Searching the Partners for '' Forest Fire Prevention and Restoration'' Ka153

Project Rationale: The project is a direct response to the devastating wildfires that have affected Europe, particularly in fire-prone regions such as Portugal. It aims to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach by equipping key community figures—youth workers, adult educators, and NGO staff—with the knowledge and practical skills needed to tackle the wildfire crisis at a local level. The project recognises that this requires a multi-faceted approach combining prevention, preparedness, restoration, and psychological resilience. It aligns with significant European policies, such as the EU Forest Strategy for 2030 and the Nature Restoration Regulation.

Key Objectives: From a youth work perspective, the project aims to:
Interpret EU policy and translate it into local action.
Integrate digital skills into community resilience work by utilising tools such as EFFIS and Copernicus.
Teach and apply practical, fire-smart land management skills, such as creating fuel mosaics and implementing erosion control measures.
Support communities in disaster preparedness and recovery, including accessing funds like the EU Solidarity Fund.
Facilitate community workshops and build networks to amplify the project's impact.

Target Group:
A total of 24 participants: youth workers, adult educators, and NGO staff.
They will come from fire-prone regions in Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, and Georgia.
Participants do not need to be forestry experts; the project is designed to provide them with foundational, practical competencies they can pass on to their communities.
Main Activities & Location: The core of the project is a training course hosted at the Ananda Kalyani Centre in Portugal, a venue directly affected by wildfires, which provides a real-world learning context. The program combines non-formal learning methods, including hands-on workshops, simulations, and peer-to-peer learning.

Detailed Training Program
The program is structured thematically, integrating theory, practical work, and wellness sessions. The "Work That Reconnects" (WTR) methodology is a key component for processing the emotional aspects of the crisis.

Day 1: Arrival & Setting the Stage (Intro Day)
Morning/Afternoon: Arrivals, Welcome, Team-building, and Introductions. Participants will receive a guided tour of the Ananda Kalyani site and an introduction to its context.
Sessions: The day focuses on framing the wildfire challenge in Europe, sharing personal experiences, and introducing the program, Deep Ecology, and the "Work That Reconnects" (WTR). The concept of biophilia (our innate love of nature) will be explored.
Evening: Welcome dinner and a screening of a short documentary about the day fires invaded Ananda Kalyani, followed by a Q&A session with the community.

Day 2: Understanding Fire (Fire Day)
Theme: Honouring the pain.
Morning: The session will cover fire ecology, understanding the natural role of fire versus its destructive patterns, and its drivers (climate change, land use). A mindful walk into post-fire land follows this as part of a WTR session to connect science with lived experience.
Afternoon: A practical, hands-on Fire Prevention Workshop will take place, covering techniques such as creating fuel breaks and sustainable land management practices.
Evening: Participants are invited to join an introduction to the spiritual practices of Ananda Marga (AM).

Day 3: Post-Fire Interventions & Water (Water Day)
Theme: Seeing with new eyes.
Morning: Focus on the importance of rainwater harvesting structures in post-fire remediation. The morning session also includes the "Council of all beings," a WTR exercise.
Afternoon: A practical, hands-on Post-Fire Intervention Workshop will teach skills in soil protection, erosion control, and reforestation with native species.
Evening: A "Spiritual Thursday" with Kiirtan and Meditation is scheduled.

Day 4: Prevention & Earth (Earth Day)
Theme: Seeing with new eyes.
Morning: A session on designing a fire-resilient eco-village, followed by a group design exercise. This connects community preparedness with practical landscape design.
Afternoon: A hands-on workshop focused on installing a fire-resilient forest, applying the principles learned in the morning sessions.

Day 5: Educational Toolkit & Integration
Sessions: This day is dedicated to the "train the trainers" component. Participants will focus on harvesting a guidebook of pre- and post-fire interventions. They will learn methods for teaching these topics and how to use digital tools (like EFFIS and AI) and storytelling to create their own educational modules to take home. This corresponds to the creation of the "Fire-Smart Communities" Toolkit.

Day 6: Wellness & Celebration (Celebration Day)
Theme: Going forth.
Morning: Summary and recap of the entire programme.
Afternoon: The focus shifts to reflection, final evaluation, and a Gratitude Ceremony to process the experience and prepare for future action. This day also incorporates eco-psychology to transform trauma into collective action.

Day 7: Departure
After breakfast and daily duties, participants will depart. While the initial draft mentioned presentations and planning on Day 8, the more detailed schedule condenses this into earlier days, with Day 7 focused on departure.
Throughout the week, optional yoga, meditation, and daily duties are integrated into the schedule to create a holistic and community-based living experience.