Inspiring the next generation of green thinkers
TroCymru brings the circular economy to life for children and young people across North Wales. Through school workshops, youth programmes, and hands-on learning, we show that waste is not the end of the story — it is the beginning of something new.
The Wake-Up Call
1.4 million tonnes of construction waste. Every year. In Wales alone.
Most children will never see where it goes or understand why it matters. That waste costs Welsh communities £130.75 per tonne in landfill tax — money that could be spent on schools, hospitals, and local services.
TroCymru’s education programmes connect what happens on building sites to what children learn in the classroom — from the science of materials and carbon to the maths of waste reduction and the geography of local supply chains.
By working with schools, colleges, and youth organisations across Gwynedd, Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Wrexham, and Flintshire, we are building a generation that sees waste differently.
1.4m
tonnes of construction waste in Wales each year
80%
of that waste could be diverted from landfill
£130.75
per tonne — the cost of landfill tax from April 2026
Oct 2026
mandatory digital waste tracking begins
Visualising the Loop
How a single material loops in the circular economy
In a linear economy, materials go from factory to landfill. In a circular economy, they keep cycling — creating less waste, fewer emissions, and more value.
Our workshops use real construction materials — timber, metal, plastic, plasterboard — to show students how this loop works in practice on Welsh building sites.
Curriculum for Wales
Aligned with the Four Purposes
Schools in Wales are legally required to deliver the Four Purposes. Our workshops are designed to support all four, with cross-curricular links to Science & Technology, Humanities, Mathematics & Numeracy, and Health & Well-being.
Ambitious, capable learners
STEM challenges using real waste data, carbon calculations, and material science experiments.
Healthy, confident individuals
Understanding environmental impact on health, teamwork through practical sorting activities.
Ethical, informed citizens
Exploring sustainability, climate justice, Welsh Government targets, and community responsibility.
Enterprising, creative contributors
Designing reuse solutions, social enterprise thinking, and creative upcycling projects.
Our Programmes
Something for every age group
Primary Schools (Ages 5–11)
Interactive, hands-on, and fun
Waste Detectives
Children investigate what happens to construction waste and discover which materials can be reused. Includes sorting challenges and material identification games.
Build, Break, Reuse
A hands-on workshop where pupils build structures from reclaimed materials, then learn about the circular economy through creative play.
Carbon Footprint Challenge
An age-appropriate introduction to carbon and climate change, using construction materials as real-world examples. Includes a class carbon pledge.
Secondary Schools (Ages 11–16)
Data-driven, career-focused, and challenging
Circular Economy in Action
Students explore real TroCymru data to understand material flows, waste diversion rates, and carbon savings. Links to GCSE Science and Geography.
STEM & Sustainability
A technology-focused workshop using QR tracking, data dashboards, and carbon calculators. Students see how digital tools drive environmental outcomes.
Green Careers Day
An introduction to careers in sustainability, waste management, data, logistics, and social enterprise. Includes talks from TroCymru team members and partners.
Real data, real impact: Secondary students work with actual TroCymru dashboards showing live waste diversion and carbon data. It’s the ultimate antidote to “When am I ever going to use this?”
Young People (Ages 16–25)
Pathways into work, skills, and leadership
Work Experience Placements
Structured 1-2 week placements for Year 10/11 students and sixth formers. Gain hands-on experience in waste management, data, logistics, or community engagement.
Duke of Edinburgh Volunteering
Count your volunteering hours at TroCymru towards the DofE award. We provide structured tasks, supervision, and sign-off for Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels.
Summer & Holiday Projects
Intensive project-based programmes during school holidays. Work on real challenges — from building a community reuse library to designing a waste awareness campaign.
Youth Ambassador Programme
Become a TroCymru Youth Ambassador for sustainability. Develop leadership skills, represent TroCymru at events, and help shape our youth strategy.
Cymraeg: All our work experience placements and youth programmes are available bilingually. In North Wales, high-quality work experience in “Green Tech” is rare — we are proud to offer it through the medium of Welsh and English.
Bilingual delivery — Cymraeg a Saesneg
All our school visits and youth materials are available bilingually. We are committed to supporting the Welsh language within our community outreach. Teachers can request sessions delivered entirely through the medium of Welsh.
Working Together
Our education partners
We are building partnerships with schools, colleges, universities, and youth organisations across North Wales to deliver meaningful, curriculum-aligned programmes.
How to get involved
Safety & Safeguarding
The safety of children and young people is our absolute priority. All TroCymru staff who work with schools and youth groups are DBS-checked and trained in safeguarding. Full risk assessments are provided for all activities, including “Build, Break, Reuse” workshops involving physical materials.
Let’s bring the circular economy into your school
All our school programmes are free of charge. We bring everything we need — materials, resources, and enthusiasm. All we need from you is a classroom and curious minds.
Funded by our commercial partnerships with housing associations and contractors. When our clients invest in TroCymru’s tracking service, they are directly supporting local schools to learn about the environment.