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Description
The aim of the project is to raise young people’s interest in ecology at the local level and to increase their engagement in shaping and implementing the municipal policy of environmental protection. The project responds to the diagnosed problem of the lack of a sense of agency and influence among the youth in small towns. Discussions with students from the high school in Andrespol Municipality which took place during our joint activities, as well as our observations and surveys show that young people need cooperation, development, appreciation and the ability to make decisions concerning the issues that are important to them. The project will involve 40 students from schools managed by the project partner: the Andrespol Municipality. Eight people (the teachers) will be trained to use the project method in activities developing social skills as well as pro-democratic and civic attitudes. Young people will select environmental issues that are important to them, gather the necessary information, meet with experts, and prepare an advertising spot to promote pro-environmental behaviours. One of the local ecological initiatives proposed by the youth will be implemented. Young people will take part in a debate with the local government on common priorities in environmental policy. They will report their activities in social media and local press. The project will engage young people in practical activities concerning environmental protection and prevention of climate change. It will increase the sense of agency among young people and raise their self-esteem. Promotion and presentation of the project effects will be an element of ecological education of all inhabitants of the Andrespol Municipality.
Summary of project results
The aim of the project was to interest school youth in the Andrespol Commune in ecological issues at the local level and to increase involvement in shaping and implementing the municipal environmental protection policy. The project responded to the diagnosed problem of young people in small towns lacking a sense of agency, having little influence on the functioning of the local environment, low self-esteem and low involvement in local activities. Young people in small towns feel little influence on the functioning of the local environment, have a lower sense of self-confidence than their peers in a big city, therefore they are little involved in local activities and do not notice that living in a small town can be an opportunity, not a limitation. . Through project activities, we created a platform for young people to debate and cooperate with local authorities in the area of pro-ecological activities that are important to them.
43 students from schools in the Andrespol commune took part in the project. In the first part of the "Young Ecoprojects" project, under the supervision of 8 teachers trained in the use of the project method, thanks to which participants develop social skills and pro-democratic and civic attitudes, young people selected ecological problems that were important to them, collected the necessary information, met with experts. The young people completed 4 projects: prototypes of municipal waste bins, ecological recommendations for visitors to the local cemetery, an ecological path in the local forest, and an ecological competition for reusable bags and bottles. They included the conclusions from the projects in an animated spot promoting pro-ecological behavior among the local community. The youth took part in a debate with the Commune Authorities on common priorities in environmental protection and presented their ideas. In the second part of the "Young Ecological Initiatives" project, young people took part in a study visit to the Wild Duck Land, looking for inspiration for ecological activities. The participants chose the use of various waste for ecological purposes, saving water, and ecological games as the main topics of their initiatives. During the workshops, a waste bin made of used pallets, a campaign promoting rainwater collection, insect houses, and an ecological quiz were created. During media workshops, participants created texts describing their activities, which we used in posts on Facebook. The summary meeting was organized and led by the youth, because they were the hosts of the project, which increased their sense of value and agency. The young people found out that their voices could be heard: the Commune implemented one of their ideas: planting trees and bushes in front of the Office instead of a concrete surface, and the eco-designed design was used on promotional materials for the project and on bags promoting the Commune and its partnership in the project.
Through workshops and practical work with young people, we enriched the methodological skills of 8 teachers in the use of the project method, which is conducive to civic and pro-democratic education. By engaging young people to work on ecological projects, we increased their level of involvement in shaping and implementing the Commune''s environmental protection policy and increased their experience in democratic decision-making. The youth independently identified local ecological problems that interested them and undertook to prepare recommendations for residents and commune authorities on necessary changes and actions. Improved the level of skills in the area of planning and implementing local activities, team cooperation, critical thinking and using information, as well as discussing and presenting their own ideas and arguments - young people worked in groups during workshops, planned and organized their work, used various sources of information , formulated questions to experts, made decisions on ways to solve identified problems, and independently implemented the ecological initiatives she proposed.
Implementation of the project with the Partner, the Andrespol Commune, which is the governing body for schools, enabled us to cooperate well with schools and receive substantive support from the commune''s employees and subordinate institutions, which are important actors in the area of ecological activities in the commune. The Partner''s representatives took part in the debate and meeting summarizing the project. Information about the project and implemented activities reached the commune''s residents through the free local newspaper "W Centrum Polski". The implementation of the project made young people aware that they can formulate problems that they consider important and have the opportunity to create a space for discussion and debate with adult residents of the commune on topics that are important to them.