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YOUTHS FOR GREEN

2024-2-IE01-KA152-YOU-0002581092024Mobility of young peoplefinalized
Countries: IE|GE · Grant: €36,766
Green skillsInclusion of marginalised young peopleEuropean identity and values

Objectives

This was an initiative of young people, including those of fewer opportunities (FO), who wanted to carry out this project in accordance with the EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027 to connect, engage and empower. Youths for Green's primary goal was to bring together 32 young people from Ireland and Georgia in order to raise awareness about climate change and share ideas about everyday practical skills necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the European Green Deal in Tbilisi, Georgia. It also aimed to foster connections between youths and nature through ecological outdoor activities. Moreover, there were workshops to non-formally teach how to repurpose waste materials into new goods to avoid wasting potentially valuable materials, cut down on the amount of fresh raw materials needed, save energy, and lessen pollution of the air and water. This project also wanted to bring more young people, including those with fewer opportunities (those with financial difficulties, refugees with travel documents, & those living in isolated disadvantaged rural areas, among others), into the Erasmus+ field to become youth ambassadors to combat climate change through everyday simple practices. To ensure the results of this project were effective, we used Dr. Momodou Sallah's Plings theory (political, cultural, environmental, technological, and economic in youthwork) and Kolb Theory 1980 of pragmatic learning style to sustain learning. Our objectives were: ●To provide participants with good environmentally friendly practices, eco-living skills, information, and attitudes needed to include young people in environmental issues-related activities, enabling them to take on responsibility for their country and become youth green ambassadors. ●To promote nature-based outdoor activities that connect youth with nature. ●To bring more young people, including those with fewer opportunities (those with financial difficulties, refugees with travel documents, & those living in isolated and disadvantaged rural areas ), into the Erasmus+ field to combat climate change ●To improve collaboration between young Europeans to tackle climate change. Due to high cost of accommodation and the scarcity of venues in Ireland. Young people voted at 92% that they preferred to host this project in Tbilisi, Georgia. 72% of Irish teams never travelled abroad, and Irish weather can be unpredictable. It is widely known that young people, especially those of FO, are not involved in decisions that directly affect their lives. Former USA president Barak Obama once said, "No challenge poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change.". This project was for youths, including those FO's contribution to a greener Europe, as some are EU Youth Ambassadors for an Inclusive Green Transition's duty, which aligned with two Erasmus+ priorities: Environment and Fight Against Climate Change and Inclusion and Diversity. In June 2023, 23 young people, including those with FO members of LCP's Youth Club, hosted a successful Youthled Conference in Portlaoise, Co. Laois, funded by the European Union under the EUTeens4Green: "Midland Youth Conference on Green Deal and Climate Justice" (www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6IA_QfqUMo). Later, a youth worker and young person were invited by the European Commission on 19 April 2024 at the European Union Head Quarter in Brussels, Belgium, to receive the " Youth Ambassador for an Inclusive Green Transition" Certificate (see annex for details). At this prestigious event, Dubravka Šuica, the Vice-President of the European Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, said, "EU youth need to continue to raise awareness about climate change and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 13 and share ideas about everyday practical skills necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their local communities." According to Greta Thunberg, "you are never too small to make a difference." Therefore, through this Youth Exchange, which used fun-based youth-led non-formal education, youths became more conscious of environmental challenges and shared their knowledge and experiences concerning actions that may be taken locally, nationally, and internationally to address the issue. They gained more knowledge, expertise, and social responsibility in the area of waste management. Through the project, the participants gained knowledge about the variety of waste types, how to reduce, recycle, and reuse them, as well as regulations in other nations and how those nations combat pollution, food waste and global warming. Youths discussed suggestions for how they, as a global community on Earth, could preserve and clean up the environment. By putting the initiative into action, young people, including those of FO, not only impact the broader public but were able to help them overcome their disinterest in this global problem that needs everyone. Richard Branson once said, "There is no planet B; we have to take care of the one we have."

Project partners (2)