Staff training event in Palermo
From 28th to 30th August 2021 the short-term joint staff training took place in Palermo held by the Uniamoci Onlus Association for the Erasmus + "Green youth's promoters" partnership aimed at exchanging good practices between 4 European organizations, including Uniamoci Onlus as coordinator, the Portuguese organization Brigada do Mar, the Belgian organization Urban Foxes and the Polish organization Unesco Initiative Center; the project aims to satisfy young people's desire for active participation by providing youth organizations and their educators with the necessary knowledge, skills and competences that enable them to effectively promote and support the commitment of young people to environmental protection.
On the first day, the participants, after some icebreakers and teambuilding activities, were encouraged to discuss some green issues such as ecology, tactical urbanism and its methodologies, the making of an event and activities to protect the environment. Through the world-café technique it was possible to share ideas and every group made a poster that enclosed the different opinions that each participant had about the topic. On the second day, we made drawings using markers, pencils and colours to promote environmental sustainability. The participants’ contribution was really creative, representing different topic aspects, such as animalism, fighting against pollution in the seas and the use of plastic, solidarity. In discussion tables we talked about how to involving young people in child environmental activities, reflecting about advantages of this action and planning activities. On the third and last day, in collaboration with some volunteers with disabilities, we all contribute in gardening activities: now Brancaccio has a new small green area! The training’s participants and the volunteers planted new trees and flowers, cleaning streets from plastic and waste. In the afternoon, we made coasters and candle holders with glasses and jars, using recycled materials such as old fabrics and pieces of paper. Each participant was able to create a small object with zero cost, to take with them or to give to someone. After discussing in small groups the possibilities of environmental actions with people with disabilities, each national group created an activity to be implemented locally.
This training was a great opportunity to share ideas and suggestions on topics like ecology, youth and inclusive participation, to make green events and implement environmental activities with young people, children and people with disabilities. Working together has allowed the development of new activities to be carried out in the coming months.
