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Empowering youth to develop ecological volunteering initiatives
Start date: Mar 1, 2016, End date: Sep 30, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The concept of this youth exchange in Turkey was discussed by the young people from the UK, Portugal, Italy and Turkey who participated in the previous youth projects aimed at studying ecological problems in European countries and volunteering possibilities for young people. As a result of these activities, they understood that they can change their ecological environment and spread the message about the dangers of the outcomes of the climate change by publicising the idea of environmental / ecological volunteering in the partner European communities the participants came from. This project explored it meant to be an active European citizen with all its rights and responsibilities focusing on the ecological volunteering concept. By using knowledge and experience obtained during the previous projects and involving suitable methods, we gathered young people together to explore the idea of volunteering as a strong tool to support their ideas and spread their message far and wide and to practice ecological / environmental volunteering as part of the field work activity. As a culmination of the exchange participants came together in several mixed nationality groups to practice ecological / environmental volunteering. Another goal of the exchange was to stimulate the active behaviour of local youth organisations in relation to environmental challenges, so they took significant part in this process. Moreover, working on environmental solutions stimulated personal growth through a collective process. The learning objectives of this project were: - To raise the participants’ awareness about the roots of environmental problems; - To show young people the significance of youth initiatives in environmental solutions; - To know more about optimal methods and ways of controlling actions that may harm the environment; - To find means of fostering interest concerning environmental problems in young people and empowering youth organisations to deal with them; - To promote the so-called green skills; - To stimulate the creativity and volunteering in the green sector through non-formal education; - To share best practices, the capacities of developing and implementing international youth projects. To implement this project we used non-formal means of education, among them a visit to a local youth club dealing with ecological volunteering, workshops and discussion groups where the participants shared their ideas led by facilitators to bring home valuable experience and use it in their everyday life. It consisted of activities, workshops, presentations, facilitated exchange of experiences and best practices. Methods of facilitation were selected by the preparatory team from the SALTO online toolbox. The methods provided enabled the young people to fully participate in the learning process. Learning from experience was a fundamental pillar in the way the project was facilitated. The exchange focused on key aspects of non-formal education like the participant-centred approach. The process continuously adapted to the participants’ needs and motivations as well as the group’s work rhythm. At the Exchange the young people gained skills and knowledge that they further multiplied to other youth groups in their environment. They presented what they had learned to their peers, explained what impact the project had on them, how it changed their vision of the world, and persuaded other people to take part in similar activities. The advantages gained and skills acquired at the Exchange were also disseminated to local youth groups and the organisations, which related this project to a local and European context. Each country was represented at the exchange by 14 young people plus 2 group leaders. The project was scheduled in such a way that they communicated while creating drafts of their own projects. By finding something in common they strengthened their European links for further cooperation. The sending organisations also supported them in realisation of these projects.
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