The Youth Environment Initiative

Project facts

Project promoter:
The Władysław Śmiałek Educational Foundation(PL)
Project Number:
PL-ACTIVECITIZENS-NATIONAL-0201
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€14,500
Final project cost:
€12,571
Programme:

Description

According to our observations and analysis across Siedlecki District (Mazowieckie Voivodesip), the majority of municipalities does not have viable offers for the youth to spend its free time in creative and constructive ways. Additionally, these are areas known for their poor air quality caused by illegal trash burning on a large scale. What is more, some of the garbage can be found disposed of in the nearby forests. We would like to address these problems by engaging students from six small towns, together with their families, in clean up days in surrounding forests and green spaces. We would also like to organize Oxford debate for students and teachers, talking about the practice of garbage dumping into the forests. Next, the youth will run a series of classes for kindergartens in their hometowns, dedicated to taking care of the environment. Additionally, we would like to facilitate a series of workshops on communication, public speaking, social campaigns and editing of simple video materials. After the conclusion of our workshops each group will produce a short video focused on the local environmental efforts. The project will conclude with a meeting between each group and representatives from the local municipality, the parish, Siedlce Forestry Service and the Regional Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Warsaw.

Summary of project results

According to our observations and analysis in Siedlecki district (Mazowieckie Voivodeship), most of the municipalities lacks any offer for the young people to spend their free time in a productive way. Additionally, these areas are known for poor air quality due to trash burning and the general waste pollution in the local forests.No address these issues, we have organized a collective forest and meadows cleanup with students and their families from six local towns. We have also conducted an Oxford debate about forest trash dumping. Afterwards, the youth conducted some classes in kindergartens that focused on protecting the environment. We have also organized a series of workshops focused on communication in the classroom, public speaking, running civic campaigns, and simple film editing. Next, each group created their own short film about protecting their local environment. The evaluation conference concluded the project, taking part in each of the six schools with representatives of the local government, church, the National Forests, and Regional Fund for Environmental Protection and Water management in Warsaw present. The young people shared their impressions and results of their work.Thanks to the project we managed to gather around three tons of garbage in the local forests. Initially, we were noticing an element of indifference among the teachers and students, but after the debates we have noticed a change. Teachers also shared with us that these types of teaching methods are incredibly useful and needed.

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