Being an eco-delegate in middle school or high school: what can you do?
Since 2020, every middle school and high school class must elect one or two eco-delegates. They act as spokespersons for sustainable development issues among their classmates and can implement actions in their schools, such as installing compost bins or reducing food waste.
Evelyne Bois, University of Orleans; Aurélie Zwang, University of Montpellier and Mandarine Hugon, University of Orleans
Our analysis of institutional frameworks, supplemented by a study of students' discourse, reveals a tension between injunctions and realities on the ground. Taking into account the perspective of students, who are in the process of constructing their identities in a world in transition, highlights the gap between the urgency of the situation, now widely understood by young people, and the modest progress made in schools.
Eco-delegates: strong demands from the institution
In connection with the policy of certifying schools, the term "eco-delegate," without being precisely defined, appeared for the first time in 2013 in a ministerial text. Today, eco-delegate students are supporting the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs).
They are encouraged to propose their projects within various representative bodies at the school and academy levels (steering committees, middle school or high school councils). At the national level, their actions can be recognized by the "eco-delegate action of the year" award and highlighted as examples on the ministry's website. Eco-delegates must also acquire skills that they can use as future citizens and "economic actors."
The handbook on education for sustainable development specifies that eco-delegates have the role of embodying changes in individual and collective behavior:
"Eco-delegates, young volunteer sentinels working for sustainable development, commit their time and energy by defining and pursuing quantifiable and/or observable objectives and adopting a role model attitude."
These recommendations mainly frame education for sustainable development within the context of teaching good behavior (eco-friendly actions) and good school management (energy saving, wastesorting , etc.). Students are seen as having a strong responsibility towards social and environmental issues.
Small actions, but not up to expectations
In order to examine the experiences and perspectives of eco-delegates, interviews were conducted with 22 middle and high school students in 2021-2022, in a variety of school settings.
Regardless of their grade level, the eco-delegates surveyed feel responsible and want to take action in their schools to "help/preserve the planet" by engaging their classmates and the adults around them: "I try to get my family involved in all the activities at school" (middle school student).
Students say they are encouraged to take small actions in the classroom (communicating, picking up papers, turning off lights and computers, etc.) and in the school (installing recycling bins, sorting waste, limiting food waste), which are more like anecdotal eco-friendly gestures than long-term projects.
This clearly refers to the examples of actions proposed by the eco-delegate guides, published in 2021 by the Ministry of Education and the Environment and Energy Management Agency. Eco-delegates are described as "decision-makers," "relays," "guarantors," "co-pilots," and finally, "budding project managers." These terms and the illustrations used construct the image of an eco-delegate as an "ordinary hero."
The lack of reflection on the actions carried out, as perceived among the students surveyed, could suggest that the program is part of a non-"critical" approach to education, in which students are mere recipients of the behavioral prescriptions of the educational institution.
Commitments but lack of resources
The commitment of the eco-delegates interviewed is linked to a strong motivation to act for the environment, to feel useful, and to agree with the ideas being promoted so that they can be applied in their various areas of life: "I feel very concerned about climate change and I really wanted to take action to change things," observes one high school student. "We realize that there are problems, that we need to help our planet and even biodiversity, etc. And I think someone needs to represent that," adds a high school student.
It is clearly a large-scale vision that seems to motivate students, beyond actions within a single school. These students have long-term projects, aimed in particular at opening up to the world, and are managing to bring them to fruition in certain schools (fundraising for charities; clean-up walks; "solidarity for the Congo").
There is therefore a gap between their aspirations and the institution's objectives, which aim to enforce official regulations, including the certification of educational institutions. Moreover, the students surveyed were unaware of the existence of this certification.
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The roles prescribed by the educational institution do not always correspond to the reality on the ground. Numerous constraints seem to prevent students from fully carrying out their tasks.
The students interviewed reported difficulties communicating and promoting their actions to other students: "I mention it to them briefly, but I don't think they pay attention. I think they don't really care," said one middle school student. In addition, the role of eco-delegate loses legitimacy when that of class representative is considered more important: " People often tell us that we're a bit useless, that the class representatives are already coming up with ideas anyway." https://www.youtube.com/embed/D5TIha10d-o?wmode=transparent&start=0 Winner of the 2021 Eco-Delegate Action Award in the middle school category (Collège Courteline, Paris).
We also note obstacles to decision-making. While middle school students say they have difficulty choosing which actions to take, high school students cite time constraints as well as the lack of assessments that would enable them to consider projects related to the school's real needs.
What creative freedom are they given to enable them to become "actors and authors, " combining action and reflection, and thus participate in change? Providing this space requires a real change in educational practices. It seems essential to question the role given to eco-delegates in different school contexts.
The need for better integration within the institution
Our studies show that eco-delegates are more motivated and proactive when professionals trust them, consider them capable of thinking and acting, support them in their questions, and value their actions within the institution, particularly by explaining their roles and missions.
Similarly, the participation of eco-delegates in committees allows them to discover how the institution works, to know who to contact to carry out projects, and to adapt to the institution's needs. Finally, the collective work carried out during meetings or training sessions allows them to meet new people (openness to others), to feel that they belong to a group, and to feel valued as individuals in their own right.
Taking [ students' opinions] into account and developing proactive school policies seems essential to enable eco-delegates to play a full role, but also to develop sustainable development education that meets their high expectations. To achieve this, professionals are essential, and it seems vital to now question how they view their role in supporting eco-delegates.
Evelyne Bois, Associate Professor in Education and Training Sciences, University of Orleans; Aurélie Zwang, Senior Lecturer in Education and Training Sciences. Environmental education. Science teaching, University of Montpellier and Mandarine Hugon, Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology of Development and Education, ERCAE Laboratory, University of Orleans
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