Green Leaders: Sustainability – Getting Started!

MAIN IDEA OF THE ACTIVITY: “Green leaders – active youth participation vs global environmental and climate change” is 2 year project focus on a theme: sustainable development – how to reduce our environmental impact in youth organizations everyday management and youth projects management as a tool to combat environmental and climate change. The main aim of the project is to gather experience, information and knowledge on sustainability from different stakeholders such as local NGOs, local municipalities and institutions, regional authorities, international organizations and non-organized youth during several activities with an aim to create guidelines on how to reduce the environmental impact in projects lead for and by youth and create events closer to zero environmental impact on globe. During the 2 years of the project, many different activities (Training Courses, Job Shadowing, Seminar, Networking building activities, Online activities, etc) will be implemented within the corporation of partners. The first training course of the Green Leaders “Sustainability – Getting Started!” will be held in Mollina, Spain between 14-23 September 2012. The 8 day training course will gather 24 youth workers, youth leaders, managers and volunteers of the partner organizations to explore and learn about the main principles and aspects of sustainability and ecological footprint within youth organizations and youth projects together with the general aspects of environmental thinking and green behaviour across Europe and the world. Training course will increase the capacity of our organizations to prepare and run youth activities with less possible impact on environment but also implement in daily activities of the organisations through the organisational policy and its implementation. WORKING METHODS The training will be based on non-formal education methods, encouraging active participation of young people involved. • Ice-breakers, energisers. • Inputs from experts • Simulations, role plays • Intercultural and experiential learning • Variety of visuals for thematic input • Brainstorming and discussions both in working groups and in plenary. PROFILE OF PARTICIPANT Priority will be given to those that most closely meet this criteria: • Youth leaders, youth workers, volunteers very motivated to act in their sending organisation • Are over 18 years old • Have an interest in the topic • Willing to learn & motivated to share experience with others after the event • Are able to work in English • Are committed to attend for the full duration of the training • Are nominated by their youth organisation • Ready to put in practice the learning outcomes in local level as a green leader after the event! Gender balance, group diversity in terms of different social and cultural backgrounds will be taken into consideration. !! Call is open only for participants from Portugal, Belgium, Turkey, Netherlands and Spain.