Grow It Yourself (GIY)’s GROW at School programme is transforming school communities by bringing garden-based food education directly into the hands of teachers and students. Designed to empower educators to grow with confidence, the programme helps young people develop a deeper connection with food and the natural world.
Through hands-on growing experiences, students gain a real understanding of where food comes from, nurturing “food empathy” along with healthier and more sustainable food behaviours. The impact reaches far beyond the classroom, GROW at School supports whole-school involvement, engaging families, staff, and the wider community to create a lasting green legacy in school environments.
An Educator’s Perspective
After receiving our beds, compost and seeds from GIY, we set about designing a new garden for the school. Our Green School Committee, Gardening Club, parents, teachers, SNAs and our caretaker were all involved in the creation of a new garden and we are delighted with our results. We found the online resources so helpful and we have tried to follow the school plan for the beds. We harvested lots of potatoes, peas, beans, pumpkins, turnips, tomatoes, kale and lettuce over the last few months.
The new garden is a calm space to relax and enjoy nature. The children love getting involved in planting and watering. There is also huge excitement about our chickens and trying to spot a frog or two.
We are very grateful to GIY for their amazing work and for motivating us to get started.– Colm Aherne, Donabate Portrane ETNS
Join the GIY Educator Advisory Group
This year, GIY is excited to launch a brand-new Educator Advisory Group for teachers within the Educate Together network who want to explore how school gardening can enhance student wellbeing, environmental awareness, and active citizenship.
Members will:
- Participate in peer-to-peer learning with fellow Educate Together teachers
- Receive expert coaching and tailored garden support from the GIY team
- Join a special in-person focus session at our flagship GROW HQ in Waterford next spring
If you’re passionate about bringing meaningful sustainability education into your classroom and about empowering students to become active, empathetic global citizens, we’d love to have you join us.
Contact growatschool@giy.ie to find out more.
