Girls and Women connecting for environmental change

Background The decision to apply for this project was driven by the shared objective of the project partners to enhance their capacities to better support girls and women aged 15-25 years old after recognizing the importance of addressing the unique challenges faced by this demographic that all partners work with, to create opportunities for growth and empowerment in various areas. Through this project, the partners aimed to build their own capacities, leveraging their expertise, resources, and networks to design and implement impactful interventions. Responding directly to the needs of young women to break down stereotypes, develop their competences and confidence to contribute to society, the project aimed to offer an innovative combination of hands-on activities, training on digital, innovation and environmental awareness skills, problem-solving and co-creation of prototypes to address climate change. The gender perspective in the project was essential because the youth sector as an area remains highly influenced by gender-based inequalities. Young women, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, face gender specific challenges related to education, employability and civic participation. Objectives By developing the We4Change concept and delivering the We4Change Changemakers Events the project strived to develop girls and young women digital and innovation skills; increase their environmental and active citizenship competences; build their leadership skills and confidence and encourage them to actively engage in society. Equally important, the project aimed to equip youth workers and trainers with the necessary competences and experience to enable them to effectively support female youth empowerment through digital action and civic engagement. Finally, the project succeeded to involve actors from the local community that were able to share with the girls and young women know-how, resources, and inspiration, contributing to the development of the project ideas from concept to self-sustainable products, being the main factor for achieving continuity beyond the We4Change Changemakers events. Implementation Under the leadership of the project coordinator, partners implemented all planned activities, as follows: a. Project Management: planning, monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance and financial management. b. Communication and dissemination activities: project website, visual identity, newsletters, promotion campaigns to announce project activities, contacted external stakeholders (sponsors, speakers, coaches and trainers, jury members) for the pilot events. c. We4Change Changemakers Curriculum (IO1): partners undertook a context specific analysis in the five countries covered by the project. Based on the results of the analysis, they developed the modules of the curriculum, tested during the 13 pilot events. The curriculum was translated in five languages. d. We4Change “Train the Trainer” Programme (IO2): partners conducted a survey to identify and validate the training needs of youth workers in relation to the adoption of We4Change curriculum. Based on the results, they developed the Handbook for trainers and youth workers. A Train-the-Trainer workshop was organised in Brussels with 24 participants. e. Each partner organized a multiplier event to disseminate the project results. Achievements The concrete outputs of the project are the following: 1. We4Change website: as a repository of educational materials developed by the project, but also additional resources and information helpful to anyone who wants to organise a We4Change Changemakers event. 2. We4Change Changemakers Event Curriculum: a digital collection of 10 learning modules, including workshop materials and trainer instructions, translated in five languages (EN, FR, GR, PT and RO) and available for free at: http://we4change.eu/educational-resources/ 3. The Handbook for Trainers and Youth Workers on Running a Successful We4change Changemakers Event translated in five languages (EN, FR, GR, PT and RO) and available for free at http://we4change.eu/educational-resources/ 4. A total of 13 We4Change Changemakers events in the five countries covered by the project (BE, FR, GR, PT, MD) with the participation of 148 girls and young women and approximately 40 trainers and 136 external stakeholders (speakers, coaches, jury members). 5. One Train-the-Trainer workshop with the participation of 24 trainers and youth workers. 6. 6 multiplier events to disseminate the project results with the relevant stakeholders with the participation of a total of 128 participants.