In response to the inefficient energy and mineral use of the building sector (one of the most resource-intensive sectors) and energy poverty in Europe, The Southern Lights (Greece), in collaboration with Critical Concrete (Portugal), offered a comprehensive 14-day learning experience (Critical Co-Construction) for mastery of the concepts and methods of sustainable, socially engaged architecture and bottom-up urbanism. The main objective of this residential activity was to promote the acquisition of practical skills and theoretical knowledge in the fields of sustainable and social building and participatory design. Socially engaged architecture involves new forms of organizational structures, which favor the civic engagement of non-experts, are community-driven and increase connections between people and places, nature and built fabric. These practices contribute to the goals set by the European Green Deal for the European Union and its citizens in regards to building and renovating in an energy and resource efficient way, as well as preserving and restoring ecosystems. They do so in a way that reinforces the European values of democratic participation, solidarity, equality, respect and inclusion of minorities. The training was aimed at developing the communicative, socio-linguistic, as well as the technical skills of youth workers in the fields of vernacular construction, sustainability beyond architecture, and the concrete methods and tools for implementing social building principles and participatory design within the organisations of which they are members. The guidance of skilled mentors and the exchanges of inspiring sustainable practices from around Europe, applicable in both rural and urban areas, offered them prospects, meaning in collective action, and inspired them to exercise their power to act in socially innovative projects. The training built upon a set of emerging sustainable and socially engaged building and design practices that focus on innovative or vernacular building materials, participatory, just, and inclusive building procedures. The training made sustainable and socially-responsible design/architecture more widely known and disseminated the relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes so that a growing number of people can be inspired, regain confidence in their change-making capacities and join a global community of practice that is overcoming the dead-ends highlighted by social, ecological and economic crises. For this purpose we enhanced and reinforced the competences of 32 youth workers and leaders from 7 different countries (8 partner organisations) capable to put into practice the training outcomes in the projects that they are involved in and to transmit efficiently the experience and multidisciplinary skills gained to the audiences they work with, and especially youth facing work precarity or unemployment, youth from rural areas seeking employment or at an early stage of career development. Moreover, the activity responded to the need of participating organisations to reinforce a network that can collaborate after the end of the project, raising their professional profile at a local and international level. The training contributed to the consolidation of networks of actors in the social and ecological transition in Europe and the emergence of new short, medium and long-term cooperation projects. Through socialization and educational events of the group with the inhabitants of the local territories (directly or via the dissemination activities), strengthened ties to mentors and peers in the sustainability sector, boosted confidence of participants, and renewed sense of community of like-minded actors, the training contributed to building a more credible, responsive and cohesive movement of youth workers and leaders in sustainability action in Europe and beyond.
In response to the inefficient energy and mineral use of the building sector (one of the most resource-intensive sectors) and energy poverty in Europe, The Southern Lights (Greece), in collaboration with Critical Concrete (Portugal), offered a comprehensive 14-day learning experience (Critical Co-Construction) for mastery of the concepts and methods of sustainable, socially engaged architecture and bottom-up urbanism. The main objective of this residential activity was to promote the acquisition of practical skills and theoretical knowledge in the fields of sustainable and social building and participatory design. Socially engaged architecture involves new forms of organizational structures, which favor the civic engagement of non-experts, are community-driven and increase connections between people and places, nature and built fabric. These practices contribute to the goals set by the European Green Deal for the European Union and its citizens in regards to building and renovating in an energy and resource efficient way, as well as preserving and restoring ecosystems. They do so in a way that reinforces the European values of democratic participation, solidarity, equality, respect and inclusion of minorities. The training was aimed at developing the communicative, socio-linguistic, as well as the technical skills of youth workers in the fields of vernacular construction, sustainability beyond architecture, and the concrete methods and tools for implementing social building principles and participatory design within the organisations of which they are members. The guidance of skilled mentors and the exchanges of inspiring sustainable practices from around Europe, applicable in both rural and urban areas, offered them prospects, meaning in collective action, and inspired them to exercise their power to act in socially innovative projects. The training built upon a set of emerging sustainable and socially engaged building and design practices that focus on innovative or vernacular building materials, participatory, just, and inclusive building procedures. The training made sustainable and socially-responsible design/architecture more widely known and disseminated the relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes so that a growing number of people can be inspired, regain confidence in their change-making capacities and join a global community of practice that is overcoming the dead-ends highlighted by social, ecological and economic crises. For this purpose we enhanced and reinforced the competences of 32 youth workers and leaders from 7 different countries (8 partner organisations) capable to put into practice the training outcomes in the projects that they are involved in and to transmit efficiently the experience and multidisciplinary skills gained to the audiences they work with, and especially youth facing work precarity or unemployment, youth from rural areas seeking employment or at an early stage of career development. Moreover, the activity responded to the need of participating organisations to reinforce a network that can collaborate after the end of the project, raising their professional profile at a local and international level. The training contributed to the consolidation of networks of actors in the social and ecological transition in Europe and the emergence of new short, medium and long-term cooperation projects. Through socialization and educational events of the group with the inhabitants of the local territories (directly or via the dissemination activities), strengthened ties to mentors and peers in the sustainability sector, boosted confidence of participants, and renewed sense of community of like-minded actors, the training contributed to building a more credible, responsive and cohesive movement of youth workers and leaders in sustainability action in Europe and beyond.