CONTEXT / BACKGROUND - A fast changing globalized world with challenges in economy, ecology and energy, and on top of that migration and democratic challenges. More imminently an unsustainable economy based on fossil fuel and debt. Growing unemployment, continuing urbanisation, lack of housing, looming climate change with draught, wildfires and possible food scarcity. These are common European societal problems. We live on one continent. Even though many solutions must be local, we need to cooperate as Europeans. Rivers, coast, roads, weather, climate.... and trade... binds us together. We need to focus on how we treat/use natural resources. Environmental issues affects economy, migration and democracy. We believe that, as Europe develops, there will be major challenges in the area of environment and food production. A big part of the solution must be local and also small scale, by active citizens. The project will bring east and west, as well as north and south together. In these challenging times we would like to show young people how they can become more independent. We strive not only to promote participants employability in our field of expertise, but we also hope to inspire entrepreneurs in the ”green economy”. We feel we have to take a holistic approach, empowering all aspects of their identity, not only give them some "technical skills". PARTICIPANTS We will involve primarily 20 participants from three nations/organizations. A mix of more senior experienced youth workers/trainers and some junior youth workers, all with passion and competence in practical "green skills", as well as experience of community building, project management and leadership/facilitating. All with a connection to eco-communities. We will be discussing methods and content relevant for target groups. OBJECTIVES - Strengthening our organisations and networks. Develop eco-communities / learning centers for sustainability and green skills. Moving towards the SDG goals. - Strengthen the local community / country side. - Develop methods of community building, motivation and teaching. Putting forward non-formal learning methods. - Fulfill participants expectations of feeling meaningful, feeling creative, feeling part of a group, strengthening their identity, being social, desire for personal growth, equipping them with skills needed in society (employability). ACTIVITIES During 13 months, in a series of activities we will develop our methods and core content: 1) Practical "green" skills. 2) Community building and personal development. 3) Leadership and project management. Also 4) Study visit, open space... We will have one physical planning meeting for administrators, and one evaluating/summarizing administrator meeting at the end. There will be mainly three physical meeting, of one week, in each of the participating countries. Here we will display and develop our core content and fine tune our methods. Certain things will be dealt with in online meetings, like: personal presentation and initial bonding. Theory and background information. The skills and attitudes we aim to produce is very "hands on" and practical. This is direct action on a local small scale level. We will show our target group how to solve basic human needs. METHOD We will be doing what we teach. We are working out of eco-communities - venues that will inspire and motivate. Here we will study the simple solutions to basic needs like: water, shelter, heating, sewage, food production, conservation, soil management, compost, recycling of resources. Many approaches taken from Permaculture, but also older traditions. We will also share the power of community, the effects of team building on the identity. The feeling of purpose and meaning when working in a team. Our approach is: holistic, non-formal, participatory, life long learning, design thinking, storytelling method... working on an attitude of strengthening the creative identity. IMPACT - More competence within each organisation. - Trust and efficiency between us. - Broader shared network. - Better leaders / teachers. - More members and more activities as a bi effect of this project. - Sharpened strategic and tactical thinking on admin/ project management level. Individual level: - Empowered, confident, motivated and active individuals. - Increased competence in the areas of green skills, project management, leadership, teaching, community building. This project will be summarizing our work the last decade. It is operating where we are the most passionate and the most competent. We want to formally organize our Non formal work. Summarize our strengths in series of educational activities, in order to document and disseminate. Producing new human resources. By developing competences and creating networks between young people we will empower them in entrepreneurial skills and attitude, ultimately having a positive impact on climate change and environment. Small steps. Spreading best practices.
We aimed at sharing best practices targeted at youth workers on the topics of: resilience and sustainability. With sustainability meaning; resource management. Exploring competence both within; low tech/traditional and possibly high tech solutions. Within the themes chosen we wanted to see our members/personnel/leaders to develop in competence. Deeper understanding of our role in a bigger picture. Compare to peers and ask ourselves: are we strategic? Are we developing where we want to? How can we become more efficient? What is the "state" of our target groups in the Erasmus arena.
On a societal level we felt the following need: “A fast changing globalized world with challenges in economy, ecology and energy, and on top of that migration and democratic challenges. More imminently an unsustainable economy based on fossil fuel and debt. Growing unemployment, continuing urbanisation, lack of housing, looming climate change with draught, wildfires and possible food scarcity.” This we wrote before: pandemic, before, War, before inflation, before energy crisis. We believe the civic society needs "new" types of competences. Safeguarding basic needs. And doing this on a local level. Grassroot actions. More self sustainability. The coordinator has worked with self-sustainability for 10 years and felt in need of reflection together with peers. To receive inspiration and information from peers on a deeper level. To ask the question: how do you do? What is your strategy? What have you solved that we have not. How do you keep motivation? Our main motivation was to share practices with each other.