"This pathway makes the need for action concrete."

Testimonial from a committed actress, Sandrine Labielle, Maths & Science Teacher at Lycée Professionnel André Campa in Jurançon.

From May 2025, the Institut de l’Engagement and the CNRS have launched the’Introduction to Planet First Aid two online awareness courses for 10-14 year olds and 15-25 year olds. Based on everyday situations, they address the essential issues of climate and biodiversity, while offering concrete and accessible actions to get involved.

Tell us about your commitments as a teacher and those of your high school.
Our establishment has always worked around the «themes» defined by the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). It was therefore quite natural that we applied for and obtained the E3D LABEL (Establishment Committed to Sustainable Development) in 2021. I hold the position of E3D lead. I am responsible for cataloguing the actions carried out by colleagues and communicating those related to the SDGs that might interest them. In this capacity, many initiatives are already underway The students on the fashion industry training pathway participate in solidarity actions such as Pink October; the students on the logistics operator pathway collaborate with the Restos du Cœur to organise food collections; the school nurse develops several projects linked to the SDGs around gender equality, food, mental health, and the fight against inequalities and discrimination; finally, some colleagues lead local partnership actions with their students around prevention and sustainable development. I also support the eco-representatives in both their training and the implementation of their project ideas.

How did you integrate the Planet's First Aid Initiation into the journey of the students you accompanied?
As an E3D-certified establishment, it is perfectly natural to raise awareness among as many pupils as possible regarding the SDGs, beyond the missions carried out by each eco-delegate student. I therefore proposed to a group of Year 13 (Terminale) BAC PRO students as well as a Year 11 (2nd) BAC PRO class, to collectively take this Introduction to First Aid for the Planet during class time.

What need did this awareness-raising course address?
This route met, and still meets, both the need to constantly inform students in a world where Fake news and social media are bombarding our pupils with misinformation but also to a desire to develop critical thinking in our pupils. This path makes the need to act concrete.

What did you like most about these routes?
The fact of Starting with a short questionnaire is very interesting because the questions cover several areas.. Next, the path aspect (3 entries) in which different sources are found allows us to approach Media and Information Literacy (MIL) with our students. I also found it very interesting range of media on offer (graphics, maps, videos) as this allows for presenting information in different ways, while relying on reliable sources.
The flexibility of the course is also a very important point: any teacher can implement it with their class, without needing to book it or specifically allocate it to the eco-delegates. During these two sessions, the route was not completed as the pupils chatted a lot and I preferred to prioritise interactions rather than doing everything.

What, in your opinion, differentiates this tool from other environmental awareness formats?
Our pupils are fond of this type of format which offers a «gamified» approach, so they readily adopt this sort of tool. The strong point of this one is the possibility to skip questions if one wishes.
The fact that the questions relate to current events is very engaging for our pupils. For example, we worked on the module about fast fashion at the time of the scandal surrounding Shein and its controversial products. This provided a very relevant basis for questioning how we receive information: «What do we actually retain? How do we step back? What do we do with what we see or hear?» This reflection naturally opened up discussion on the manufacturing conditions for clothing, the origin of products, and the fact that they do not adhere to responsible production methods. Furthermore, we are in a region affected by the fires in Arcachon: these are recent, concrete events that resonate with the pupils and make the themes of the first module even more tangible.

In your opinion, what is the place of young people in the ecological transition in France today? Are they truly agents of change or are they still too marginalised in this process?
Regarding these issues of ecological transition, young people are over-solicited around these questions, so the information is certainly present. When I talk with them, I notice that their profiles are very different. Some pupils are very engaged, while other pupils are aware of the situation but don't always know how to act. (parenting model that does not sort, difficulty accessing sorting), for others, it's simply not a priority.
I teach in a vocational high school and Depending on the sector, the ecological transition is already leading to changes in jobs.. In the Fashion professions, for example, students are increasingly focusing on the issue of responsible textiles: they are learning to limit waste and reuse scraps to create new items. Many projects are part of an eco-responsible approach, such as the design of objects or tools from recycled materials. In the motor industry, training remains predominantly focused on internal combustion engines, but the shift towards electric is inevitable. Finally, in the Electrical trades, the transition is already very concrete, with the development of home automation and the installation of photovoltaic panels. We must therefore trust our young people, who will ultimately be the agents of change!