Here’s why – and how your classroom can become a part of it in 2023-24.

There’s no shortage of programmes for primary schools. Flags, certificates and initiatives abound, encouraging kids to do everything from eating kiwis to becoming the next Einstein.

However, no programme has ever swept the country as fast as Picker Pals.
How? By making litter-picking fun for kids who lead their families on environmental stewardship adventures in their local areas. Despite taking its first steps at the very beginning of the pandemic, Picker Pals has now been in over half (60%) of the schools in the country. Over 2,300 classrooms have now taken part in the programme. Over 68,000 children have been Picker Pals and over 400 tonnes of litter have been removed from the environment.

• Classrooms sign up to receive the free Picker Pod, containing storybooks and activity books for each child in the class and a Picker Pack containing everything needed for litter-picking including picker-uppers for adult and child, gloves, vests and safety information. 
• Each week a different child brings home the Picker Pack.
• Children come back to school and bask in glory, sharing their stories with their classmates.
• Motivation is brought to fever pitch by a year-long calendar of activations and interactions including competitions, live meet-ups, events, quizzes and Picker Pals TV episodes.

Why has it had such a phenomenal reception?

Teachers love that Picker Pals is easy to deliver and doesn’t create any additional admin.

They love that it’s led by the children themselves who seem to have an insatiable appetite for taking home the Picker Pack and are even swapping screen time for litter-picking! They love that Picker Pals provides everything they need and that basically the programme runs itself.

In a recent teachers survey:

• 100% say they would do Picker Pals again
• 100% say they would recommend PIcker Pals to other teachers
• 95% say that they had received positive feedback from parents

Teachers also love that Picker Pals creates a positive bridge between the classroom, school and family, giving everyone a source of pride. It both celebrates and positions their classroom at the centre of positive change in the community. And of course, schools love that Picker pals is FREE and delivers high quality, fun materials directly to their classrooms. The programme is available in Irish and English and has been very well received by Special Schools.

Community is fun.

Children and teachers are loving becoming part of something that’s bigger than themselves. A programme that connects them to people all over the country in a positive, active way that’s making the world better. And they’re having fun doing it.

Due to its popularity, demand for Picker Pals has outgrown available funding – so teachers and principals who are keen join the programme, sign the Expression of Interest form here. It just takes a minute.