Orenda Learning

💡 Did you see our recent feature on what happens when learning moves from theory to practice?

We shared the incredible story of a cohort of Grade 9 students at the AUPP Liger Leadership Academy in Cambodia who used our Be The Change framework to tackle a critical real-world problem.

When a vital local youth hub, Spean Chivit (Life Bridge), was at risk of closing due to lost funding, these students didn't just organise a quick, one-off bake sale. Instead, they took a systems-thinking approach:

🚌 Organised a 6-hour bus trip to Siem Reap to meet the community.
🏨 Pitched a bold, corporate partnership idea directly to 5-star hotel managers.
🏛️ Visited the Ministry of Interior to research official NGO registration pathways.

This project beautifully shows the power of true reciprocity...where students build future-ready skills, local businesses gain value, and a grassroots organisation gets support to secure it's future.

👉 Catch up on the full case study here:

Architects of Change: The Bold Pivot to Support a Cambodian Youth Hub - Orenda Learning Explore how Inspiring Community Action shapes students through GEMS Wellington Qatar's partnership with Orenda Learning.

Are you on LinkedIn? If you are check out our latest edition of the Pathways to Purpose newsletter, where we dive into collaborative spirit and share some major milestones:

🌟 The Next Chapter: We are officially moving ahead with Be The Change (BTC) Middle School (Ages 11–14) for the 2026/27 academic year! Built on proven pedagogy and inclusive UDL design, this digital-first curriculum brings turnkey, project-based community engagement into the middle years.

🌏 In the Press: Check out our feature article in the Spring edition of the EARCOS Triannual Journal.

🪵 Deep Dive: Little Planet's latest thought piece exploring 'The Power of Place' and why long-term community partnerships are vital.

💡 Changemaker Tip: A 20-minute Impact Reflection to help your students turn their end of year wrap-up into a celebration of agency.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/network-support-orenda-learning-ztirc

We were thrilled to be able to contribute to this TES article on Community Engagement: "The Path of Principled Action" by Meredith Robinson, Kathryn Berkman and Megan Vosk.

""Principled" is one of the terms in the IB Learner Profile. Being principled means “acting with integrity and honesty, a strong sense of fairness and justice, and taking responsibility for one's actions and their consequences” (owis.org)." (The Path of Principled Action, 2026).

This article is packed with inspiration, including insights from our founder, Alice Whitehead, on what principled action looks like in practice.

Check it out to learn more! 🌟

https://www.tieonline.com/article/8016/the-path-of-principled-action?nid=104

The Path of Principled Action | The International Educator (TIE Online) When students apply their learning through a principled lens, they stop seeing the community as a project and start seeing it as a partner they are working with

Is Earth Day a moment or a movement?

At Orenda Learning, we love the energy of hashtag . It’s a powerful global reminder to unite for our planet. But for our young changemakers, the real magic happens in the ‘Earthlife’ that follows.

What’s the difference?

Earth Day is the spark. It’s the day we advocate, educate, and mobilise. It’s the day we get inspired and take action that is symbolic of something bigger.

Earthlife is the fire. Inspired by the Iroquois word Orenda, the vital spirit in all things, it’s the intrinsic motivation that gets us up every morning to lead change. It’s not a one-off event; it’s a lifelong commitment to active citizenship.

Our Be The Change program equips youth (ages 14–18) to turn Earth Day inspiration into an "Earthlife" reality. We don't just teach sustainability; we empower students to design and launch projects that create tangible impact in their communities 365 days a year.

This Earth Day, don’t just take an action. Start a lifestyle.

🌱 Schools & Educators: How are you helping your students move from a day of awareness to a lifetime of agency?

Let’s build a future where every day is Earth Day.

Learn more about Be The Change here: www.orendalearning.com

You don't need a cape to save the planet. You just need a toolkit.

Sometimes "Climate Change" feels too big. But Local Impact is exactly where you have the most power.

The Stats: Did you know that youth-led local water conservation projects in 2025 saved millions of liters? Small moves = Massive waves. 🌊

The Action: This week, identify one "leak" in your community’s sustainability. Is it food waste in the cafeteria? Unnecessary plastic in the local shop?

The BTC link: This is your Investigation phase. Get the data before you take the action.

It’s Earth Month. Time to stop 'recycling' and start 'redesigning'.

Recycling is great, but it’s a band-aid. The real challenge?

Designing a world where "waste" doesn’t exist in the first place. This is called the Circular Economy. 🔄

The Challenge: Look at one item you use every day (like your phone or your sneakers). If you couldn't throw it away, what would happen to it?

Use Systems Thinking to map out where your stuff comes from - and where it should go.

Tag a brand that needs to go circular👇

Happiness isn’t just a vibe - it’s a choice we make together. 💛✨
Today is World Happiness Day, but at Orenda, we’re looking beyond the surface level. Did you know that the theme for 2026 is "Caring and Sharing"? It’s a powerful reminder that our personal well-being is deeply connected to how we show up for others.

3 ways to celebrate "Caring and Sharing" today:
🤝 Connect: Reach out to someone you haven't spoken to in a while. A simple "thinking of you" text can shift a whole day.
🙌 Contribute: Find one small act of kindness for a local cause or a Global Goal that matters to you.
✨ Celebrate: Share a win or a positive story from your community to spread the ripple effect.

Happiness is a living practice, and today we’re practicing it together. 🌍💫

Sharing

Why your 'Inner World' is the secret to changing the Outer World 🌍✨

Ever feel like the weight of the world’s problems is a bit much? It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the big stuff, but here’s a secret we’ve learned: Happiness isn’t just a feeling; it’s an action.

When we step out of our bubbles and dive into community action, something amazing happens to our brains. Science shows that 'giving' actually lights up our reward centres, making us feel more connected and resilient.

At Orenda Learning, we believe that hope grows when learning leads to action. Whether it’s a small act of kindness or a major service project, working alongside others for a shared cause, like the Global Goals, turns 'good intentions' into a powerful sense of agency.

Your Challenge for the Week:
Find one small way to show up for your community. It could be:
✨ Checking in on a friend.
🌿 Joining a local clean-up.
🤝 Supporting a non profit organsiation with a project.

Remember: You aren't just 'helping' - you’re building the empathetic, heart-centred world we all want to live in.

Redesigning for Resilience: How do we ensure that school-community engagements don't just "do no harm," but actually restore local ecosystems and strengthen community self-reliance?

Join us for a free interactive panel discussion - Slowing Down: The Power of Place, Depth, and Longevity in Community Partnerships.

Using Juara Turtle Project (Tioman Island, Malaysia) as a case study, our panel of experts, educators, and community leaders will:

🤝 Shift the Lens: Explore moving from transactional service to regenerative change, cultivating partnerships that leave social and ecological systems stronger and more resilient.
🌏 The Longevity Advantage: Examine how multi-year commitments amplify student learning and foster true community self-reliance.
🌳 Rooted in Place: Discuss why depth and local context are critical to avoiding the pitfalls of superficial engagement.
🛠️ Tools for Transformation: Share practical ideas and real-world examples to support you to build sustainable, reciprocal learning programs in your own context.

Register here: https://go.orendalearning.com/register-webinar-march26

Join us as we explore how to slow down and build the deep roots necessary for a sustainable future 🐢