The objectives of the project included: 1) developing an innovative online course to build circular skills for young adults, to raise their awareness about circular economy principles, to encourage participants to change their behaviour in accordance with circular economy principles, and provide support and advice on how to start a local environmental movement; 2) developing a non-formal learning methodology that supports adult educators and ecological activists with innovative educational tools for building circular skills; 3) empowering vulnerable groups (senior citizens, migrants from developing countries, people living in remote rural areas) by involving them as adult educators and inspirational examples in the course; 4) using social innovation and social inclusion to advance the transition towards circular economy.
The idea of the project has emerged from many years of educational experience of the project partners and their common passion for making positive impact on environment and reversing the devastating effect of unrestricted consumerism on our planet. We addressed the needs of three target groups: 1) Adult educators need innovative educational tools to encourage transition towards circular economy. 2) Young adults (including local community leaders and ecological activists) need to gain circular skills of Using, Sharing, Reusing, Repairing, Recycling and Up-cycling products and materials. 3) People from disadvantaged social groups (senior citizens, people from remote rural areas and migrants from developing countries) need to increase their social participation; they need their voice to be heard, their historical heritage to be respected, their unique knowledge, experience and skills to be recognised. By involving them as non-formal ADULT EDUCATORS and inspirational examples in our course, we aimed to encourage social participation of these groups.