What is Rubbish Science?
Developing Scientific Literacy
Scientific literacy is a transferable skill that involves investigating claims and looking for evidence to inform decisions. We focus on simple experiments with real, useful outcomes that usually involve multiple variables. Rubbish Science also strengthens STEM learning objectives.
Reusing Rubbish
Ideally there should be no rubbish in the world, but the reality is that plastic refuse is everywhere. The aim is to create something that solves local problems whilst removing rubbish and increasing environmental awareness.
Developing Communities
All communities have a culture of innovation, but often lack a systematic and scientific approach. By collaborating on real problems, we aim to empower communities to shape their own futures. By linking communities across the globe from the most to least privileged on a level playing field, we aim to increase interactions and understanding.
Rubbish Science teaches how to take every day waste like plastic bottles and transform them into food-producing gardens, fly traps and a host of other ingenious products that communities can use to generate income or food.
Want to keep your kids occupied over the holidays? Click the link above to access loads of Rubbish Science activities and learn how to be a scientist. If times are hard use the code FREERUBBISHSCIENCE.
All proceeds are used to expand the impact of Rubbish Science in vulnerable communities around the world.
Delivery Strategy
Free workshops to children in vulnerable communities
We send our trainers to children living in extreme poverty or in communities that are very poor and facilitate sessions that inspire the children to think outside the box and in a systematic way. We show them how they can use resources around them to grow food or to turn them into useful items. These sessions empower each student with tools, that if used, could transform their lives. These sessions are funded from individual donations, sponsorship from companies/schools or through paid workshops as outlined below.
School Workshops
Rubbish Science has developed school workshops that can be tailored to your budget and requirements. These workshops have been delivered in schools in the UK and Switzerland. One of our trainers will attend and deliver the lessons. These lessons compliment STEM and can be tailored to emphasise the different elements.
My physics students were so engaged as the lessons not only expanded their thinking but opened their eyes to the wider world.
Physics Teacher - Switzerland
School workshops cost;
Free to Operation Orphan or Partner schools.
£60 per 1 hr lesson plus travel for the trainer.
£295 per day plus travel for the trainer.
£490 for 2 days plus travel and overnight stay for trainer.
We ask for a donation towards helping expand Rubbish Science into vulnerable communities around the world.
To explore the potential of hosting Rubbish Science at your school please complete the enquiry form below.
‘Train the Trainer Workshops’
These are delivered to aid workers, teachers or community leaders empowering them to deliver Rubbish Science lessons in the communities they are working in.
Qualification: Certified Rubbish Science Trainer (Aim to have the course accredited in due course)
Post training:
Successful candidates are added to the register of Rubbish Science trainers.
Have access to regular updates from Neil
Be part of the Rubbish Science trainer forum where new lessons are developed and shared.
Required to submit pictures and stories about each session taught - show growing impact and reach of Rubbish Science
Help develop Rubbish Science Google Classroom
Cost: £125 for a 2 day course. (This does not include travel and accommodation.)
Course size: There is a minimum of 10 candidates per session.
Interested?: To discuss participating in one of these sessions please complete the enquiry form below.
Feedback
All Operation Orphan requires of those who have been trained to deliver Rubbish Science workshops, is for them to share pictures, stories and any evidence of the impact it has had on the community.
Funding
Rubbish Science is appealing to donors to help make this training easily accessible to as many young people living in vulnerable communities as possible. 100% of all funds raised for Rubbish Science will be used to deliver workshops as well as cover the cost of keeping orphans identified through the project safe, warm, healthy and learning.
A quick insight into Rubbish Science
Rubbish Science Expression of Interest Form
An example of a Rubbish Science Lesson Plan
About Neil Atkin
Founder of Rubbish Science
Neil was born in Trinidad and spent his first ten years in the West Indies before his parents moved back to the UK. To Grimsby of all places!
He did a degree in physics and also qualified as a science teacher an EFL teacher, tennis, football and hockey coach. He then travelled for about eight years around Asia and Africa teaching and coaching and working in various weird and wonderful jobs. This is where he first me, Brad Moore - MD of Operation Orphan.
He qualified as one of the first advanced skills teachers in science, maths and ICT and spent 10 years working in very challenging schools. This experience was crucial to his teaching science through relevant and engaging activities. He also qualified as a surf instructor, mountain bike leader, climbing instructor, power kite instructor and used these activities as mediums to teach science through.
Neil has been published in multiple science books for CGP, Hodder and Philip Allan. Some are here
He worked for the Institute of Physics for eight years as a teaching and learning coach in the South West region. This involved teaching teachers more effective ways of delivering physics. During this time he taught thousands of teachers but more importantly he learned so much from his colleagues, some of the finest brains in science education. He co wrote a Physics of Football resource working with Arsenal FC that is published here
As a self-employed educational consultant, Neil has travelled the world working with some of the ‘best’ schools and some of the worst. When working with international schools in developing nations he often does voluntary work in local schools. He has worked in rural schools in Nepal and Kenya as well as with Rohingya Refugees in Malaysia with the UNHCR.
Neil co-wrote and delivered innovation club activities for the Malaysian government working with the British Council and supported by the Newton Fund. The pilot programme was so successful that they rolled it out to the whole country. Training teachers on how to develop creative thinking. This work forms the basis of many of the Rubbish Science ideas.
He is well connected on social media with around 2000 connections on Linkedin with 500 endorsements and nearly 5000 followers on Twitter. He regularly host the #ASEchat for the Association of Science Education.
How Rubbish Science connects to Operation Orphan.
Neil first shared the idea of Rubbish Science with Brad and Cyrilyn 5 years ago and together they have gone on a journey of exploring ways to birth and expand it. A recent conversation highlighted clearly that if Rubbish Science was integrated as a core project of Operation Orphan the symbiotic relationship would be mutually beneficial, fundamentally empowering Neil to get as many children to experience the power of Rubbish Science.
