The objectives of the WE project were based on a preliminary survey among AE trainers and NEET and aligned with EU priorities regarding AE, Environmental Awareness, SDGs, and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). SO1: Identify adult learning needs and opportunities for Environmental Awareness and ESD in partner countries. SO2: Develop an innovative, inclusive, and flexible pedagogical approach to promote skills in Environmental Awareness, Sustainable Development, and SDGs for AE trainers and Adult NEETs. SO3: Create an innovative online knowledge HUB that serves as a learning space for improving knowledge and developing transversal skills in Environmental Awareness and Sustainable Development for AE trainers and Adult NEETs. SO4: Equip Adult NEETs with soft green skills and information on making sustainable choices through an innovative, inclusive, educational gamified app. These objectives focus on socially and economically vulnerable adults (e.g., unemployed, low-skilled). Using an inclusive curriculum and online learning hub, the WE project aimed to create a flexible learning environment while promoting behavioural change, environmental awareness, and community engagement against climate change.
It was 2022, and the urgency of the climate crisis was more evident than ever, with humanity consuming resources 1.75 times faster than the planet’s ecosystems can regenerate, leading to irreversible global environmental changes. Recognising the need to transition to an environmentally sustainable, circular, and climate-neutral economy and society, 7 partners from 6 EU countries (Latvia, Greece, Cyprus, Denmark, Italy, and Spain) came together to address the primary challenges identified: lack of environmental awareness materials in Adult Education and the limited knowledge of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among adults, especially those with lower skills. The partnership initiated the WE proposal, driven by the internal needs of partners- Adult Education centres from Latvia and Denmark to enhance their teaching capacity on Environmental Awareness, SDGs, and Education for Sustainable Development. A preliminary survey among the partners confirmed this need is widespread across Adult Education Centres in the EU. Following a comprehensive three-level needs analysis, the partnership meticulously designed the WE project, advancing the Adult Education field at the EU level.