The Vegan Society is laying claim to a ‘world first’ as it announces its inaugural vegan education conference taking place later this year. The first event of its kind aims to help vegan learners and their parents, as well as teachers looking to be vegan inclusive, who may not know where to start.
Members of the society’s Educational Network (EN) - a voluntary group of vegan professionals - will address challenges to vegan-inclusive education, describe their experiences as educators, parents and guardians and those of children, and look at how equality and inclusiveness principles can be applied to vegans whose ethical views are protected by law.
The charity is also welcoming guest speakers from the education sector to submit presentations ahead of the conference, at the Training and Conference Centre in Speke, Liverpool, on 1 October 2022.
Examples of topics covered include: how traditional resources can be improved to promote animal compassion, inclusiveness around extra-curricular activities and school trips, and the provision of vegan food and plant milks, to name a few.
If that isn’t enough, this week also marks the launch of the society’s Vegan Education Guide which aims to support educators with vegan children in their care. The document has been created with help from the EN which includes vegan volunteers from headteachers and teaching staff to school chefs, child psychologists and council members.
Education Network Chair and Education Officer at The Vegan Society Laura Chepner has worked tirelessly, alongside the society’s Dr Jeanette Rowley, to create and launch the projects.
Laura said: “We’re so excited to be hosting such a groundbreaking event! The conference is a UK first and will be the first time that the Education Network will get together and hear each other’s presentations.
“As a former teacher and a vegan parent myself, I know all too well the challenges sometimes faced by vegan pupils, parents and the obstacles in creating an inclusive school environment. We’re confident the conference and the Vegan Education Guide will go a long way to helping educators to be as vegan-inclusive as possible while empowering and supporting vegan parents, children and young people in mainstream education.”
