EcoGaming: Developing Serious Games for Environmental Learning of Young People

<< Background >>We applied for this project to address critical needs related to environmental learning and combating climate change, which have become pressing global challenges. Recognizing the rapid deterioration of ecosystems, the loss of biodiversity, and its effects on food security, water availability, and public health, we wanted to empower young people with the necessary skills to foster sustainable behaviors. Additionally, the project aimed to enhance the competencies of youth workers and educators by introducing gamified non-formal learning methods, which research has shown to engage learners. By focusing on digital tools and serious games, the project addressed the gap in digital competencies among young people and youth workers, enabling them to tackle issues such as biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and climate change while promoting civic participation and innovative educational practices.<< Objectives >>With this project, we wanted to:- Raise awareness about ecologically sustainable behaviors and climate change among young people;- Improve the quality and innovation of youth workers, educators, coaches by introducing the method of gamification in non-formal education;- Increase the digital competencies of young people and youth workers via developing digital materials and games about fighting climate change, loss of biodiversity, and supporting food security.This project aimed at fostering skills development and key competencies in knowledge about environmental protection through civic participation by creating innovative practices, tools, and methodologies within the field of youth education.<< Implementation >>- Kick-off meeting where we shared the project objectives with all partners and determined how to manage and organize all activities- We developed a multilingual (English, Hungarian, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, and Bulgarian) board game - Fairy Fighters - on environmental learning, designed to engage young people in fun, interactive ways while raising awareness about sustainable behaviors. - We created a project website, which included an online extension of the game, expanding accessibility and impact and adding the digital element. The game was printed in all partner languages and all the assets are available for free Print&Play on the project website ecogaming-project.eu- We organized a training course for 15 youth workers, focusing on improving their competencies in environmental protection and game-based learning methodologies. This mobility allowed participants to gain practical skills and insights that they could apply in their local contexts.- We conducted the Let’s EcoPlay workshops, engaging at least 100 young people and youth workers in hands-on sessions that combined environmental education with gamified learning, fostering greater awareness and skills to address the most pressing environmental issues.<< Results >>- A board game Fairy Fighters on battling environmental disasters (players age: 15+, duration: 40 min; topics overpopulation, food security, environmental pollution, natural disasters, biodiversity loss), and a methodology to guide non-formal educational session for young people;- A website with downloadable game assets for free Print&Play and online game assistant;- English version of the game and online game assistant and translations into Italian, Portuguese, Hungarian, Greek and Bulgarian.- More aware youth workers and communities of the importance of games in learning about the environment;- Better digital skills among the youth workers;- At least 50 young people played the game in the physical format; at least 50 educators, coaches, and public institutions in education and environmental protection learned about the game and will use it in practice; organisations learned gamification and game production, increased their digital skills.