Sustainability Connects Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Sustainability Connects Europe

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: Environment and climate change; Energy and resources; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

In the context of the project, it was considered that our youth is expressing more and more concern for the environment and the future of our world, there have been multiple student climate strikes and the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is seen as an inspirational figure by our students. By participating in this project we’ll be creating an educational environment in which our students get a chance to actively research and work on topics about sustainability not only from the perspective of their own country but on an international level. Together we can work on raising awareness, exchange knowledge on environmental, economical and social factors that influence sustainability and stimulate a change in behavior, not only for students and teachers involved in the project but also in our organizations and municipalities/cities or even countries.
The objective is to change students behavior like less littering, conscious consumption, being more conscious where they buy clothes and how many clothes they buy, using less water by taking shorter showers etc. It’s intended to make the students aware of their carbon footprint and the role they can actively play in reducing it. It’s an opportunity for our students to find creative solutions and innovations to problems concerning sustainability. The students will have an insight on the role sustainability plays in the European labour market and the possibilities for future education in the field of sustainability. The project intends to gain insight and create materials that help promote teaching on the topic of sustainability within the curriculum of the schools. The awareness of the need to maintain biodiversity will grow on participants. The project will give students practical ways to reduce waste and recycle. Students will learn to produce food locally by growing vegetables through vertical agriculture.
The project group is composed of different types of schools from six countries (Finland, Portugal, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey). The age group targeted are students between 12-18 years old. Social inclusion wiil be incorporated in composing the project group.The six schools have very different levels of experience with international projects. Some schools already have experience, whereas others are getting their first experience through this project. The different experiences of schools complement each other well and students will take part in numerous age-appropriate activities.
During this project students will design the logo of the project, create an Erasmus wall at each school, maintain the already ongoing Twinspace of the project, create and maintain a project web page. They will install and maintain a composter in each partner school, build a climate change dictionary on video, design mind maps and memes about sustainability and/or climate change and produce food through sustainable agriculture, namely growing microgreens and using hydroponics. Students will perform research works and presentations about factors influencing sustainability on an international level. They will build an insect hotel. Presentations will be made reflecting visits to companies/educational organizations connected to sustainability. We will create class plans for teaching sustainability and summaries of curriculums connected to sustainability. We will do temporary “do it yourself/makers-space” at schools where recycling, upcycling and repair can be taught. We intend to get Eco-school label to participating schools or maintain it, for those who already have it.
The methodology of the project is to maintain a permanent collaboration between partner schools to define all the details of ongoing activities, giving clear instructions to students, while letting them use their creativity and autonomy. All outcomes will be presented to the participating students and partner schools communities and made available online through the Twinspace and web page. A timetable will be maintained and evaluation procedures will be permanent.
In terms of the potential longer term benefits, we intend to contribute to the The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This is a global roadmap towards achieving a sustainable future for all. It is guided by principles of inclusion and participation, and its success is predicated on establishing strategic cross-cutting and multi-stakeholder partnerships. The engagement, inclusion, and participation by empowered citizens, is pivotal towards realizing the broad goals of sustainable development in such a way that no one is left behind. Engaging citizens for sustainable development demands that the sustainable development goals be given local and contextual relevance to the realities of citizens and different communities. There is evidence that individuals’ lack of awareness of the sustainable development goals remains very high. This project intends to fight this reality in the wider community of the partner schools.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 203916 Eur

Project Coordinator

Agrupamento de Escolas de Cister & Country: PT

Project Partners

• Osnovna sola Draga Kobala Maribor
• Lentiz | Dalton MAVO & Het Groene Lyceum
• Fundacion Noruega Costa Blanca
• Harjunrinteen koulu
• Örensehir Çinkom Ortaokulu