“Hard to Reach” or “Accessible When Approached”?

Sustainable Development Discussions with Marginalized Pupil Groups

Abstract

Now an integral part of the English and Welsh education system, the flexible concept of sustainable development can support a range of pupil engagement. However, despite consultations with young people now being commonplace, some groups remain excluded from key discussions. This paper will describe how marginalized pupil groups readily engaged in discussions about their unique engagement with sustainability, with visual tools supporting their communication of complex ideas. The ease with which these “hard to reach” pupils were accessed suggests they should be reconceptualized as “accessible when approached”— recognizing their highly involved engagement with sustainability, and expanding their inclusion in important discussions.