Living Lab

Based in the Institute for Social Justice, the Living Lab seeks to make real changes on campus - from reducing waste to tackling food poverty - while engaging hundreds of students each year in action learning.

The award-winning initiative includes student engagement from across the 5 Schools of the University. This is because all students and disciplines bring impactful skills and insights that can contribute towards a more just and sustainable future.

Each academic year, the Living Lab focuses on a particular ecological justice issue. Projects to date include:

• 2021-22: Learning at the Junction: Air quality and pollution
• 2022-24: Feeding the Campus: Social and ecological justice in the York St John food system

In tune with this cross-curriculum approach, the Living Lab core staff team includes:

• Dr Catherine Heinemeyer, School of the Arts and Institute for Social Justice
• Dr Jude Parks, School of Humanities
• Dr Vicki Pugh, Institute for Social Justice
• Sarah Williams, Estates team

The Living Lab's vision

The Living Lab's vision is firstly to empower students to develop skills as researchers, advocates and activists. Supported by the Living Lab team, individual students are invited to take the lead through a variety of roles and opportunities. These include paid internships, student researcher roles, volunteer bloggers or project officers.

Secondly, the Living Lab seeks to embed ecological justice within the University's wider curriculum. So far over 25 academics have included direct engagement with the Living Lab as a part of module design and outcomes.

Thirdly, the Living Lab is a space where knowledge can be exchanged and enhanced, and confidence can be grown collaboratively between students and the wider University community. As well as working with peers, the Living Lab invites students to address complex issues alongside academic departments and professional services, including Estates, Catering, and Careers. For staff involved, the network offers an opportunity to embed their teaching in a rich, multidisciplinary context, as captured within the Living Lab's first Reflection Report.

Highlights from the Living Lab

In 2022 the empowering, student-focused approach of our Living Lab was recognised in the UK-wide Green Gown Awards, where we won the 'Tomorrow’s Employees' category.

The Living Lab creates a community through shared events such as workshops, street festivals and potlucks.

Throughout the year the Living Lab brings the diverse network together to take part in workshops, expert talks, film screenings, collaborative art projects, public festivals.

Explore some of our highlights:

• Learning at the Junction Street Festival
• Sustenance: A Fine Art Exhibition as part of the Living Lab
• Living Lab Burns Night Potluck
• Green Week 2023: Focus on the Living Lab
• York St John Student Cookbook 2023 (PDF, 2.9 MB)
• Short films from Living Lab: Feeding the Campus

Get involved

The Living Lab is an ever-growing network and we welcome informal enquiries about the project.

There are many ways to get involved in the Living Lab as a student, staff member or external organisation. If you would like to know more or to explore opportunities, email c.heinemeyer@yorksj.ac.uk.

Community gardening

We want to grow our community gardening community! Would you like to spend some time in the fresh air? Learn how to grow herbs and fresh food? Or make a difference to green spaces on campus? This year Occupational Therapy students will be sharing more opportunities for getting involved via social media and Moodle.

Wild Wednesdays

First session: Every Wednesday at 12.00pm to 2.00pm
Meeting point: Outside the Students' Union building on the right hand side (nearest to Temple building where there are small planters). Look out for the Wild Wednesday sign!

Join our Grounds team on campus for hands-on activities and meet fellow garden goers. Email v.pugh@yorksj.ac.uk for more information.

The team will also be sharing helpful tips for taking care of your home plants, windowsill gardens and, most importantly, yourself!

Please fill out this form if you plan on joining a session and to keep up to date on community gardening activities!

Wild Wednesdays sign up form

Download our nature map to see the meeting point: Campus Nature Map - Wild Wednesdays (PDF, 4.9 MB)

Download our poster: 5 tips to look after your plants and yourself (PDF, 1.7 MB)