The GREEN SESAME project pursued several objectives that correspond to the needs of the partner countries and the priorities of Erasmus+. First, we identified cultural, personal and social factors that shape environmentally friendly behaviour and created a matrix to adapt measures in a culturally sensitive way. Secondly, we developed a school-wide approach to Positive Behaviour Support (SW-PBS) specifically tailored to sustainability-oriented behaviour. An app-based, gamified system was designed to motivate pupils on several levels. Thirdly, we designed a teacher training programme that teaches skills for applying the new concept in different cultural contexts. Finally, we piloted and evaluated the approach in all partner countries. In doing so, we examined its effects on environmentally friendly behaviour, contact with nature and the reduction of external behavioural problems. The results were used to improve and ensure the effectiveness of the concept.
Our detailed text contains over 3000 words, but in short, we applied for this project to respond to the urgent need for nature-based educational strategies that improve student well-being (Engemann et al., 2019; Maes et al., 2021; Sarkar et al., 2018; Li et al., 2021) and to fill the gap in school programmes promoting environmentally friendly behaviour (Hanisch et al., 2019). Our goal was to equip students with the values, knowledge and skills necessary for both personal resilience and responsible civic engagement in a changing world.