This website showcases themes and information gained from my Masters research exploring youth engagement in conservation and climate action. It showcases the journey and those involved within the research and will hopefully be used as a site to connect young volunteers and like-minded people to wider community groups and organisations which are involved in wildlife conservation and climate change.
Alana Wheat
Hi, I’m Alana, this is a website created to help turn my project into more of a reality… virtually.
In 2021, I submitted this project which I compiled into a written dissertation for an MA in Geographical and Environmental Research at Keele University. It received a distinction. Thank you to those who supported this project and continue to support climate action and nature recovery in the local area.
In time, I will share the findings of the research, but please bare with me as I'm thankfully in a full-time work position and continuing to support charities and community groups in the local area to do what they do best. See my LinkedIn to stay in touch!
If you are interested to know more about me, please continue reading.
Staffordshire - Born and raised
Throughout my life I have lived in Staffordshire and been a part of the community. I am involved in several Staffordshire based groups, organisations, and charities.
Young People & Youth Volunteering
I am a enthusiastic advocate of volunteering as a young person and with young people as a way of bringing not just skills to your CV but also life experiences. I volunteer and hold positions on the committee of two local community clubs and I used these as a case study for my dissertation research project for my award winning undergraduate Geography degree at Keele University.
In 2020 I became a trustee of SCVYS (Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services) who help over 200 of community groups who support families and young people across the county.
Being a case study in 2019 SCVYS annual report. Phil Pusey, SCVYS CEO: “It has been inspiring to see Alana grow in her confidence, skills and experience, co-leading an organisation whilst studying for a degree. Alana is a real success story in our hope to see more young people active in volunteering and social action in their local communities.”
Keele University
I chose Keele University to study my Geography degree and this opened many doors and windows of opportunity.
In 2019, I was appointed as a Sustainability Intern hoping to learn new skills and apply knowledge learnt through my Geography degree and became Senior Sustainability Intern in 2020, supporting two new interns. Through the role I embraced opportunities to deepen my knowledge about embedding sustainability and engaging students; running Green:Keele social media and launching the GreenKeele Instagram account, to helping organise the Keele Schools Climate Summit which welcomed 40 students to attend workshops on climate action; Keele Green Festival which included around 30 events and stalls in 2019 and planned to host around 40 events in 2020 before covid-19. I have contributed to hidden curriculum projects like the Eat, Rinse, Repeat reusable food container service, the Great Donate Halls move out scheme, Student Eats gardening, reporting for the Weigh to Go zero waste shop. The collaborative approach of the Education for Sustainability team led to a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence in 2020. Through my role I‘ve developed knowledge of how to apply EfS through degrees, societies and informal curriculum opportunities for students, and for subliminal curriculum campaigns and activities. I apply this knowledge beyond my role at Keele to advocate embedding sustainability in the community and to support others to share their voices on sustainability issues and action.
I was employed as a Project Assistant on the E:Mission Teaching Innovation Project run by the ESD team in recognition of my commitment to sustainability and interest in board games for education. The project created an online game to engage students with carbon emissions and sustainability challenges. I researched carbon emissions data, reports and challenges to feed into the game narrative.
Bringing together connections I made through my internship and Wildlife Society, I saw an opportunity to engage students, the SU, Grounds team and residents living on campus with the Hedgehog Friendly Campus programme run by the Hedgehog Preservation Society. Through building connections, raising awareness, working groups and training sessions, we achieved Bronze accreditation (2019/20) and Silver accreditation (2020/21) and Bronze re-accreditation.
Recognising the importance of student engagement with the curriculum, I became a Student Voice Rep throughout my degree and Lead Student Voice Rep for Geography, Geology and the Environment in 2019/20. I became a Sustainability Voice Rep, training in Education for Sustainability and encouraging sustainability at Staff Learning and Teaching committees. Throughout meetings I encouraged mapping degrees to the SDGs, and ways to incorporate sustainability into all GGE degree programmes.
Dr Anne Loweth, Pro Vice Chancellor for Students: “Alana has demonstrated her commitment, expertise, and leadership in driving Keele’s sustainability agenda through her substantial and effective contributions in several capacities. She has encouraged student participation in a wide range of activities, and has influenced University decision-making through her contributions to the University’s educational development and through our student consultative panel.”
My undergraduate dissertation focused on youth geographies, conducting primary research on the youth clubs, and my experiences embedding sustainability at Keele led me to explore the use of space and youth clubs by rural young people. Graded at 90%, the dissertation received the Alexander and Dorothea Farquharson Prize for best human geography dissertation. I also received the Victoria Bentley Memorial Prize awarded to students who have made an exceptional contribution to the academic community of Geography at Keele through student experience, course development and academic engagement.
Since the start of the degree, I have given over 1000 hours to volunteering in the local community of Staffordshire. At the end of my undergraduate degree I was nominated and shortlisted as Student of the Year.
In 2021, KeeleSU awarded the honouree title of ‘Swan Mistress’. This award is the highest honour the Students' Union can bestow. The office of Swanmaster or Swanmistress is conferred on only one student (or rarely, a staff member) each year – by the Students’ Union Officer team – in recognition of a student who has contributed significantly to the spirit and community of Keele without necessarily holding a formal post or office.
Keele Wildlife Society
Late in my first year I kickstarted the Keele Wildlife Society to encourage more students to be interested and involved with the wildlife and conservation on campus. Wildlife Society recruited nearly 100 members in 2018/2019 combined, and organised and led 43 events in 2019-2020. The society organised talks from external wildlife experts, sharing knowledge with those not on environmental degrees. We promoted and attended the Staffs Youth Debate, climate marches, litter picks, conservation activities, guided walks and crafting sessions. As a keen tree-planter, I wanted to create a legacy beyond studying at Keele, I engaged students with climate action and biodiversity through the Woodland Trust Big Climate Fightback and led funding applications and ordering of 300 native trees.
Nature & the Environment
Being immersed in the outdoor community, wildlife, sustainability and rewilding movements of the world around us is what I find my passion in, thus I enjoy getting involved in volunteering and community work.
I attended some of the Youth Strikes for Climate and when I wasn’t at campaign marches, I was being a digital activist.
I’ve also helped out with creative projects such as the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s ‘Cloud Piece’ and the Subversive Plasticity Exhibition at Keele University.
Following my efforts with Keele Wildlife Society, Hedgehog Friendly Campus and general climate activism I was honoured to be awarded with the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust medal and ‘My Wild Life’ was featured in their magazine. I have been a trustee of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust since 2020.
During my Masters, I had a role with Moorlands Climate Action as an Admin & Communications Coordinator. Moorlands Climate Action is a local climate action group for the Staffordshire Moorlands full of passionate and dedicated individuals who share a concern towards the climate crises and are doing everything in their power to reduce their and the districts impact.
Research Proposal Presentation
This is a presentation that I created as part of the Masters course. In the presentation I talk through the background and context of the research project, the geographical academic theories and the methods.
