Transforming Eco-Anxiety into Ecological Awareness, Art and Action

<< Objectives >>Scientific evidence is emerging that people are starting to experience extreme or chronic anxiety because they cannot control environmental problems, especially climate change. The ultimate Eco-A project target is to transform and prevent eco-anxiety in people into eco-awareness, eco-art and eco-action, that means overcoming an emergent mental health problem related to climate change and enabling them to become inspired, resilient and hopeful agents of a renewed sustainble world.<< Implementation >>The project aims at supporting vulnerable people suffering from Eco-anxiety by developing an innovative course and guide. The ECO-A training is addressed to professionals such as psychologists, art therapists, coaches and counsellors, VET teachers and trainers to carry out a pilot action in each partner’s country to people suffering from eco-anxiety. The methodology used will be Learning by doing, Environmental Art, Art Therapy, Student-centred and Cooperative Learning approach.<< Results >>A VET curriculum to train professionals acquiring tools to help people suffering from eco-anxiety to balance and integrate their emotions about the environmental catastrophe; share creatively their own views and thoughts; and reactivating individuals to become active agents towards a sustainable environment.The potential longer-term benefits: enabling future generations through resilience, creativity and cooperation to cope with emotional and social difficulties due to climate change.