INSIDEE (INclusion through SustaInable Development and European Eco-citizenship)

Project INSIDEE (INclusion through SustaInable Development and European Eco-citizenship) aims to provide young people with intellectual disabilities with lnowledge and skills needed to become active and responsible European eco-citizen.

Project INSIDEE (INclusion through SustaInable Development and European Eco-citizenship) aims to provide young people with intellectual disabilities with lnowledge and skills needed to become active and responsible European eco-citizen.

People with intellectual disabilities have the same needs as people without disabilities when information and understanding of their environment, discovery of nature, origin of their food, etc, are concerned. They need, as people without disabilities, to better control their consumption and to measure the impacts of their way of lives on the environment. They also have the same rights, the same duties and the same responsibilities in a perspective of sustainable development and European eco-citizenship.

However, young people with disabilities are often excluded from environmental concerns and sustainable development issues because of a lack of educational material and practical tools to support them.

INSIDEE tries to overcome those deficiencies through activities aimed to both youth workers and people with intellectual disabilities.

Through non-formal education, the organization of training activities and creation of adapted tools, a group of 15 youth workers will develop the competence to support young people in their organization in performing eco-actions and reflecting on their power to change things as citizens. Involved young people will also be able to become active role-models as "Eco-Ambassadors" in their social or professional environment.

In order to reach this goal, the project will develop four products.

1. Research on contents and features of educational activities and materials. It should highlight which features educational materials and tools should possess in order to effectively promote inclusion of intellectually disabled persons around ecological issues, supporting them in the role of eco-ambassadors.
2. A Blended Course for Trainers that should provide educators with knowledge and skills needed to design and carry out educational programs on ecological citizenship for persons with mental disabilities.
3. Learning materials for young people with intellectual disabilities, focusing on everyday eco-gestures that will be used to raise awareness on ecological issues and how citizens can act taking into consideration the impact of their actions on the environment.
4. An application for tablet and smartphones that will help young intellectually disabled persons become active "eco-ambassadors" or "environmental educators". The tool will help them spread the knowledge they acquire on environmental issues within their immediate environment (colleagues, family, friends)

More information here: http://www.insidee.eu