SUMMER 2025 DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 34
GPSJ
NEWS
Charity calls for refocus and rethink
around COP29
As world leaders, scientists,
and activists come together in
Azerbaijan for the 29th session
of the Conference of the
Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on
Climate Change (COP29), a
crucial message resonates
across borders: “Use Your
Superpower Wisely – The
Power of Choice.”
The conference, themed “In
Solidarity for a Greener World,”
focued on the signi昀椀cance of
shared responsibility in combating
the climate crisis and protecting
our planet’s future. While global
negotiations and commitments
are essential to drive climate
action, COP29 reminds us that
real, lasting impact often comes
down to the choices we make in
our daily lives.
Gavin Bruce, CEO of
International Animal Rescue (IAR),
shares his thoughts around the
importance of individual choices:
“The most simple steps that we
all take every day can have a big
impact. If we all think carefully
before we act, every decision we
make can help us create a more
nature-friendly world. Together,
our actions add up to big
change.”
IIAR’s grassroots projects,
such as “Power of Mama,” an
all-female 昀椀re昀椀ghting team in
Borneo, highlight the importance
of empowering communities
to protect their ecosystems,
bolstering biodiversity, which
creates environmental bene昀椀ts.
While COP29 leaders focus
on global policies, individuals
are encouraged to take action.
By making mindful choices,
everyone can contribute to a
more sustainable world. Gavin
Bruce reminds us of the power
we all hold: “Use your superpower
wisely – every choice we make, no
matter how small, contributes to a
greater collective impact.”
For those looking to make a
di昀昀erence, consider taking a “prepurchase pause” and ask yourself:
• Do I need it?
• Can I buy second-hand or
borrow instead?
• Is it eco-friendly, ethical, or
fair-trade?
• Does this brand or packaging
prioritise sustainability?
• Am I using my purchasing
power to bene昀椀t the planet?
“International Animal Rescue
believes that we can still turn the
tide with strong action. The future
of our planet’s biodiversity and
life as we know it depends on the
choices we make today. We must
hold leaders to their promises and
think about what one thing we can
do today to protect and restore
our fragile ecosystems. Let’s work
together to give our planet and all
its inhabitants a 昀椀ghting chance.
Let’s make peace with nature.”
To learn more, visit: www.
internationalanimalrescue.org
Finally someone is talking sense “A*s alone
do not set young people up for a healthy
and happy life.”
As the Education Secretary in
England, Bridget Phillipson,
urges schools to shift from a
purely exam-focused approach
to one that emphasises
pupils’ sense of belonging and
wellbeing, there’s a growing
recognition that academic
success cannot come at the
cost of pupils’ mental health.
“But A*s alone do not set
young people up for a healthy
and happy life. And where
previous governments have had
tunnel vision, we will widen our
ambition.”
In her recent address, Phillipson
highlighted the concern about the
decline in school attendance, a
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likely indicator of disengagement
and emotional struggle among
pupils. Her message is clear: to
create an environment where
pupils feel supported and
engaged, schools need to go
beyond “tunnel vision” around
exams.
To bridge the gap between
policy vision and real-world
implementation, schools must
seek innovative, practical tools
that are accessible and easy to
integrate into the school day.
Lumii.me is one such solution,
developed speci昀椀cally to
address both the emotional and
educational needs of pupils. The
tool o昀昀ers a range of features
to promote positive behaviour,
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOURNAL AUTUMN
SUMMER 2017
2025
provide immediate support
to pupils, and instil crucial
wellbeing skills. By teaching
pupils strategies for resilience and
self-regulation, Lumii.me goes
beyond momentary interventions
to nurture skills that can last a
lifetime.
Lumii.me was founded by
Laura, a teacher and mother
who knows the struggles of
supporting a child with mental
health challenges. With limited
options for support available to
her, she was inspired to create a
tool designed to give teachers a
way to make a di昀昀erence in their
pupils’ lives. The schools using
Lumii.me say that the key bene昀椀ts
include:
• Improved pupil behaviour
• Reduced workload from
managing pupil behaviours
• Improved attendance
• Calmer classrooms
The free trial option for Lumii.
me o昀昀ers schools and teachers a
unique chance to experience the
impact of this tool without 昀椀nancial
commitment. This approach is
particularly bene昀椀cial at a time
when budgets are stretched and
resources limited – in this evolving
era of education, where wellbeing
and achievement must go hand in
hand.
To set up a free trial or see a
demo please email hello@lumii.
me
