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Description
Project “Lets take care of the Planet” aims to promote civic participation, sustainable development and Education for citizenship through awareness-raising, training actions in schools and encouraging the adoption of public practices and personal behaviors aligned with with the SDGs, as well as influencing public policy by promoting youth involvement in political decisions. This project will work with students and teachers from 30 schools nationwide, enabling them to develop their own projects and actions through the implementation of the methodology from the European project “Let´s take care of the planet!” in Portugal, in a structured and networked way. A national conference will be held with students and teachers participating in the project in which young people will have the opportunity to directly convey their reflections and demands to policy makers in the Assembly of the Republic. Through the mobilisation of students and teachers a national network of “Let’s Take Care of the Planet!” schools will be created.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to reinforce the democratic culture and civic awareness of school-aged young people by encouraging education for citizenship and sustainable development within school projects. This process required students to deepen their scientific knowledge about sustainable development issues through debate and decision-making. The project included a methodology based on a research process with teachers and students to promote actions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
During the pilot phase of the project, various actions and dynamics were carried out. In April 2019, a technical training meeting was organized with partner institutions, led by the Norwegian partner. Four training workshops were held, with the participation of 216 people and 85 partner schools. Sixteen volunteers worked throughout the project, resulting in 49 awareness campaigns and 35 civic initiatives, both exceeding the initial targets.
In July 2020, a virtual meeting for teachers was held to review and restructure the plan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between March and April 2021, 18 school conferences were held where students presented their projects. In May 2021, three regional conferences were organized where young people could learn about other projects and present their demands to regional political representatives. Although these conferences took place online, they were attended by political decision-makers and invited organizations.
In June 2021, the National Youth Conference was held in person, fostering closer relationships between partners and helping students develop communication and argumentation skills. The conference included a discussion forum with members of parliament, providing new skills and tools for communication, leadership and empowerment. The Youth Co-responsibility Charter and Political Manifesto were developed, reflecting the environmental concerns of over 3.800 students and leading to legislative initiatives.
In quantitative terms, the following was achieved:
- 16 volunteers recruited by supported NGOs;
- 35 civic initiatives led by supported NGOs;
- 37 awareness raising campaigns carried out;
- 213 people educated in civic rights;
- 28 partnerships between NGOs and schools promoting civic education;
- 98% share of target group showing civic concerns.
Regarding capacity building, the promoter conducted a needs assessment and prepared an action plan. The result was a dual focus on the improvement of communication strategies through marketing and social media management, and also on financial sustainability and fundraising.
All proposed targets were met and exceeded.
Summary of bilateral results
The bilateral relationship of the project directly involved Inland Norway University, providing advantageous and favorable cooperation for the development of all related actions. In addition to the training program for technicians and teachers and the development of materials, there was constant communication to share situations that occurred during the training sessions and to clarify doubts about the implementation of the manual''s activities