The context of the project is a long-term eco change achieved through environmental training, blended activities among youth workers from partner organizations and young people including persons with fewer opportunities, also social inclusion, promoting quality youth work, implementation of innovative youth work practices focused on creativity, innovation and modernization, a powerful tool for non-formal and informal education. Through the activities of this project we plan to raise youth awareness of ecology and circular economy. We will achieve that with the international help and expertise, and also through exchange of good practice. Due to this, the main objective of this project is to exchange good practices about circular economy culture and creativity in environmental context, as well as raise awareness of circular economy. The objective is to enhance knowledge in youth work in the topic of circular economy – by providing materials, good practices, promoting active participation of young people with fewer opportunities in society, and strengthening cooperation and networking between organizations. The profile of participants is practitioners – staff active in education and training, youth workers, experts, specialists, professionals, young people with fewer opportunities. Youth workers and young people with fewer opportunities will be involved in blended learning activities. The activities: collection of good practices in the field of circular economy, development of the Eco Circle Handbook, providing youth worker mobility training and local training, hosting national multiplier events, and dissemination info days. Methodology to be used: project management and coordination – creating management team that will coordinate and manage the activities, monitor project progress, proper budget control and time management. Three transnational project meetings for preparation of the project activities, also dissemination planning and creation of dissemination plan that includes creation and monitoring of the project Facebook page, monthly newsletter and a list of receivers. As part of the dissemination, info days will be organized with the local community members, interested learners, relevant key stakeholders and beneficiaries. Mobility of youth workers that will last for 3 days and 2 participants per partner will participate in it. Local youth workers training that will involve 20 participants per partner. Translation of the Eco Circle Handbook developed within the project. Multiplier event in the coordinator country. The project results: multilateral agreement, Sustainability plan, Quality assurance plan and Evaluation reports, on-line and face-to-face meetings, Newsletters and press releases, feed-back questionnaires, youth workers’ training, project Facebook page, videos, photos. All of this will be used by young people interested in environmental protection for better chances of the planet through practicing circular economy. The envisaged impact: we expect that youth workers with specific skills will acquire more skills to enable them to cope with the everyday working challenges, to be more motivated to participate in EU projects, to be more fluent users of European languages; equal learning opportunities will be provided for young disadvantaged people, by combining more specific skills to become self-motivated for continuously improving and extending the gained skills; an environmental mind-set will be developed and it will be interesting for people to start eco activities. The potential long-term benefits – low-skilled youth, facing economic obstacles and cultural differences, will find attractive way both to learn about circular economy and practice it. The positive impact at local and national level will be noticed in sectors such as energy resources. The added value is critical thinking, decreasing the consumption of plastic, digital skills, raised awareness of eco protection of Europe. We expect multiplication of the project results, their implementation into their daily practice and creation of strong network in environmental protection by actively involving youth.
The project presents circular economy as an environmentally friendly future solution from various aspects. The final result of the project – Eco Circle Handbook – offers information regarding circular economy from various perspectives and introduces the reader with circular economy, explains what it is and how it is implemented in real life in various countries. The context of the project is a long-term environmental change achieved through sustainable actions by implementing innovative youth work practices focused on creativity, innovation and modernization. Through the exchange of good practices in the field of circular economy, the aim of the project was to empower youth workers by explaining what the circular economy is and why it is necessary. By empowering youth workers with skills and knowledge in the field of circular economy, the project helped to inform youth about circular economy and recycling, to improve youth skills and competences in green thinking and to raise social responsibility. Eco Circle objectives were to enhance knowledge in youth work in the field of circular economy – to provide materials, good practices; to promote active participation of young people with fewer opportunities in society; to strengthen cooperation and networking between organizations. The profile of participants was practitioners – staff active in education and training, youth workers, experts, specialists, professionals, young people with fewer opportunities. Youth workers and young people with fewer opportunities were involved in blended learning activities. The main result of the project was the development of the Eco Circle Handbook in English, Latvian, Bulgarian, Italian, and Romanian languages. In addition, Eco Circle Facebook page was created to share up to date information about environmental topics and innovations. The potential long-term benefits – positive impact at the local and national level was and will be noticed by creating an environmentally friendly society. The added value is critical thinking, decreasing the consumption of plastic, raised awareness of environmental protection in Europe. We expect that green daily practice and creation of strong network will be possible in environmental protection by actively involving youth.