From October 20-26, we embarked on an innovative journey as we hosted the "Reconnecting with Nature" mobility event, part of the UP2NEB project. This initiative brought together 10 young participants alongside 5 dedicated youth workers and trainers from the consortium countries to explore and develop ideas that align with the principles of the New European Bauhaus.
The workshop aimed to explore the "Reconnecting with nature" pillar of the New European Bauhaus through non-formal education. The specific objectives included:
- Collaborative project development: Facilitate young people in collaborating to develop concrete, beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive projects aligned with the NEB initiative, tailored to their local needs.
- Encouraging synergies: Promote cooperation among young people, youth workers, trainers, and other stakeholders to address complex societal problems through co-creation.
One of the highlights of the week was definitely October 25th, when we held our first Youth Pitches event, where participants presented their creative solutions aimed at fostering a deeper connection with nature within their communities. The event highlighted the importance of sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics - core principles of the New European Bauhaus.
During the pitches, two international teams presented their innovative projects:
- Redesigning common spaces: This proposal focuses on transforming shared neighborhood areas to promote belonging and encourage intergenerational collaboration among residents from diverse backgrounds.
- Sustainable farming machine: The second team introduced a machine designed to support sustainability and the circular economy, which will also assist local farmers in their agricultural practices.
These projects not only address pressing challenges in their communities but also embody the spirit of the New European Bauhaus initiative, aiming to create a more sustainable and inclusive future.
As a result of the workshop, we anticipated several positive outcomes:
- Enhanced knowledge and skills: Participants would gain improved knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to create beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive projects that can transform their communities.
- Increased capacity for co-creation: Young people and youth workers would develop greater capacity to collaboratively address complex societal challenges, particularly in the context of creating living spaces.
- Prototyping innovative ideas: We aimed to see 2-3 innovative ideas prototyped and pitched during the event, showcasing the creativity and resourcefulness of the participants.
The UP2NEB project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ program of the EU, seeks to engage, connect, and empower youth workers from peripheral areas of the EU. The consortium is led by CIAPE (Italy) and fosters cooperation between Materially S.r.l. Impresa Sociale (Italy), Quiosq (The Netherlands), IEC (Austria), Eco Logic (North Macedonia), Podgradom and STEP (Slovenia), The Santa María La Real Foundation (Spain), Ankara Aks (Türkiye) and GEYC (Romania).