about earth calling
mission
Children hold the key to the future health of our planet; we must help them to enjoy, understand, care about, and actively protect wildlife and the environment. At Earth Calling we have proved that we can achieve this by creating fun, inspiring, hands-on environmental education experiences for them in their local environment. We are now focussed on reaching more children more often both by expanding our own specialist teaching and grounds development services and by inspiring the independent activities of parents, teachers and young people themselves.
pathways
Reaching children directly:
- by continuing to teach a vigorous schedule which includes curricular fieldwork, extension work with pupil councils and other in-school groups, weekly after-school wildlife and environment clubs, holiday clubs and collaborative grounds development projects
- by developing a dynamic online community of interested young people
- by actively locating and attending celebratory and outreach events.
Supporting and inspiring others in reaching children:
- by building long-term partnerships with schools in order to build enthusiasm and offer support
- by training teachers in best practice
- by maintaining a presence on various councils and advisory committees
- by inspiring parents to share in and develop their children’s enthusiasm through holiday clubs and a dedicated zone on this website.
Ensuring that our educational experiences are effective and appropriate to school and non-school environments:
- by developing staff who have a specialist knowledge of and passion for wildlife and environmental issues, a natural rapport with primary school children and excellent communication skills
- by focussing on an activity-based, fun approach
- by peer-reviewing each group leader’s work on a regular basis
- by prioritising research into the changing curriculum, best practice guidelines and extra-curricular initiatives both through our own work and through regular meetings with a network of educational professionals
- by researching and developing new activities and evaluating their effectiveness
profile
Earth Calling was founded in 1998 by Angus Egan to run wildlife after-school clubs. The need for specialist grounds development and environment curriculum fieldwork services was soon clear and we have since worked closely with the ‘Grounds For Awareness’ initiative.
Alongside successfully running Earth Calling, Angus Egan’s training and experience are as follows:
- Scottish Wildlife Trust conservation volunteer 1993-95
- HND Conservation Management, Oatridge College (top conservation student) 1995-97
- SWT Wildlife Watch Senior Team Leader 1998-present
awards
We have extensive knowledge of the award criteria for many initiatives and can help you focus your activities towards them.
- Several schools we're involved with have achieved 'green flag' status from Eco Schools. Blackhall won Best Primary School Wildlife Garden in 2004’s Garden in Bloom competition.
- One of Angus Egan’s SWT Wildlife Watch member’s won the organisation’s Young Environmentalist Scotland 1994 award
reviews
What your colleagues think of us!
Kirsty Rosie (former DH Brunstane, now DH at Towerbank)
‘Our playground is a different place and the pupils are very involved in the upkeep of the areas as they were included in the plans from the start and therefore given a sense of ownership.’
Service: Grounds Development
Project: Develop a wildlife garden with P7
Aims: Promote positive behaviour within the playground
Promote sense of pride and ownership amongst older pupils
Improve quality of school environment for all
Create venue for environmental education
Promote anti littering and recycling policy
‘Earth Calling helped to develop a wildlife garden with P7, promoting positive behaviour within the playground and a sense of pride and ownership for older pupils in school. They also created a nature trail for whole school for children to relax, play in and also are used as an outdoor classroom. They developed recycling and anti-litter pollution theme in school.
In all of the above, people from Earth Calling worked closely with the pupils, teaching them about plants and nature, the need to recycle and cut down pollution and what children can do to help. Gus is happy to work with small groups, classes or whole school (giving talks at assemblies) and with pupils of all ages. He is a vibrant and energetic character and his enthusiasm is very infectious amongst the pupils!
Janice MacInnes (HT East Craigs Primary)
‘The Outdoor Classroom has been a tremendous success for both staff and pupils and this is as a direct result of Earth Calling's involvement and Angus Egan's enthusiasm and superb knowledge of the environment.’
Service: Outdoor Classroom
Project: Provide ongoing curricular fieldwork experience for Nursery to P7
Aims: Allow children to practise and develop investigating skills Raise awareness of local and school environment
‘Earth Calling has been working with the pupils and staff from Davidson's Mains Primary School for several years. In developing our 5–14 science curriculum teaching staff worked with Angus Egan to create an ‘Outdoor Classroom’ experience for all our pupils from Nursery to Primary 7.’
Grace Kerr (Director, Little Monkeys)
‘It’s really refreshing to see the level of interest that Earth Calling has generated in such young minds; the children await your visits with such eager anticipation!’
Service: Outdoor Classroom
Project: Provide ongoing fieldwork experiences
Aims: Encourage learning through play
‘I am writing to you to express our thanks for all the work you have done with Little Monkeys over the past year and a half. As a nursery facility that works in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council it is integral to our curriculum that we provide the opportunities for children to learn through play. Earth Calling has married this method of learning with great opportunities for outdoor excursions incorporating every area of the 3–5-year-olds’ curriculum. Thanks again Angus, we all look forward to seeing you again in the spring term.
Phil Davies (P6/7 teacher, Brunstane Primary)
‘Earth Calling has been a dynamic force in improving our school grounds’
Service: Grounds Development & Rangers Service
Project: To litter campaign & creation of wildlife friendly areas
Aims: Improve school environment for pupils, staff and wildlife
Motivate children in environmental study and action, create a sense of ownership
amongst pupils
‘[Earth Calling] us[e] practical knowledge, inspiring ideas and not least engendering motivation, a sense of ownership and enjoyment amongst the pupils involved in the project. Gus Egan uses his strong rapport with children and his obvious belief and enthusiasm in his environmental and educational work to produce tangible results. Gus has been instrumental in creating several wildlife areas in our school, helping to promote a litter squad known as the Wombles and a greater awareness of our wildlife potential in general.
Carole L.J. Fraser (Project Director, Four Winds Inspiration Centre)
Peer review
It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity to recommend Angus Egan and Earth Calling. Four Winds Inspiration Centre has worked with Earth Calling on a number of occasions – with the production of wooden items for playgrounds, organising activity sessions for children and supporting the festival – Edinburgh Treefest, both in 2002 and again this year, 14 & 15 June 2003 in Inverleith Park, Edinburgh. Angus is a true professional – enthusiastic, reliable, and innovative. It is always a delight to work with him.