2022-2023
ForLife is a joint project of three partners: Doves, Slovenia (project leader), Jump (Italy) and Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development (Serbia), under the Erasmus+ Program.
EC Project Number: 2021-1-SI01-KA210-SCH-
National Project ID: KA210-SCH-2/21
Project title: Forest – our lifelong teacher
The projects is in line with the new EU Priority “European Green Deal” which is a strong claim and a new strong message of the EU towards all citizens. The project aims to train and empower teachers in the field of global challenges of environmental education (with emphasis on forests and the connection to climate change), through quality lessons and outdoor activities to achieve goals in the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The professional support of experts who will share their knowledge in the field of forestry will be provided to teachers, in order to enable them the opportunity to exchange experience of good practice that they will transfer to their work. At the end of the project, teachers will be sufficiently qualified, confident, with new skills and knowledge to be able to pass on to students and educate them about the importance of forests in relation to climate change. It is expected that students will, in following period, change their attitude towards forests and show the concern for nature and the future of our planet through their activities (not only in schools, but also widely) and to become active citizens. The role and importance of forests and their main functions (social, production and especially ecological) will be emphasized during the project, as well as the inclusion of forest visits in regular school work will be proposed, in order to improve knowledge regarding forest as a natural environment in Europe, to emphasize the importance of forest protection, but also afforestation and sustainable forest management. Teachers that teach students with special needs, marginalized and sensitive groups (Roma and immigrants who often have difficulty learning due to their knowledge of terminology, women and girls) will be included in the project, having in mind they do not have as many opportunities to participate in international projects. Through practical activities, games and outdoor activities, the mentioned groups can actively participate, learn and gain new knowledge about forests. The sustainable forest management requires the adoption of practices that take in account scenarios of future climate. Information/educational instruments are foreseen as the important tool of the resilience of the forest to climate change (educational institutions have important role, including Eco-Schools and others).
The implementation of these measures needs to be supported by a training and awareness raising that builds both general knowledge on climate change and forest management. The project is primarily aimed at teachers who teach students aged 5 -15. Teachers who educate children with special needs or work with marginal groups (Roma and immigrants), with the project activities they will help these children to easily integrate into society and encourage them to contribute to the overall progress.
The project goal is to achieve state in which teachers will feel equipped and competent to transfer knowledge in the first place to the secondary group indirectly involved in the project: colleagues, school managements and further students, which will gain new knowledge in the field of forests. The teachers involved will continue to share their knowledge and experience at professional meetings for teachers, study groups, thematic conferences, the network of Eco-schools in Slovenia and Serbia also have its own monthly newspaper, through which they inform the teachers involved in the programme.
Project ForLife started in February 2022, and lasts until July 2023. It is supported by EU, throught the Erasmus+ programm.
Kick-off meeting was held on February 24-25, 2022 in Portorož, Slovenia, with participation of all three partner organizations. It was very good opportunity to discuss upcoming activities in each country, as well as activities that will be organized jointly, as trainings for teachers involved in the project. During the meeting there was also opportunity to visit Skocijan cave, to see how on of the forest track in the vicinity of Skocijan looks, to learn about educational activities that National forestry institute from Slovenia organize with school children, and to see how Eco-schools program is running in pre-school in Slovenia.
Final online Conference on the project: Forest – our lifelong teacher May 29-31, 2023
Schools go green and digital – and Erasmus+ supports teaching excellence!