The “Climate Smart Community” project supported within SMART Balkans local initiatives grant line is oriented towards educating the youngest, journalists, activists and citizens about climate change, and the ways in which we can influence on it and what we can do to prevent it. The youngest are emphasized as the most important group that will pass on their knowledge to parents, brothers, sisters, and the wider community in general.
The project implemented by the citizens’ association “Nešto više” brought together four schools from the area of Mostar (Petra Bakule Elementary School, VI Elementary School, Bijelo Polje Elementary School and Ilije Jakovljević Elementary School) and their environmental sections. Each school met, learned, played and socialized at the Permaculture estate “NEŠTO VIŠE”, and now it is a time for the final meeting.
What is it about?
Thinking about how to make a bigger impact and better protect our environment, our planet in general, how to al least slightly prevent climate change, UG Nešto više came to the conclusion that we have to start with the youngest. That their knowledge and skills, as well as awareness, should be changed and taught how to be more responsible. Of course, they are the ideal target group and they have already started to apply everything they have learned, but also to warn their elders, brothers, sisters, parents. And speaking of small things, consider how even in the apartment, on the balcony, it can be composted and recycled here too, because instead of throwing away an old t-shirt, we can make rags out of it, or cut it into strips and knit a pillow, the possibilities are endless. And the youngest, as we already mentioned, are the best target audience for such activities.
How did UG Nešto više teach its youngest members?
Through walking, playing, and outdoor workshops at the NEŠTO VIŠE permaculture property, where they didn’t fully comprehend how much they had learned at first, and how the “seed” of protection and advocacy for a cleaner and more beautiful planet that remains for them has been adopted. They expanded the learning and the games to aspects of meteorology and capturing the situation from the weather station, and starting to compare data over a certain period of time, in order to understand better and more clearly how much the climate is changing and how important everything that we all do to protect the nature around us is.
In addition, UG “Nešto više” created a special eco quiz. The quiz questions are the answers to everything that was taught and learnt on the farm through activities, sometimes without even the youngest being aware of it.
The winning teams from the four educational gatherings will meet on November 10, 2023, for a final challenge.
Participants and their schools will get valuable rewards, as well as opportunities for fun and interaction through learning.
