Good Energies Alliance Ireland (GEAI) will host an international seminar as the final event of its “Climate Change – People Change?” project (CCPC) on Thursday 16th February 2018 in Ballinaglera Community Hall. The CCPC project had Irish, Italian and Croatian partners who brought 24 young people from those countries together last summer for a week on an island off Croatia to train them up as Climate Champions.
The CCPC project started in 2016. The aim was to explore how climate change is affecting all three countries and differences in the approaches to the challenges experienced. It also built relationships among the partners and discussed methodologies in empowering young people to become climate champions. The Youth Action week in Croatia focused on increasing the self-confidence and power of expression of the participants in a physically challenging environment (the venue was an isolated disused army barracks and water was limited!)
“The Youth Action Week in Croatia was the highlight of the project,” said Aedín McLoughlin, CCPC Management Team. “It was astonishing to see how a week of isolation and close interaction with people of different nationalities can, with training, change in a week from being timid and shy to being able to express themselves in front of a crowd and argue their position. All of the participants became enthusiastic about joining in the fight against climate change and pledged to carry on that fight after the week was over. The event was a great success and we are looking forward to meeting some of the participants again on 16th February and hearing of their progress.”
The Seminar will focus on the Youth Action week; participants will describe their experiences, the kind of training used will be described and attendees will get a chance to meet all partners and participants. “This project gave us valuable experience in using innovative methodologies, seeing what worked and what did not and finally experience the transformation of young people in a very short period of time,” concluded McLoughlin. “Their stories will motivate young people and anyone working with them, and all are welcome.”
The Seminar will run from 11am to 1pm on 16th February in Ballinaglera Community Hall and a light lunch will follow.