Sandwatch Workshops 

Many national and regional workshops have been held since the project started in 2001.  The goal of these workshops was to provide training in Sandwatch methods, the Sandwatch International Database and a related Climate Change course developed in 2013. Many of the events also provided opportunities for sharing Sandwatch activities and related experiences. The major national, regional and inter-regional workshops are highlighted below. 
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Andy Paul, Sandwatch trainer, took the participants virtually to the beach and gave insights into the training.
​UNESCO: Sandwatch workshop held to promote resilient coastal ecosystems in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
29 January, 2022: To foster resilient coastal ecosystems, the National Commissions for UNESCO of St. Maarten, Curaçao and St. Lucia organised a Sandwatch Capacity Building workshop for UNESCO National Coordinators and ASP School Network Coordinators in the Caribbean SIDS from 17 to 19 January 2022. This three-day regional workshop targeted interested participants from government, academia, and ASP network coordinators to learn more about the Sandwatch programme and discuss how it can be revitalised in the Caribbean islands.
Andy Paul (left), Sandwatch trainer, took the participants virtually to the beach and gave insights into the training. He introduced the Sandwatch method Monitoring, Analysing, Sharing, Taking Action (M.A.S.T.) and prepared practical examples for observing and analysing the coastal environment, e.g. sand structure, beach vegetation, waves and currents.
  -Details here
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October 17-19th, 2016: For three days The Sandwatch Foundation with the generous support of the Guyana Ministry of Education and UNESCO were pleased to hold a training workshop for more than 30 primary and high school teachers from around the country in the capital, Georgetown.
Full details and amazing photos of this workshop and a trip to the world famous Kaieteur Water Falls can be found HERE
PicturePractising Sandwatch methods in Kiribati
December 2015: A Sandwatch training workshop was held in Kiribati to train teachers and educators new to Sandwatch.  This was supported by the Environmentally Sustainable Aggregates of Tarawa project. 
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PictureParticipants at the 2nd Database Training in the Dominican Republic
November 2015: Sandwatch participants reviewed their data entry and planned future activities at the 2nd Database Training Workshop in the Dominican Republic.

 
PictureParticipants viewing their data on the Sandwatch Database
May 2015: Educators and teachers from the Dominican Republic attended a training course on the Sandwatch International Database
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PictureParticipants at the New Caledonia Climate Change Education course
October 2014: Fourth and final course on Climate Change Education inside and outside the Classroom was held in Poindimié, New Caledonia for participants from the Pacific

PictureInterviewing beach users as part of the Climate Change Education course
May 2014: Training course on Climate Change Education inside and outside the Classroom was held in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic for participants from the Caribbean. The course was followed by a one-day training session on the Sandwatch International Database
PictureGroup at Climate Change Education workshop in Praia, Cape Verde Islands
November 2013: Training course on Climate Change Education inside and outside the Classroom was held in Praia, Cape Verde islands for participants from the West African countries
PictureHearing about past beach changes from a local expert
October 2013: Training course on Climate Change Education inside and outside the Classroom was trialed at Grahamstown, South Africa for teachers and educators from countries south of the Sahara. The course uses some of the Sandwatch methods to demonstrate past environmental changes and understand likely future environmental changes resulting from climate change
PictureGroup attending the Sandwatch Database training in Bequia
September 2013: A training workshop on the Sandwatch International Database was held in Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines for teachers and students
PictureParticipants at the Tuvalu workshop in Funafuti
August 2012: Teachers and educators gathered in Funafuti, Tuvalu, for a Sandwatch training workshop
PicturePractising Sandwatch in The Gambia
April 2011: Teachers and educators from The Gambia attended a Sandwatch training workshop in The Gambia
PictureParticipants at the Seychelles workshop
October 2010: Sandwatchers from the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans met in Mahe, Seychelles to share their findings and discuss ways forward
PictureBanner for the Kiribati workshop
September 2010: Teachers and educators from Kiribati  met to practise Sandwatch methods as part of the “Environmentally Sustainable Aggregates for Tarawa” (ESAT) project
PictureMeasuring beach width in Samoa
August 2010: Teachers and educators from Samoa attended a Sandwatch training workshop in Apia
PictureSandwatchers at Grand Anse Beach, Grenada
April 2010: Participants from primary and secondary schools in Grenada  attended a Sandwatch training workshop in St. Georges, Grenada
PictureParticipants at the Cape Verde workshop
August 2009: Teachers and educators from Cape Verde Islands and four other West African countries met in Praia to learn about Sandwatch methods
PictureBahamas 2009 Sandwatch workshop participants
Over the week of June 21st to the 25th, 2009, representatives from The Sandwatch Foundation, UNESCO, The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and The Turks & Caicos Islands met on Abaco, in The Bahamas for a workshop on Studying Climate Change and how it ties in with the goals of UNESCO's Education for Sustainable Development Programme. Principal funding for the event was generously provided by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
The second version of a revised Sandwatch Manual was tested and modified at a workshop in the Bahamas attended by representatives from several schools in the Bahamas as well as 4 other countries
- Please click here for full details and amazing photos!
PictureLogo for Youth and Climate Change Workshop
November 2008: Students and teachers from nine Caribbean countries participated in the Youth and Climate Change Workshop, Barbados, and learnt about using different media tools to create awareness about climate change. Following the workshop they continued their mission to get the word out and reached about 30,000 people
PictureTeachers measuring sand characteristics at the workshop in Puerto Rico
August 2008: Puerto Rico held its first Sandwatch Training Workshop with 25 teachers and 15 members of the Puerto Rico Parques Nacionales to learn about Sandwatch in Boqueron, Puerto Rico
PictureParticipants at the Trinidad and Tobago Sandwatch Fair
December 2006: The Trinidad and Tobago National Commission for UNESCO hosted teachers and students from 16 Caribbean countries to share their Sandwatch activities at a Sandwatch Fair held in Trinidad
PictureMaking a wave measurement pole in Jamaica
November 2005: Teachers from around Jamaica came together at Port Royal, Jamaica, to learn about Sandwatch and how it relates to Education for Sustainable Development
July 2003: In the Second Regional Sandwatch Workshop, held in Dominica, 18 countries, including 15 from the Caribbean, as well as Cook Islands, Palau and Seychelles, participated to share their findings over the past two years on implementing Sandwatch in their countries
May 2001: In the Sandwatch First Regional Workshop, in St. Lucia,18 Caribbean countries participated and learnt about and practised the various Sandwatch methods and made commitments to continue Sandwatch with their schools. See a summary of the workshop