Erasmus+ youth exchange “Eco Friendly Youth” took place in Mersin, Lithuania on 15th – 23rd of November, 2019. The mobility gathered 30 participants coming from Lithuania, Turkey, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Poland. The main objective of the project was to head towards a change in European population’s behaviour in order to reach a greener lifestyle and try to find creative and sustainable solutions for ecological problems on individual and small community level.
The inspiration for the Project
Planet Earth cannot stand the current rhythm of world population growth. The superficiality of human behaviour is not sustainable anymore, constantly putting the Earth in danger. Pollution has a great impact on mankind and environment as a whole. It leads to environmental degradation, human health issues, global warming, infertile land and more.
Thus finding a remedy is a top priority. According to European Environment Agency, the concentration of air pollution across Europe still remains the largest environmental hazard of the continent. One of the reasons for this is that people do not think about environmental consequences in their everyday activities. That is why it is fundamental to start a societal transition towards green economy and lifestyle. We believe that this can be best done by youth.
Objectives of the Project
- encourage a proactive approach towards green initiatives;
- promote an eco-sustainable behavior;
- to identify the most common negative outcomes of people’s habits concerning environment, as well as find ways to tackle that;
- increase awareness about the existing environmental problems in Europe.
30 active people from 5 different countries came to the youth exchange which was held in Mersin, Lithuania. During the mobility, the participants have deepened their knowledge about renewable energy, recycling, food waste, ecological initiatives across Europe, including ways they are organized and maintained. They also gathered all the necessary knowledge needed for responsible and sustainable lifestyle, had many discussions on their personal experiences of ecology in our everyday life.
Project’s Activities
- interactive workshops and theatrical plays on the topic;
- making videos, photos and social media campaigns on eco-friendly lifestyle;
- presentations on best practices for saving environment from participants’ countries;
- group discussions in a non-formal environment;
- songwriting Competition: EcoVision;
- preparing an Online Survey;
- creating your own Eco-friendly planet;
- sweatshop: Understanding the true cost of the clothes we buy;
- interactive Game: Fingers and Thumbs to find the greenest youth group;
- social Initiative: Cleaning up the Streets;
- shine bright like a facilitator: Creating workshops.
Songwriting Competition – EcoVision
Video Production Workshop
Project’s Success
Project “Eco Friendly Youth” proved to be a success. The participants have acquired and improved a number of skills and competences required for following an eco-friendly lifestyle themselves and to become ecological lifestyle ambassadors to their peers. Also, they extended their social network, as well as got a better grasp on the current environmental situation and main issues in Europe and the ways to tackle environmental problems. They were also learning by looking at good practices that contribute to reducing pollution and climate change. Participants were encouraged to take a proactive approach towards tackling environmental problems.
In addition to the professional skills acquired / improved during the mobility, social and intercultural skills were improved as well. All the participants learned how to debate with others, express their opinion to a smaller and larger audience, as well as to listen to others and present their arguments. Since the participants had to evaluate themselves and each other, their self-esteem and self-conscious was gained. Participants learned a number of NFE methods and activities, which will be used in their future activities and projects.
About us:
- Press release on milliyet.com
- Press release on mynet.com
- Press release on haberturk.com
- Press release on hurriyet.com
- Press release on haberler.com
- Press release on karar.com
- Press release on timeturk.com
- Press release on iha.com
- Press release on memleket.com
- Press release on gunhaber.com
- Press release on posta.com
- About the project on national news
- Press release on facebook
- Photos of the YE facebook
- Photos with slogans facebook
- Video of the project on facebook
- Stories on instagram
- National news on instagram
- Video of the project on instagram
- Photos of the YE on instagram
- Photos with slogans on instagram
- About the YE on Turkey’s official website
- Czech Republic facebook
- Czech Republic facebook
- Poland facebook
Project’s schedule, activities and material:
