Dobrovolnictví mládeže v časech klimatické změny

<< Background >>We´ve applied the project to develop and thematically update the volunteer activities of youth that we implement in partner organizations so that they better respond to the issues of climate change and reducing biodiversity. The aim was to share experience and good practices of organizations that were established in the common state, but for over 30 years develop their activities separately. The common goal of the organizations was to support young people's interest in volunteering in nature conservation, increase the prestige of these activities, and improve and expand the range of high-quality volunteer events which we connect with environmental and non-formal education. << Objectives >>The project responded to the need to use youth volunteering in nature conservation as an effective tool not only for nature management, but also for informal environmental education and awareness-raising on current topics closely related to climate change. The aim was to demonstrate that even small local activities matter and bring long-term and valuable results – for nature, for society, and for the young volunteers themselves. The activities targeted youth with fewer opportunities, focusing on sharing experiences in reaching out to young people who had not been previously involved. The goal was to foster mutual learning from the good practices of organizations with a shared historical foundation, developing their work in different contexts. An important part of the project was also to strengthen awareness of youth volunteering in nature and landscape conservation and to enhance its social recognition. Another essential part of the project was to create simple set of instruction for different voluntary activities able to be used locally for voluntary events with youth.<< Implementation >>We implemented all the activities planned in the project. We collected a set of good practice examples of youth voluntary activities for nature in Czechia and Slovakia (Stories of Enthusiasm) and published them online. We organized the Conference Hope for the Earth – The Voice of the Young Generation in the Environmental Movement to share up-to-date information, discuss the role of youth, compare the situation in Czechia and Slovakia, and promote volunteering for nature.We created a platform with simple instructions for voluntary activities and tested them with around 200 participants in both countries. We also prepared a large volunteer festival with discussions and workshops, where volunteer organizers and various stakeholders had the opportunity to share and gain inspiration from best practices.Finally, we organized the Green Forum conference to foster cooperation and joint activities in youth engagement and environmental education in Slovakia.<< Results >>A total of 48 Czech and Slovak stories of youth voluntary activities for nature and landscape were collected and presented in a comprehensive format on a website, in a video, and as printed booklets. A two-day conference, Hope for the Earth: The Voice of the Young Generation in the Environmental Movement, was held with 112 participants. The goal was to present current information and challenges related to climate change and youth engagement in environmental activities.A set of simple guides for youth volunteering activities was created and tested during public events. A trilingual website was developed with seven categories of instructions, and 18 one-day and one two-day events were organized, engaging a total of 389 participants.We organized a four-day volunteering festival in Telč, attended by 635 registered participants, offering a rich program of awareness-raising, volunteer work, and cultural activities. Toward the end of the project, 85 participants took part in the Green Forum conference, where they discussed the state of youth and volunteer organizations in nature conservation in Slovakia. The event also included an excursion and a follow-up volunteer activity in a unique natural area.