Abstract:

The Erasmus+ project "Young Innovators fostering citizen Engagement for sustainable and fair Transformation and Innovation" (YETI) is focuses on the role of students in citizen engagement (CE). This project is based on Young Innovators (YI) education program, an European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Climate-KIC educational programme, that has been running in a number of EU member states in the last years. The project aims to facilitate a digital platform where discussions, exchange of knowledge and regular updates are monitored. Teachers and students will be stimulated to evaluate their experience and learn from each other, through action-based research. Scientifics will explore together with teachers, students and external actors, how the YI programme can be a platform for CE, treating young people as stakeholders in the transition to a better future for society, and strengthening the collaboration between universities and youth climate organizations in different countries in which the YI programme is being executed: Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Spain, 2811 Social Enterprise, Germany, CleanTech Ltd., Bulgaria and Stichting Techno Trend, Netherlands.

YETI project wants to achieve their main objectives by implementing three project lines:
1) "Power to the people. CE via YI" is focuses on the transition to become more inclusive and fairer. It emphasizes CE with the YI programme by including people in such a way that their other needs are also met.
2) "Power to the youth" revolves around the notion that to create a better future for society, the real stakeholders that should be concerned are young people and not the people who are currently in leading positions. Therefore, it will be explore how young people can have an influence on decision-making.
3) "Power to the youth through climate action" explores how the YI program can cooperate with youth climate organizations to stimulate international interactions. Finally, YI programme will be a platform for youth to organize their own future.

YETI consists of three learning cycles:
1) In 2022, experiences and opinions about citizen engagement of teachers and students are harvested and then used as a starting point for developing an approach for the YI season.
2) In 2023 and 2024, the results of the new approach are evaluated and used for improving the methodology.
3) In 2025, the results of the whole project will be evaluated and disseminated.

The first results of the project are described on this paper: PR1: Research consisting of needs analysis and qualitative and quantitative impact reports on teacher’s and student’s citizen engagement capacities in Pilots 1, 2 and 3. PR2: Digital collaboration space consisting of a platform for teachers and a community of practice for citizen engagement skills in sustainability transitions. PR3: Toolbox for citizen engagement development through challenge based education.

The project enables the YI programme to teach students about using CE to tackle climate and environmental-related challenges, which is described in the European Green Deal as ‘this generation’s task’. Therefore, the project adds the transdisciplinary dimension of citizens to sustainability education, by educating students to be strong and independent changemakers with citizen engagement capacities. At the same time, there is the opportunity to engage and mobilise local communities to collaborate on creating real, workable solutions to local climate challenges.

Keywords:

Sustainability, environment, pollution, universities, secondary education, sustainable neighbourhoods, urban greening.