There were six main objectives implemented within the project. First to elevate youth work and education quality showcasing and exploration of good quality practices of outdoor adventure education (OAE) methodology and their impact. Second was to promote OAE transformative force for education and youth work as it is seen as an holistic methodology and to spread it on local, European, and international levels. The third objective was to empower and train professionals through study visits, training, joint sessions and resource exchange. Another one was to create educational opportunities for young people. Fifth objective was to create and use intellectual outputs for sustainable impacts. The concrete resources which we brought together should have a sustainable impact on partner organizations and their broader professional networks. Last objective was the “cross-sectoral collaboration”, because the Natural Curriculum strived for a collaboration among formal and non formal education and different youth sectors for building a new collaboration.
The idea of the Natural Curriculum and its partner organizations was to advocate for the development of new, holistic, and inclusive approaches in education and youth work. As youth workers, trainers, and VET teachers engaged in diverse fields such as civic education, vocational training, and human rights education, the project team was dedicated to refining their methods. Specifically, it was about exploring and promoting the broader use of Outdoor Adventure Education (OAE), supported by research highlighting its positive impact on learner engagement, sensory development, and overall educational quality. Particularly relevant in the context of heightened stress and digital saturation among youth due to the Corona pandemic, OAE offers strategies for stress reduction, motivation enhancement, and promoting values like sustainability and respectful interaction with nature. This project addresses the needs of various stakeholders involved in education and youth work, focusing on enhancing staff competencies, sharing best practices, expanding organizational capacities, and improving the educational experiences and skills development of young people.