Circular Economy – Sustainable Competences for Youth Erasmus Project

Project Title

Circular Economy – Sustainable Competences for Youth

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education

Project Summary

We live at times of a climate crisis with consequences visible almost daily: ice glaciers are melting, insects and plants diversity is vanishing, different species are extinct or are on the verge of it, multitude of area set new temperature records, etc. On the other hand the rapid development of technology brings to us new materials, technologies and processes for bringing sustainable progress to societies. It is clear that the ways of working for the humankind will change over the upcoming decade towards more sustainable solutions and circular ways of doing business.

Young people are a strong actor in mitigating climate crisis as well as fostering the transition to more sustainable business models and ways of living in society. Hence it is important to lead the capacity building of young people with necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to lead the path to sustainability and circular economy.

With this project we aim to bring together different stakeholders with a specific knowledge set, who all contribute to the overall aim of the project: to create the competence framework for youth work on circular economy and sustainability. The framework would include an overview of which knowledge, skills and attitudes young people (and beyond) would need to ensure sustainable practices are implemented on a personal and societal levels.

The objectives of the project are:
– Create a competence framework for youth work on circular economy and sustainability which will equip young people and youth workers with skills, knowledge and attitudes needed for adopting for future sustainable ways of working;
– Create a manual for youth workers for working with the competence framework and becoming multipliers on their own;
– Provide young people with practical experiences on working with real-life business challenges;
– Get an understanding about which competences are desired from young people at the labor market by companies which have already adjusted to sustainable and/or circular ways of doing business;
– Raise awareness on the need for circular economy and sustainable practices among policy-makers, civil society organisations and entrepreneurs.

This project is aimed at several target groups which all are involved with each other:
– Young people: we aim to equip them with necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes;
– Youth workers: as they have the possibility to influence a lot of young people we aim to educate them on their own with knowledge and skills to multiply the knowledge on circular economy and sustainable practices in their work;
– Companies in partner countries: often companies lack their own resources to implement solutions quickly and effectively. We aim to support them by providing them solutions related to circular economy and sustainability;
– In addition we’re planning to bring visibility for the topic for policy-makers and civil society organisations.

Activities of the project include:
– A study research on the status quo of circular economy and sustainable practices in partner countries (from different perspectives such as state, business and society level);
– An overview of the needed competencies for youth in the circular economy labor market;
– A paper with recommendations for policy-makers, civil society and companies on implementing circular economy and sustainable practices;
– A competence framework for youth work on circular economy and sustainable practices;
– A manual for practitioners (youth workers) on how to work with the competence framework;
– Massive Open Online Course which introduces the competence framework as well as the context and background for it and local actions for participants to implement;
– Three hackathons which bring together young people with real-life business challenges, where they will learn about circular economy and sustainable methods and also work on finding solutions for the business challenge;
– A seminar with youth workers to get insights and feedback on the competence framework while it’s in the making;
– A training for youth workers to equip them with knowledge on how to use the competence framework;

In addition we will organise:
– Multiplier events to disseminate the results of each Intellectual Output;
– National conferences in partner countries to disseminate the results of the project;
– An international conference which brings together all partners and stakeholders to disseminate the project results on an international scale.

This project is not only beneficial for the youth and youth workers, but also for the policy-makers and society as a whole. The change is coming and everybody needs to adapt to it. This project gives a strong push towards understanding and knowing what is needed for young people to adjust to the new skills and knowledge needed in the labor market. Hence, the project is beneficial also to a variety of NGOs, policy-makers in a local and state level, higher education institutions and business sector.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 328179 Eur

Project Coordinator

Lowmerism OÜ & Country: EE

Project Partners

• Acessivel Exito Associação
• ASSOCIATION DES ETATS GENERAUX DES ETUDIANTS DE L’EUROPE
• ASSOCIAZIONE RE.DU RETE EDUCARE AI DIRITTI UMANI
• Zink Asturias
• Common Gold
• Start Up Mix B.V.