as it is more commonly
known, is dedicated to supporting teachers, organisations and individuals
working to promote environmental education and Education for Sustainability. To
achieve this, we use a variety of methods: we run projects with schools,
organise networking events, provide a termly newsletter and pool various free
curriculum resources on this website. MEEN began life in 1994 as an informal
organisation. It was run voluntarily by teachers who wanted to bring
environmental issues into their teaching practice. Today, MEEN has become an
independent charity. In January 2001 a coordinator was employed to support and
build the network. Since then, MEEN has provided a range of CPD services,
training sessions and networking events, conferences and numerous projects
around sustainability with schools and educational providers. MEEN is now over
20 years old and still upholds its core values: it was set up to support its
members and to promote the sustainability agenda within schools and to agencies
working with schools. The first edition of Beehive, the MEEN newsletter, was
produced in 1994, and despite a few changes in its format, continues to be
produced today. MEEN has undergone two significant changes due to the impacts of
austerity. Firstly, our remit changed from serving the city of Manchester to
cover Greater Manchester. MEEN has always had members from schools in other
parts of Greater Manchester so it seemed appropriate, especially as services in
the other nine Council areas were being reduced, to widen our remit. Secondly,
we now focus increasingly on projects working directly with schools either
through the curriculum or working with young people in their Eco Committees.