Project Name: Environmental education through non formal learning
Activity: Through non-formal learning and youth activism supported by NGOs, young people can raise public awareness but also promote green habits for a better quality of life and a healthier environment.
Project Dates: 25.05.2022 - 03.06.2022 Faro, Portugal (including travelling dates)
You can stay up to 1 day before and after the project dates. Your transportation costs will be reimbursed. However, you will have to cover your own the other expenses for the extra day!
Accommodation: HI Faro – Pousada de Juventude: Address: Rua da PSP, EdifÃcio do IPDJ, 8000-408 Faro, Portugal Phone: +351 289 878 090 More information for the place at the link: http://hi-hostel-faro-pousada-de-juventude.faro.hotelsalgarve.org/en/. WI-FI is available in the whole building.
Food: The organizer provides accommodation and food for the entire training course: 3 meals + 2 coffee breaks between sessions per day.
5 participants (ages from 18 to 30) and one leader (no age limit) from our organization will take place to the program. Travelling food and accommodation all are paid from the program (For an application you must be member of our organization, if you want to apply for membership you can go for the application to the link: https://www.acpelia.org/be-a-member).
Implementation of the project
YE Environmental education through non-formal learning Faro – Ioanna Diakourti
In Faro we cooperated with different people from other countries and altered cultures in order to make our earth a better home for everyone. By using alternative approaches, other than formal education, we learnt how to protect our environment and how to inspire other people to be aware of the dangers that can emerge if we don’t defend the Earth.
The morning energizer games, which were organized by a group from different country each day, helped us create a teamworking spirit and get to know each other better. Moreover, the intercultural nights and the games we played at nights, informed us about the culture of each country, people, food, drinks, sites and things that characterizes each one.
Day 1
The first day was focused on getting to know each other through ice breaking games and team building activities for creating team spirit. Each participant wrote about their expectations and fears and then we had some time to discuss them. That helps us break the ice and understand that we all have the same fears, and we do not have to feel outnumbered. Through a game called mission impossible, we learn about the habits of other cultures. Furthermore, while talking about ourselves, we were able to understand who we really are, what we like the most, what makes us proud of ourselves and what we want to change in for self-improvement. We learnt that cooperating with others and listening to new ideas and ways of thinking, helps us open our horizons and get out of the box.
Day 2
The morning energizer was organized by the team.
We started with an introduction to the NGO market and presentation of the partners. We learn about opportunities that young people have, to experience through participation in NGOs teams all over the world. We discussed also about ACPELIA and all opportunities it can offer to Cypriot volunteers. After that, we had a debate and presented environmental issues. We exchange ideas between each country’s methods about recycling and reusing through questions: what problems does the environment face, how we can improve our green habits, etc. More specifically, we watched an informative speech of the organizers & videos about climate change causes and how humans affect the environment. We discuss who is more responsible for the pollution of the Earth. We conclude that there is an interaction between government and individuals and the first affect the other, so both have to take actions for a clean environment. We also learn about species extinction/biodiversity loss and desertification.
After that, we moved to the solutions: farms that plant trees and composting (worms that eat our food planting and bees), saving water, plant trees to provide more oxygen to our planet, use public transportation or bikes, use renewable energy resources in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and using nontoxic chemicals in our bodies, home and office. Buying less and saving more while avoiding overconsumption will help to avoid overproduction. In addition, refund when recycling can be a good motivation for the people to start recycling.
And last but not least, the appearance of all the ways of make the three Rs possible is not enough. We have to spread and advertise the three Rs so that people will consider the ways that they can offer to the environmental protection. That involves better education to help others understand the importance and the value of our natural resources.
The intercultural night was held by Romania and Portugal.
Day 3
The morning activities were organized by the team.
This day’s ecological action was to clean a beach in Faro . We volunteered to have a more clean and beautiful earth and protect species from digest plastic or die by trapping in it. We also learned that through advertisement we will increase team working and volunteering spirit to others and especially to local people to take care of the beach.
Finally, we held a workshop to learn about the World Cafe method and we presented our outputs in the end.
Day 5
This day’s eco-action was to visit a beach and volunteer in protecting local species from dying by other non-local species that extend dramatically fast. Specifically, we removed Hottenton-Fig, an invasive plant that harms the local plants because it is proliferating very fast, affecting the habitant of them. We also learn how to influence other people, especially the locals to help with any way to keep the local species protected and the beach clean.
In evening hours, we had a cultural visit in Faro . We learn about the history of Faro and generally of Portugal. We saw some characteristics of Faro like the walls, architectural design, and pictures of how it was back to the time.
Day 6
The morning energizer was organized by the team.
We learnt more about online campaigns and activities for rising environmental awareness. Nowadays, raising social media campaign, like an Instagram page, can be a more immediate way to influence and inspire other people to volunteer and to learn about the protection of the environment. We learnt how to design a campaign of a crucial theme to promote an idea but the most important was that we learn alternative ways. Our theme was about coral reefs bleaching because of the climate change and the increased temperature in our planet and because of the consumption of sun cream with chemicals that negatively affect the corals, expelling the algae living in their tissues causing coral to turn completely white. Bleaching of corals can destroy our planet because they are crucial in ecosystem. They offer shelter for many marine organisms and protect coastlines from the damaging effects of wave action and tropical storms. They also assist in carbon and nitrogen fixation and providing other essential nutrients for marine food chains.
We can save them by picking rubbish from the ocean and avoid touching them and overfishing. Also we should chose sun cream that contains zinc oxide and titanium Dioxide instead of Oxybenzone, Octocrylene, Homosalate, Octisalate and Octinoxate.
Day 7
The morning energizer was organized by the team.
We held an environmental workshop with meme, talks and drawing. We learn a lot of good words and their meaning through the game. It helped us understand more about the environmental issues and be more confident to explain them to others.
We watched a presentation of the Erasmus+ program and the YouthPass tool, which showed us the opportunities we have with Erasmus+ and all the related information that we need to know about YouthPass.
Next, we talk about our clothes and how important is to save money and production of clothes through buying less or from second handed shops to reduce their production. We were also informed about the recycling programs of clothes that every country has and we discussed that if the government offers refund to those who recycle, more people will be involved.
Day 8
The last day we did a final evaluation and participated in the secret friend activity. Finally, we held the YouthPass ceremony.
Reports of our participants
Online dissemination event for the activity
Project summary:
What is the project about?
In addition to the COVID 19 pandemic, EU citizens face a new challenge, which is environmental pollution and reduced quality of life. The latest scientific research shows that the EU is suffocating in waste, the quality of life is reduced to a low level and EU citizens have major negative impacts on health and lifestyle. Young people who suffocate in smoke and waste are not spared from these negative influences. Young people are a driving force in the world, they can initiate and create new social positive changes. Through non-formal learning and youth activism supported by NGOs, young people can raise public awareness but also promote green habits for a better quality of life and a healthier environment.
According to the results of research by STUDY Requested by the ENVI committee (2020), meanwhile, the global burden of disease from the pollution (the most air pollution) is very large. In Europe alone, fine particulate matter is estimated to account for some 400,000 premature deaths every year. The worldwide number is well over 4,000,000. These effects are more likely to occur in disadvantaged populations with higher exposures and/or increased susceptibility to air pollution effects on health and/or higher baseline rates of cardiovascular and respiratory disease. During the 8 days of non-formal learning activities, young people will gain new knowledge and skills in the process of environmental protection and will promote ideas for promotion of a clean and green Europe.
These are the Needs and issues of the project:
- Need to stimulate the participants' attitudes towards the environment and to bring the participants closer to the negative impacts on the environment
- Need for greater environmental awareness among youth, improving personal habits and behaviour towards the environment in which they live
- Need to get closer to green habits, promotion of green solutions for environmental protection, research and promotion of new habits for resource sustainability
- Need for organizational networking and exchange of environmental practices, promotion of national practices and ideas for greater environmental awareness
Objectives
- Improving the competencies of the participants in the field of environment, improving their habits towards the environment in which they live
- Promotion of non-formal learning as a tool for greater environmental awareness and promotion of young people as environmental promoters
- Bringing participants closer to their bad habits that negatively affect the environment and quality of life
- Introducing the participants with green habits, directing them in the future to act as promoters of activities for environmental protection
- Promotion of 7 national videos for raising environmental awareness and greater responsibility towards the environment
Aplication for Interest of Participation: https://forms.gle/dQQQPf1Gvfxah3tKA
If you want to be a candidate of our program please complete the application form and don't forget to complete the membership form if you are not a member of our organisation. Link for completing the application of membership: https://www.acpelia.org/be-a-member
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