LoCoEco 2
Start date: May 2, 2016,
End date: Dec 1, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
Project LoCoEco2 consists of two thematically connected Youth Exchanges on a topic of up-cycling, environmental awareness and creativity. Project will provide space and time for cultural exchange and international cooperation for 24 youngsters from Latvian organization Radi Vidi Pats, Georgian organization Georgian Youth for Europe, Ukrainian organization Khmelnitsky Youth Club of Development and Polish organization Bemowskie Centrum Kultury and will last 7 months from May to December, 2016 . The overall aim of the project is to raise awareness about the importance of effective use of resources, exploring connection between cultural tendencies and practices of dealing with waste in different societies nowadays and to promote understanding and appreciation of the cultural diversity through fostering creative up-cycling activities as well as exchange of experiences among youth.Creative up-cycling workshops and interaction with local community are the core elements of each Youth exchange. Project will rise awareness about waste management, recycling, up-cycling and sustainability as main tool using up-cycling workshops. The up-cycling workshops are planed as a process of non-formal learning where participants will have an active input in sharing knowledge and experience, they will learn new skills in communication and crafting. All project activities are designed in a sustainable way thus minimizing negative impact on environment. For example, sustainable transportations during activities of YE will be used, local and seasonal food will be served, materials for the workshops will be recycled and reused.Up-cycling workshops of first Youth Exchange in Latvia will happen on a territory of Liepaja RAS which is modern landfill in Liepaja region and has a possibility to host educational events, such as meetings, seminars, workshops. It is modern well organized space, where you can see final destination of waste. It has good infrastructure and educational facilities, such as seminar hall and museum of wasted stuff. The results of workshops will be exhibited there as the part of permanent exhibition of waste museum, which is visited by schools and different organizations.Activities of second Youth Exchange in Georgia will be held in International Scout Center Rustavi and will focus on interaction with local community: participants will collect waste materials from locals, transform them and will exhibit final results on a main square of Rustavi during city anniversary celebration, in order to show how something what is about to go waste can be up-cycled and used again. People who will be donating materials will be invited to visit and collect up-cycled objects back to their homes. During this public event some small up-cycling workshops (runed by participants) will take place thus ensure that people become more aware about waste issues and necessity of reducing, recycling and up-cycling. Digital materials from exhibition will be uploaded on official Erasmus+ platform for dissemination and exploitation of project results thus sharing this experience with everybody who are interested in European projects.Since this project is a partnership of organization from different and distant parts of Europe and Caucasus, we expect that the project will make an impact on promoting further cooperation among youth organizations and youth not only with neighboring countries but far beyond the borders.The most important benefit of this project will be awakening enthusiasm and desire in youth to continue participating in projects and to implement their own ideas, involving their peers, friends and family. Society will profit from more active, knowledgeable and confident youth who are certain of their goals and who are empowered to fulfill their own objectives instead of relying on initiatives of others.