Description
Mountain areas - especially the Carpathians - are facing sustainability-related problems due to several trends, some of them related to young people. Their socio-economic migration and the high unemployment rate can lead to illegal and environmentally harmful activities in these areas. The project aims to develop problem-solving skills of local students through community engagement and to encourage them to contribute to sustainable exploitation of natural and cultural heritage, which can contribute to their employability and can increase their entrepreneurial abilities. This will be achieved by developing a kit of free educational materials and establishing a network of teachers in order to integrate a 24 hours program of activities related to sustainable development into the formal education scheme. The project will have a long term impact by creating awareness among teenagers on education - environmental sustainability, school knowledge applicability – future career and intelligent resource management. The Norwegian partner will identify best practices in sustainable development of mountain areas in Norway and will facilitate know-how transfer.
Summary of project results
The project Greenovation Challenge: developing skills of young people for innovation in sustainable development was implemented by Junior Achievement Romania in partnership with Ungt Entreprenørskap and Association Romontana. The reasons this project was initiated in Romania were the lack of environmental education in high school at a relevant quality level, the lack of training for transversal skills that contribute to environmental sustainability and youth employability and the lack of civic involvement of young people and the small number of opportunities offered for environmental education through practical and creative activities. The project gave high school students a unique educational experience, the project’s goal being achieved both on the short and on the long term through the education for solving sustainability problems through innovation and by increasing the engagement of young people in the community. The project included a module of practical educational activities on environmental themes, implemented by teachers in classrooms. It involved 50 teachers and 950 high school students who have developed problem solving skills for sustainable development. At the same time, students participated in civic activities and in a competition of solving specific issues of sustainable development of mountain areas, through innovation. 100 clear proposals were developed by students. A promotion and dissemination campaign of the solutions proposed by the students was put in practice, targeting 50 local authorities in the mountain areas in Romania. 10 volunteer experts were involved in educational activities such as webinars, advising and feedback for team projects. 60 Romanian and Norwegian students were involved in bilateral educational events (Greenovation Camp), working to generate solutions for concrete problems. The project has contributed to solving specific problems of mountain areas in Romania (unsustainable consumption of resources, population exodus, lack of jobs, linked with activities detrimental for the environment, degradation of elements of traditional culture), by developing environmental awareness, skills and attitudes for a better use of resources, promoting proper occupational and entrepreneurial opportunities in mountain areas and youth involvement in local decisions.
Summary of bilateral results
The collaboration between partners mainly focused on facilitating the transfer of know-how and expertise in the areas of sustainable development and sustainability, replication of good practices and lessons learned, to ensure that project participants have a complex learning experience, access to modern educational materials, useful practical activities in order to develop their knowledge and skills in the sustainable development of communities in mountain areas and their activation as citizens for solving problems. The anticipated long-term impact of the project and collaboration between partners aimed at disseminating knowledge and experiences and international cooperation between teachers and young people from Romania and Norway for environmental education initiatives.