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Description
In the Warka Municipality, where the project is implemented, youth activity is very low. There is neither single youth organisation, nor a permanent informal youth group acting in the town. Pro-environmental activities are met with extreme reactions: some young people support them, some show no interest at all. Therefore, in our project we want to develop a sense of responsibility for climate protection in young people. The project is aimed at 75 young people from Warka High School. We are creating a space for them to pursue their cultural passions, as well as involving them in social and environmental activities. As part of the project, we carry out Educational Eco-Expeditions, which introduce young people to the natural resources of the local area and the activities of a local NGO. High school students run a social campaign called "I bet on LOcal Eco" to promote local resources and carry out their 3 Environmental Initiatives. They present the results of their work at the Eco Activity Festival at their High School. With activities like these, we want to make young people advocates for climate protection. By integrating, having fun and inspiring action, we support their self-realisation and develop active citizenship. The project partner is the Piotr Wysocki High School in Warka, with experience of implementing projects with young people and a committed teaching and management staff. Our partner is responsible for recruiting project participants, providing information about the project and supporting the development of programmes and policies.
Summary of project results
The project was implemented in Warka, where young people show low social activity. There are no youth organizations or permanent informal groups here. Until 2010, all youth activity was negatively perceived by local authorities, and youth initiatives were boycotted. As a result, few adults and young leaders want to work with young people for fear of their behavior, responsibility for commitments and difficulties in gathering a group.
Ecology is perceived by young people in extreme ways: from great support to lack of interest. However, thanks to cooperation with the Secondary School in Warka and the Municipal Cultural Institution, it was noticed that young people willingly engage in activities in which they can demonstrate their talent and initiative.
In Warka there is a Natura 2000 area and protected landscape areas, such as the Pilica and Drzewiczka valleys. A new educational path is being created, the future use of which depends on community involvement.
There is only one ecological organization in the district - the Nature Tropy Foundation. W.A.R.K.A. Association initiates ecological activities from 2021, but of the eight ecological projects, none were addressed to young people.
In 2021, young people from the High School in Warka independently placed waste segregation bins in each classroom, showing interest in ecology and change in their community. They observe their parents and grandparents who have old habits, e.g. burning garbage in the stove. There is a chance that they will become advocates of change.
W.A.R.K.A. Association initiated a project to develop local youth''s sense of responsibility for climate protection.
Action 1: Educational Eco Expeditions.
Students walked along the educational path over the Pilica River in Warka, learning about local natural resources. A scenario of walks was developed during which young people identified the advantages of the pilgrim path. Three walks took place in December 2023, in which three first grade classes from the Secondary School in Warka participated.
The next element was a meeting with the Tropy Przyrody Foundation. The students went to "Osada Krzaki", where they participated in nature workshops. They learned about plant species, herbalism and experienced nature in the field. They could help themselves to a baked potato and bake hunter''s bread. The meetings took place in May 2023.
Action 2: "I choose local eco" campaign
As part of the activities, a competition was developed for a campaign promoting the educational path in Warka. The participants were students of the Secondary School in Warka. The campaigns created could take the form of a poster or graphics for social media. Three prizes and three distinctions were awarded.
Action 3: Ecological Initiatives
These are grassroots mini-projects invented, developed and carried out by groups of young people. The students worked in three groups with the support of the animators. One group focused on ecology around fashion by preparing a film about second-hand clothes. The second group created an eco mural and a water footprint quiz. The third group prepared eco-friendly recipes.
Action 4: Eco Activity Festival
The festival took place in January 2024 at the High School in Warka. It was an event summarizing the project. The program included a demonstration of youth creativity - a presentation of three Ecological Initiatives and a debate. An important part was creating your own eco bag and being able to share your thoughts about ecology
Action 5 Evaluation Due to the multitude of activities, the project required a summary. Evaluation meetings were organized with the team, summarizing the content of partnership cooperation and work with young people.
The project managed to engage 79 young people in various forms of support, conduct social campaigns and implement 3 civic initiatives in the eco spirit. The key was to increase the sense of agency among young people, which was measured by the number of students (29) who took part in the implementation of the initiatives.
Activities addressed to students of the Secondary School in Warka increased their interest in the local community. The greatest interest in the "I bet on LOKalne Eco" competition appeared in classes that participated in educational Eco-expeditions and community walks. The students positively assessed Eco Expeditions, admitting that although they would not go on such an expedition themselves, after its completion they would be happy to test similar activities on their own. Foresting helped them overcome their fear of spiders and look at the need to protect nature from a different perspective. The students appreciated the active form of the meetings.
The campaigns prepared by the students gained the favor of the Mayor of Warka, who took patronage over the competition. Thanks to sponsors, it was possible to award winning works. The project showed that there is potential in the local environment and a group of people ready to support young people, which is a good prognosis for the future of building an environment for the development of young people''s activities in Warka.
The main result of the project, i.e. strengthening civil society and civic activity, was achieved. The groups implementing the Ecological Initiatives were numerous, each consisting of approximately 10 people, and their composition remained basically unchanged throughout the entire period of implementation of the initiatives. Students acquired budget, time management and leadership skills that are necessary for social action. We managed to convey the idea of civic involvement, and the students implemented their initiatives on their own, which is a huge success. All groups prepared their presentations for the Eco Activity Festival to show off to the school and community.