Culture and Nature-Based Solutions for Water Management Erasmus Project

Project Title

Culture and Nature-Based Solutions for Water Management

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

The motivation for the project arises from the European Development Plan of the proponent school, started last year with an Erasmus+ KA101 project (ongoing), and prioritizes the enlargement of collaboration networks, empowerment of individuals, sharing of good practices, and creation of new learning opportunities. During mobility of that KA1 project, teachers that will lead this new project, have met partners from Greece and Spain, and have recognized the importance of starting collaboration and exchange of good practices, including transnational activities with students. From dialogues and reflections, partners felt the need to envied efforts in planning a joint project. They deal with common issues, since their educational and cultural contexts are similar, and have a lot to learn from each other. They could share experiences from engagement in previous projects and exchange knowledge. In particular, teachers from Portugal could share their know-how about Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). This could be defined as actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges, in order to provide human well-being and biodiversity benefits.
The partners chose to address the horizontal priority related with environmental and climate goals. This arises from the fact that southern countries are already facing the consequences of climate change and experiencing episodes of draught. The water management needs to be a major priority to ensure our future. Water demand in these countries has steadily increased, partly due to climate change, partly due to water management.
There will be two major areas of intervention: school and local communities. The main goals are: 1) raising student’s awareness about water and change behavioural attitudes about water savings; 2) identification of opportunities for intervention in local communities, where students, in collaboration with partners from a similar background, also facing water demands, will propose solutions, based on culture and nature itself, for water management and valorisation of local rivers, or other water landscapes.
Finding and propose NBS that also take into consideration the cultural context and background, could help to identify an added value for water landscapes and improve water management. NBS is a topic with great educational potential, which remains unexplored.
Since Portugal, Greece, and Spain are all newcomers in Key Action 2, another partner was included. Italy has the experience and could act as a mentor and guide. They also share the same cultural background and are facing similar problems due to water management issues.
The target age of students is from 12-15 years old. The project includes 4 Learning, Teaching, and Training activities, for which 5 students, accompanied by 2 teachers, will be selected. The project will combine physical mobilities with virtual mobilities through eTwinning. The participants are students enrolled in school clubs (European and STEM clubs). Since we intend to give opportunities to all, the selection must not be focused on students’ grades. It will be focused on their creativity, interpersonal and collaboration skills, capacity to solve problems, and linguistic competences. Students with fewer opportunities will be encouraged to take part and get the necessary support. However, they must also demonstrate their commitment. Teachers selected must cover the disciplinary areas needed to develop a cross-curricular project and must demonstrate commitment with the project.
The working methodology will focus on STE(A)M and PBL Learning. The approach will be cross-curricular. Students work collaboratively to identify and propose solutions for water management and valorization river landscapes, based on nature itself and considering the cultural context. The students work in open-ended questions, identified and sustained by data collected during joint visits to river landscapes stresses by industry, agriculture, demography, and tourism.
The expected results are knowledge acquisition and development of 21st-century competencies (collaboration, communication, problem-solving, language, and ICT use). The work is student-cantered to increase motivation and engagement. Along the project, in order to reach and engage all school communities, there will take place a contest about water footprint reduction. This will allow identifying best practices concerning water savings. As tangible results, there will be an eBook with all Culture and Nature-Based solutions proposed and a Manual for Best Practices for water savings.
The project will have an impact on participants, organizations, school communities, but also at regional, national, and European level. The dissemination plan has several actions that allow achieving that impact at different levels and audiences. The evaluation strategy will assess if the planned activities allow the accomplishment of the intended results.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 96318 Eur

Project Coordinator

Agrupamento de Escolas D. Maria II – Vila Nova de Famalicão & Country: PT

Project Partners

• 4th Junior High School ilioupolis
• IES Pepe Ruiz Vela
• Istituto Comprensivo Statale 2° Frosinone