Klimaschutz in der Internationalen Jugendarbeit

The history of Young Naturefriends is defined by two central topics: international exchange and solidarity, and commitment to nature and the environment. Young Naturefriends are facing a crucial ...

The project was designed with the intention of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from international youth exchanges, training programmes and volunteer teams. It would be beneficial to demonstrate that 40 percent of GHG emissions (in line with the EU target for 2030) can be reduced or offset through the implementation of suitable measures. It was our intention to make international mobilities as climate-friendly as possible. Therefore we needed to equip youth workers with the necessary competencies to establish sustainable international youth mobilities. We sought to provide training courses, an app and a handbook to give them the background knowledge they need for planning such activities and to bring the participants closer to the issue of climate protection in a meaningful way. It was also our intention to reach the participants in the mobilities themselves. They were able to gain knowledge about climate policies and protection, as well as how the mobility was designed to be climate friendly. During the dissemination campaign, people from all countries across Europe were made aware of those outcomes.

All activities were planned and co-designed by young people, in line with the values of youth organisations. Participation was the key to achieving the project goals. This is why the activities always had plenty of room for young people to get involved. The partner organisations identified the specific needs for the activities and the project outcomes. During the project meetings, we developed the concepts for the outcomes together and divided up the tasks. Each partner took the lead on one of the outcomes. We held regular online meetings to keep everyone up to date with progress. The following activities were carried out: In Senegal, a LEARNING ACTIVITY brought together young people to discuss climate justice and explore ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Given that not all emissions can be avoided in the course of international youth work, the issue of compensation was also addressed in the project. To this end, the Senegalese partner devised a model for mangrove plantings as a greenhouse gas compensation measure. As part of a learning activity in Senegal, this compensatory measure was tested and discussed in detail. We translated and expanded the cliMATEs-app to compare and gain insight into CO₂ emissions from youth mobilities. The app provides clear guidance on how to implement more sustainable youth mobilities, enabling users to compare recent mobilities with previous ones and identify significant CO₂ emission savings. The app was used to make a comparison of the emissions from the activities. As part of the project, we also disseminated the results during a YOUTH EXCHANGE in Italy, implemented by GIAN. This involved producing media results to promote sustainability in youth mobilities. We developed and tested a curriculum for youth workers at the end of the project. This manual makes youth mobilities more sustainable. It is designed to be used with the app. We then developed the handbook, "Green.International.Youthwork." We presented and distributed it with the app, curriculum, and mangrove modelling paper at the MULTIPLIER EVENT. We also distributed the project results and insights via the social media channels and websites of the partners and the international Naturefriends network.

The project results are: 1) The app is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for international youth work (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.climatefront.app&hl=en_US&pli=1). 2) The manual provides guidance on greening international youth work (https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/68748812/handbook). 3) The curriculum is a training programme for team leaders on reducing greenhouse gas emissions for international youth work (https://asociacionbiodiversa.wordpress.com/2024/06/06/greening-international-youth-mobilities-curriculum/). 4) The modelling presents mangrove plantings as a greenhouse gas compensation measure (https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/68651290/mangroves-natural-heroes-to-combat-climate-change). 5) Multimedial presentations are available in the form of photos, videos and podcasts (https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Le7I4cFHOUeh4SnHbkSi6?si=OnWXu_4XSZa2O2wDBXFACg). 6) Trained youth workers are able to implement sustainable youth mobility, and young individuals are aware of the importance of sustainability in their own lifestyles.