There is ample evidence that young people all over the world are facing up to the climate change challenge. Global demonstrations in September 2019 were largely organised and led by young people demanding action. However, protest alone is not sufficient to address the climate change challenge. Action is needed on an individual and collective level to change peoples habits; to adopt more environmentally friendly patterns of production and consumption; and to find solutions to the climate change challenge we all now face. Education has a critical role to play if the protests of young people are to be leveraged into action and youth work in its many formal, informal and non-formal interventions is the perfect starting point to set the challenge to today's young people to think of solutions to reduce the many pollutions that contribute to the pace of climate change. Aims: 1. To promote quality and innovation in youth work by building the skills of youth professionals to support them to address climate change issues in their formal, non-formal and informal learning/engagement activities 2. To empower young people by building their critical thinking skills especially where climate change issues are concerned 3. To promote entrepreneurship/social entrepreneurship by presenting the climate change challenges that face our society as business opportunities Objectives: 1. To introduce challenge-based learning in youth work by modifying and transferring existing learning resources about WebQuest development to a youth work setting in a climate change context 2. To develop a collection of challenge-based WebQuest learning resources that address a number of critical topics that address the climate change challenge 3. To develop a bespoke entrepreneurship/social entrepreneurship curriculum specifically addressed to young people that supports them to find sustainable online/offline business solutions in a climate change context Target Groups: 1. Front-line youth workers working in formal, non-formal and informal settings 2. Young people who are interested in accepting the climate change challenge and trying to instigate change 3. Young people who are interested in the business opportunities that the climate change challenge presents
Through developing and implementing this project, our core objectives were to: (1) introduce challenge-based learning in youth work by modifying and transferring existing learning resources about WebQuest development to a youth work setting in a climate change context. This was achieved through the 21-hours of learning content in the IO1 in-service training programme, that was developed to support youth workers to apply, develop and evaluate WebQuest and challenge-based learning activities in their youth work practice. (2) develop a collection of challenge based WebQuest learning resources that address a number of critical topics that address the climate change challenge. This was achieved through the development of the IO2 WebQuests which are now available online through our project website: http://solutionnotpollutionproject.eu/EN/webquests.html (3) develop a bespoke entrepreneurship/social entrepreneurship curriculum specifically addressed to young people that supports them to find sustainable online/offline business solutions in a climate change context. This objective was achieved through the bespoke Online/Social Entrepreneurship curriculum (IO3) for young people.
Solution Not Pollution partners applied for this project funding, with an aim to: (1) promote quality and innovation in youth work by building the skills of youth professionals to support them to address climate change issues in their formal, non-formal and informal learning/engagement activities. This need was identified through our work with youth stakeholders and has been addressed through the development and piloting of the IO1 – In-service Training curriculum. (2) empower young people by building their critical thinking skills especially where climate change issues are concerned. This was achieved through the bespoke climate change WebQuest challenges that were developed and piloted with young people through the multiplier events in each country and through the C2 blended mobility of young people in Dresden. (3) promote entrepreneurship/social entrepreneurship by presenting the climate change challenges that face our society as business opportunities. This has been achieved through engaging young people in testing the IO2 WebQuests so that they can develop their climate change solutions, and then supporting them to develop these solutions as business ideas through the IO3 Online and Social Entrepreneurship curriculum.