Sol.E.D
ESC11 Individual Volunteering – “Solidarity through Environmental Education – Sol.E.D”
The Context
We are currently living in a world, whose fossil fuels and other natural resources are close to depletion, extreme temperatures and weather conditions became a daily reality, numerous animals and plants are dangerously close or already extinct. Global warming has excruciating direct and indirect effects, which experts’ categories as a ‘climate catastrophe’, creating serious threats for the future of the young European generation. At the same time, the skills-mismatches and lack of transition mechanisms between education and work create barriers to young people’s efforts to enter the labour market and develop professionally. Finally, another issue concerning the young people of Europe is the damage of cohesion and trust in European solidarity, especially in the aftermath of the Eurozone- and refugee crises.
The Project
“Solidarity through Environmental Education – Sol.E.D” was a long-term ESC volunteering project proposed and designed by EKO with the aim to respond to the following challenges:
Need 1 – Environmental Catastrophe, Resource Waste, Global Warming
Need 2 – Youth Unemployment and Gaps between Formal Education and the Labour Market
Need 3 – Enhancement of Solidarity among EU countries and of Active European Citizenship
Sol.E.D offered 5 young people from Greece the chance to express solidarity in a creative, self empowering way through a 12-months program of Volunteering Activities. The project entailed two separate activities:
- A1: Volunteering of 2 young people in IYDA, in Bonn, Germany and its sister organization NGO NEST Berlin
A2: Volunteering of 3 young people in Viaje a la Sostenibilidad, in Zaragoza, Spain