About This Project
Youth Lab for Environment
05. – 21.02.2016
Jugend – & Kulturproject e.V. in cooperation with the organization KEAN – Cell of Alternative Youth Activities implemented the project “Youth Lab for Environment”, which was a Youth Exchange project under the Erasmus + Program.
This project was successfully carried out in the period from 15th to 21st of February 2016, in the area of Evrotas, which is located in Skala, in Laconia and is 255 km from the city of Athens in Greece. Thirty-nine (39) young people, coming from 7 different countries such as from Germany, Poland, Estonia, Turkey, Spain, Italy and Greece were involved in this project.
“Youth Lab for Environment” aimed to bring together youth from different and quite diverse parts of Europe in order to discuss environmental challenges and climate change and how they can have an impact on them. Central Europe, Baltic and Mediterranean participants discussed regarding how they understand environmental challenges and protection of Biodiversity in their own regions, what actions can be undertaken and which their role is as active citizens. Furthermore, they got familiarized with European and global policy making and international environmental protection organizations and their work. Last but definitely not least, the participants acquired knowledge on Sustainability of resources, green economy, green careers and green education.
Through this project we expected to increase the level of youth involvement in environmental actions in the respective regions where the activities were held, and to raise awareness on sustainable choices for lifestyle and career options.
All these were achieved through the use of non-formal learning methods. More specifically participants gained knowledge in the above-mentioned topics and fields through presentations, group work, outdoor activities, workshops, meetings with local NGOS and stakeholders and study visits.
Participants collected useful and important information regarding the key environmental issues and how to tackle them through their visits in local companies and in facilities of the Municipality of Evrotas, which are engaged in environmental activities such as in the facilities of the Biological Waste Purification, in the area of the selection of the waste collection of the Municipality of Evrotas and in The Energy Green Building.
Furthermore participants experienced the transformation of the theory into practice, through outdoor activities and visits like the visit in the oil factory, the visit in The Bioclimatic Square of springs and in the Botanical Garden of Hippocrates and the visit in a juice factory, which is located in the region.
The acquaintance of participants and the bonding of the team were enhanced via activities like ice breaker games, name games, energizers, small group discussion and group building activities.
In addition to all the foregoing, attendants met other cultures and acquired the skill of adjusting in a multicultural environment, through their interaction with different people from other countries and via their interaction with local residents of the venue of the project.
The project is co-financed by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ Programme
The European Commission’ssupport for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.