The training course was designed for youth workers and youth leaders who wish to establish effective dialogue between the concepts of culture and nature, integrating both into their daily work with young people.
The training was based on the idea that culture cannot exist without the inspiration provided by nature. Its deepest roots are embedded in nature, and all of us, as cultural beings, harbor within ourselves a forest that reflects this innate connection with nature: The Forest Within Us.
From an educational standpoint, climate change and increasingly multicultural societies obligues us to re-think the existing models to give greater weight to both concepts.
The climate crisis has underscored the importance of the natural environment and prompted reflections on how to incorporate nature into the education of new generations.
Simultaneously, working with culture is essential to promote understanding, tolerance, and harmonious coexistence among diverse communities. This project recognized, therefore, the transformative potential that culture and nature hold in society.
Through outdoor learning, participation in creative activities (literary, artistic, theatrical), and the application of non-formal education tools, participants had the opportunity to:
Explore the benefits of creative and outdoor activities in a unique natural environment like the island of Tenerife.
Acquire new tools and methodologies for working with young people through workshops and experiential activities.
Plan dissemination actions for the use and implementation of tools created in their local communities.
Establish new networks for future collaborations in the field of youth work.
My life is mostly oriented on formal education and this project helped me to realise how easy it is to combine both- formal and informal education and methods together. I have already used some of the activities in my classroom, such as » Black-out Poetry» and «Make your city alive». I shared my Erasmus experience to my colleagues and shared some activity planning methods.
The trainers’ passion and belief in their work, their professionalism and their ability to engage the group with well designed activities. Clarity in the curriculum and activities, flow of learning. A selection of a wonderful group, different professionals in their own fields but with similar interests – to improve their knowledge, to apply it in their schools, villages and towns, and to build new international collaborations.
I would like to develop a project, implementing some of the acitivities in a cultural exchange in my country. The exchange would consist of activities aiming to increase the sense of belonging of young people in the country and to increase awareness and knowledge of the country for foreigners – therefore the focus would be mainly in culture, heritage, traditions and history.
