A1.Online Preparatory Meeting. During the meeting, all the details of the project will be discussed: getting to know the specifics and assumptions of the planned project activities. It is a space for young people to express their expectations towards the project and educational needs. Through the activities the transnational project team will have the opportunity to meet each other virtually. Another important aspect of the meeting is the creation of the guidelines for the project management manual (which will consist the communication plan, action plan, quality assurance plan, evaluation plan dissemination plan, sustainability plan).

Implementation: 1th month of the project

 

A.2.Online campaign. will be carried out to inspire the young generation and active leaders to deepen their knowledge about climate change & ecological issues, raise awareness in their communities in this regard and take active steps towards sustainable climate change.

The campaign will be conducted with the use of social media. Young people will develop a coherent marketing strategy for the campaign for its entire duration, during which a spot will be created, an electronic newspaper will be issued every 2 months containing the voice of young people and a vlog about climate change in the local and global dimension, its causes and consequences, about local activists, we will tell the story of people whose lives have just changed due to climate change, or we will illustrate activities that have contributed to the improvement of the climate. Planning and implementation of the online awareness-raising campaign on sustainable practice, plastic pollution, tap water consuption, targeting public spaces and the local community which contents will be created by participants. Campaign will be carried out to inspire the young generation to deepen their knowledge about climate change, raise awareness in their communities and take active steps towards sustainable climate changes.

Implementation: project life-time

 

A.3.European Research. The aim is to examine the motivation of young people to engage in activities for the protection of the environment and sustainable development. We are interested in what motivations push young people to act and what was a direct impulse for them. The study will be carried out on a representative group of 500 young people from RO & BG.

The goal of the analysis is to determine the pattern of sustainable behavior among young people who believe they are making an effective contribution to combating environmental degradation, as opposed to those among their peers who share ethical statements about environmental protection only because they are socially desirable.

Students’ participation in the survey will be anonymous and will be granted through formal privacy consent. They will be approached with a web questionnaire consisting of several questions divided into three sections, namely:

(I) Knowledge about the phenomenon and main concerns about environmental problems.

(II) Sustainable behaviours and lifestyle.

(III) Future expectations and suggestions on the role of institutions and citizens.

Implementation: Month 2nd-3th

 

A.4.Together for Climate -european mobility in RO.

The implementation of the transnational meeting aims at the exchange of realities, views, opinions and good practices with young people and environmental experts from another country regarding climate crisis and environmental education in a safe educational environment. Also, aims at increasing participating youth engagement in tackling environmental challenges locally and global.

During the first part, young people will acquire knowledge and skills in the field of the climate crisis: its causes, impact on the environment and people, consequences for the world, and how we can counteract it. Young people, with the help of experts and decision-makers, will acquire knowledge and skills on how to effectively talk about climate change in the spirit of ethics and journalistic integrity, and the use of information, the language of the media. equipping young people to participate in debates with decision-makers and experts as well as unconventional thinking, correct, logical argumentation, public speaking.

Third part consist in local study visits: local eco-friendly businesses, renewable energy installations, or nature reserves, with opportunities for hands-on learning and observation. In addition, information will be given about the culture of that region and how to fight against climate change.

Meeting will take place in RO where RO & BG participants will come together. Target value is 20 young people aged 16-19, who are making up the core team, out of which 15 YP will be with fewer opportunities (economic, geographical & educational).

Implementation: 01.11-05.11.2024

 

A.5. Realisation of „#EcoFighters a guide for school students into environmental activism

The \" #EcoFighters\" is a comprehensive resource book designed to empower and inspire young people to become environmental activists in their communities. Tailored specifically for school students and young individuals, this guide aims to raise awareness about environmental issues, including the climate emergency, and provide practical tools and resources for taking action.

The guide covers various aspects of environmental activism, starting with an introduction to key environmental concepts and the urgency of addressing environmental challenges. It includes information on the impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and other environmental threats, helping readers understand the interconnectedness of environmental issues. Through engaging and interactive content, such as case studies, success stories, and practical tips, the guide equips young readers with the knowledge and skills needed to advocate for environmental protection and sustainability. It provides guidance on how to initiate and participate in environmental projects, organize events, engage with local communities, and influence decision-makers.

Furthermore, the guide offers strategies for effective communication and outreach, including social media campaigns, community outreach initiatives, and collaboration with like-minded individuals and organizations. It emphasizes the importance of collective action and highlights the positive impact that young people can have on shaping a more sustainable future.

Overall, \"#EcoFighters\" serves as a valuable resource for young individuals who are passionate about environmental issues and eager to make a difference in their communities. By empowering young activists with knowledge, skills, and inspiration, the guide aims to foster a new generation of environmental leaders committed to protecting our planet for future generations.

Implementation: Month 4th-5th

 

A.6.Local workshops for young people in schools

Workshops aim to engage more local YP aged 16-19 in tackling environmental issues & green activism through peer-to-peer learning. Core team youngsters from both countries (20 together) will organize local NFE activities focused on equipping young people with green competences & empowering their change maker potential (target value 240: 120 in RO, 120 in BG). These local workshops held by core teams in their countries to foster peer to peer learning as well as engagement of decision makers are educational activities which will offer young people space, information, discussion and opportunities for active youth engagement on climate change - an important issue affecting young people\'s daily lives as active European citizens. These activities are one day event, organised by young people from project core team with the help of representatives of their organizations and adult facilitators. The adults will help them in chosing proper educational activities. For this we will use Salto toolbox, as well as free web resources containing educational activities. When young core implementation team will draft a program of the workshops (based on NFE educational tools), they will create an online application form and get in touch with school teachers asking for help to popularize the workshops among highschool students, that can apply to take part using the online app. Form. As the location, workshops will hapen in local schools. Project core team will take care of the logistics for the activities: equipments, handouts, flipchart papers and markers, etc. At the end of each workshop, all participants have to fill in an online questionnaire, giving us feedback on what they have learnt. Local policy makers (city councelors, Mayor, etc) will be invited to attend the workshops and speak with young students about the environmental issues in their cities.

Implementation: Month 5th-6th

 

A.7. International mobility In Bulgaria

In 1/2025 in will be organized a mobility in Karlovo for 5 days. The aim will be further development of participants\' competencies in initiating green activities & reaching out to relevant decision-makers (again 20 young participants from both countries, aged 16-25). Furthemore, an important output of the transnational meeting is the creation of the mid term evaluation of the project.

The program will have interactive and outdoor activities, community interventions and visits to pedagogical gardens and collective and cooperative initiatives. Through non formal education and the trainers support, participants will reflect on nowadays environmental related challenges in both european countries and the common issues we share on these topics. Those visits are conceived to show participants how green skills and natural resources can be means of development for rural areas in a way that allow us to promote sustainable economic and social growth. The concept of sustainable development will be approached also in a way to foster youth active citizenships. Several methodologies are designed to ensure the principles of non formal education and intercultural learning, as group work and activities, presentations, workshops and personal assignments as well as to provide space to share experience and knowhow. The participants will have an opportunity to share their experience, to debate and discuss, discover the needs of their communities, work on simulations, lead and be leaded by each other, to learn from each other and experience situations through the use of non-formal methods which will be implemented according to the needs of the participants and youth organizations involved.

Implementation: 24.01-28.01.2024

 

A.8. Local consultations (2 in Ro and 2 in BG) aimed at learning about the opinions and positions of young people from local community on increasing the level of involvement and participation in activities for climate protection.The consultations will cover the following areas: climate change, CO2 and you, food, 3 Rs, i.e. reduce, reuse, recycle, etc. Policymakers and experts will be invited to the metings. The essence of these debates is to foster a platform where young voices can engage with established community figures in meaningful dialogues about environmental policies, with young people front and centre of the interaction, and follow-up commitments secured from decision makers and community figures. The format for the meetings are focus-group discussions conducted by youth who invite other young people and climate adaptation stakeholders for discussions.

Additionally, more data is collected from the online survey that was carried out through A.3. The survey results are analysed, and the resulting data used to validate information obtained during the on-ground consultations.

20 young people from each of the city\'s characteristic groups will attend the meeting and discuss environmental and civil protection issues that concern them, what they would like to see happen at local and European level and how structured dialogue can support them. They will complete a questionnaire, while they will have the first meeting with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Youth of Drobeta and Karlovo, drawing up a drat of policy recomandation.

After these local consultations, the project scales up its ambitions by initiating preparations for a european online debate, involving young people from RO & BG. This larger platform consolidates best practices from the local engagements, ensuring diverse voices offer a manifest of best practices for the local green transition to important stakeholders. Both groups of young people will meet online after the two offline consultations are over.

Implementation: Month 7th-8th

 

 

A.9. Plogging events RO & BG

Goal of the events is to bring change among Young participants, to raise awareness on environmental issues & young participants potential in their tackling. Plogging is a new global movement. It takes advantage of jogging & other outdoor sports to pick up litter spoiling cities & nature. Idea of this sustainable initiative is simplicity itself: the participants, \'ploggers\', pick up litter they come across while exercising. In each country, we will implement 1 plogging event.

Plogging events will be dynamic and impactful community activities aimed at raising awareness about environmental issues and promoting active participation in waste management. These events will involve 20 local young participants aged 16-19, along with 2 local decision-makers in each event, totaling 22 participants. The events will begin with a briefing on safety guidelines and the objectives of plogging, emphasizing the importance of waste reduction and recycling. Participants will be provided with gloves, bags, and other necessary equipment for collecting litter while jogging or walking along designated routes. Throughout the plogging session, participants will engage in friendly competition to collect the most litter or categorize waste items for recycling. Organizers will facilitate discussions on the importance of waste management and environmental conservation, encouraging participants to reflect on their role in creating a cleaner and greener community. At the conclusion of the event, the collected litter will be weighed, sorted, and properly disposed of or recycled. Recycling companies will be involved in the process to ensure the effective management of waste.

The event will conclude with an open-air workshop on waste sorting and recycling, where participants will learn practical tips for reducing their environmental footprint in their daily lives.

Implementation: Month 8th-9th

 

 

A.10.Drafting recommendations for policy makers.

The cycle of consultations already implemented in A.8 includes the development and writing, under the supervision of consultants and decision makers, of recommendations of young people regarding urgent measures in the field of climate & environment protection, which should be implemented today by the rulers in our city/country, so that the young generation and all subsequent generations, they can enjoy the right to live in a healthy environment under conditions of sustainable development.

The drafting recommendations for policymakers activity will proceed with the collected data and insights from previous consultations. Firstly, project organizers will convene a working group comprising consultants, decisionmakers, and select young participants to analyze the findings from the consultations. This analysis will identify key themes, priorities, and actionable recommendations for climate and environmental policy. Subsequently, the working group will collaborate to draft a comprehensive set of policy recommendations addressing urgent measures for climate and environment protection called \"Climate for the Young\". These recommendations will be guided by evidence-based practices, international frameworks, and the specific needs and perspectives of young people in Romania and Bulgaria. Throughout the drafting process, the working group will ensure inclusivity, transparency, and youth representation, fostering meaningful dialogue and consensus-building among stakeholders. Once the draft recommendations are finalized, they will undergo rigorous review and validation by experts, policymakers, and young participants to ensure accuracy, relevance, and feasibility. Feedback will be incorporated into the final document, which will be formally endorsed by all stakeholders and presented to relevant decision-makers, including the Mayor of the City and Members of Parliament during study visits.

Implementation: Month 9th

 

A.11. \"My city is clean and green\" awareness-raising campaign RO & BG

This activity will happen in 4 highscools (2 in RO, 2 in BG) with aproximately 600 young people aged 16-19 years old from both countries. The activity will be coordinated by the 20 young core team members, who will also be responsible for organizing the events. Through this activity we seek to improve awareness and understanding of climate change and environmental issues across RO and BG and the positive role young people can play.

Local activities include planting trees in the schools yard (2 activities organised with at least 20 trees planted each), cleaning up litter in the city (2 activities with 100 participants each), and promoting recycling through creative workshops. Beside these, we plan to initiate an „Environmental Change Challenge” in target schools.

Students than want to be a part of this callenge can propose different kind of challenges to be implemented by them: waste audits, recycling programs, anti-litter campaigns, alternative transportation initiatives, carbon footprint calculators, climate action plans, etc. They must work in pair to accomplish their plans, and the winning team will join the goup of young people who take part in the study visit in Bruselles.

These initiatives will focus on practical actions that individuals can take to reduce their carbon footprint, such as reducing energy consumption, recycling, and choosing sustainable transport options. These will play a crucial role in educating the young people about the causes and impacts of climate change, and in promoting sustainable behaviours.

Implementation: Month 10th

 

 

A.12.Study visit in EU capital

This activity contains 4 partial activities, together making up a complex educational happening in the political mecca of the EU involving 20 YP, the core team & 2 European MPs, & 6 NGO experts.

1.We will carry out a site visit at the European Parliament (EP): tour around EP, taking part in an ongoing session & voting, to get to know the functioning of EP and the EC; all this to understand how European politics works & impacts our daily lives also in terms of green issues.

2.We will meet with 2 members of Parliament (MP) from RO & BG focusing on green topics & having a joint experience-sharing session aimed at sustainable development challenges & how EU policy making can be transferred to local community levels. Young participants will present the project, its mission, how it is in line with EU´s green actions, & they will share what follow-up activities they plan to carry out, possibly with support of the 2 MPs.

3.Group of young participants will visit 3 green NGOs, learning about their activities + there will be a session on “how to transfer NGOs\' experiences into their own realities” back in RO & BG.

4.City game & plogging activity will happen in the city of Brussels to clean the surroundings, work-out for good condition of bodies & minds & get familiar with Brussels.

Implementation: 13.06-16.06.2024