The idea for this project derives from the growing concern about the use of our resources. At a time when Greta Thunberg is taking to the streets for a better way of dealing with our world and is even allowed to speak at the climate conference, it is important for each individual to ask himself what he can do for the climate and his environment. The project involves a student project based on the EU goals of sustainable development and environmental protection. It involves groups represented by students from each country that will work on ways to personally contribute to a more sustainability and need to look at climate change. The project is about making the students more aware of waste, the use of energy and vehicles and so on without the raised index finger. Instead, we want to create an awareness of what we can do easily to be more environmentally friendly in everyday life. That is why the students are supposed to reflect on their daily routines and are now trying to find solutions how to have a more eco-friendly lifestyle. The result will be a blog where all the student groups write articles together sharing their experiences of trying to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. The long term goals of the project is to make our students proud of the chosen career path, and at the same time help the students to be aware of how they and the youth in general can chose a sustainable lifestyle. Through awareness raising on the one hand and practical experience on the other hand, our students are introduced to the topic of environmental protection and the use of resources in everyday private life in a creative, innovative and investigative way. In addition, they also deal with the extent to which the local industry is introducing and implementing environmentally friendly measures in its operations. This strategic partnership involves six vocational schools in Spain, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Norway and Germany. Most of our students are between 16 and 19 years old and are preparing for a degree in commerce and service. Since every school has an economic focus, we consider the involvement of industry and commerce to be essential. Our students will connect across borders with the goal of teaching students about the possibilities of working and connecting with people from other countries. From each school and country, two teachers and 5 to 6 students participate in the project with its different mobilities. All in all, there will be 12 teachers and 30 to 36 active students working together in each project week. More pupils and teachers than regarded for the mobilities will be involved in every country. All of them take an active part in our project because they are the ones to try out and spread our ideas to a larger amount of people through personal interaction and social media. The planned activities in each country are divided into pre- while- and post visiting activities. The students will work continuously on their project: That means that they prepare, gather, reflect and measure their findings throughout the project. Also, the aspect of dissemination is taken into consideration because it helps us to multiply the outcomes of our project. Our overarching narrow objective is to create an interest and awareness for each individual that you can support the environment easily and that it just needs some active involvement. This does not mean that everything our students work on will be successful or will work out. It is rather important to experience how each of us can participate when it comes to dealing environmentally-friendly. Since every activity will be evaluated and uploaded, there is space for open discussion and further ideas to deepen our project. All of our direct and indirect participants will notice that change is possible and that it just needs a start somewhere. We are convinced that this project appeals to many people from different social classes and ethnic backgrounds, so this also means that everybody can participate. As far as our overarching broad objective is considered we can say that we want to contribute to the objectives of the European Union. Of course, our project makes no claim to completeness. But it is our aim to enable every citizen to make a contribution to sustainability. Therefore, we regard our the priorities of socio-educational and personal development as well as participation in civic and social life as essential as our projects includes interactive activities which can only be achieved by working together. This also reflects that the goal to life more ecologically friendly can also only be achieved by cooperation and the participation of many. As a conclusion we want to say that we hope to influence not only our students, but also their friends, and that it will have an impact for the future generation because one thing is clear, we only have this planet and future generations should also be able to live safely on the planet.
The WeGoGreen project is a student project based on the EU goals of sustainable development and environmental protection. Six vocational schools from Spain, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Norway and Germany were involved in this strategic partnership. Most of the students were between 16 and 19 years old and were preparing for a degree in business, trade and services. We wanted to raise awareness of what we can easily do in our everyday lives to live more environmentally friendly. Therefore, the students thought about their everyday life and tried to find solutions for a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. They also looked at the extent to which local businesses are introducing and implementing environmentally friendly measures in their companies. A total of six mobilities and one preparatory meeting took place. Five pupils and two teachers from each school and each country took part in one mobility. In total, at least 12 teachers and 30 to 36 active pupils worked together on each project week/mobility. The interest of the host school was so great that many more pupils and teachers took part in the mobility. This is also shown by the participant lists, which often showed about 60 participants. The mobility to Valencia, Spain, focused on the sustainable use of water (e.g. by creating signs to reduce water consumption). A great success for the mobility was the first face-to-face networking of all students and teachers after the Corona pandemic. Before, only virtual meetings via video-conferencing were possible. Croatia used innovative and modern teaching methods to provide students with knowledge about ways to reduce waste. Waste artworks created by students decorated the school's entrance area and promoted the WeGoGreen project at the same time. The Norwegian school has taken measures to use less water and energy, produce less food waste and offer more environmentally friendly food in the school canteen. The mobility to the Czech Republic focused on the protection of local as well as European flora and fauna. The knowledge gained from the exchange was incorporated into the design of a school garden. For example, raised beds with strawberries were built and planted in the school garden of the Berufskolleg am Goldberg. In Slovenia, the most important outcomes of our project were the participation of the students in various activities related to environmental issues (making videos, cleaning the school grounds, workshops on global warming, recycling bins, new bike racks in front of the school and bee hotels). During the last mobility in Gelsenkirchen, besides visiting the school, the Veltins Arena and the Zoom Erlebniswelt, another highlight of the Erasmus+ week was the day internships. Thanks to the dual partners of the Berufskolleg am Goldberg, the 25 Erasmus+ students were able to complete day internships in 11 companies to find out what measures local companies are implementing or planning for sustainability. Through the exchange, new ideas and approaches were developed on how sustainability can be implemented in everyday work. The planned mobilities in each country were meticulously prepared and followed up. For example, questionnaires and presentations were prepared and surveys were analysed. The aspect of disseminating our results was also important to us. In addition to e-twinning and local newspapers and the school homepage, we created our own Facebook page (259 followers) and Instagram page (197 followers). It was important to us that our family and friends also participate in our ideas and that it will have an impact on the future generation. Because one thing is clear: we only have this planet and future generations should also be able to live safely on this planet. The Erasmus+ project "WeGoGreen" was a great success and helped to strengthen the cooperation between European partner schools and companies. In the future, we plan to offer our students more opportunities to gain experience in other European countries. Furthermore, we partner schools have decided to continue working together, as there is still so much to be done on the topic of sustainability here in Europe. It has been shown that this project appeals to many people from different social classes and ethical backgrounds, which also means that everyone can participate. Finally, we would like to say that the word "WeGoGreen" has become a brand at our partner schools and it has only been a starting signal.