Nov 10 2020
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Green Deal, European Youth Guarantee and youth employment: Opportunities and Challenges in Greece and Spain

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Online Event

The European Green Deal and the reinforced European Youth Guarantee: Will they help to tackle Youth Unemployment? Opportunities and Challenges with focus on Greece and Spain

12th November 2020
Time: 2-3.30 pm CEST

 The webinar is a collaboration of the World Future Council with the pilot projects GRÆDUCATION and EUKI YesClima and their partners. Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal is participating in the preparation of the event and the pannel of the discussion.

The event would like to discuss with participants and audience if and how a Green Sector offers a unique chance to involve young women and men endangered by economic exclusion, in particular by implementing the goals set out in the European Green Deal (EGD) and the corresponding National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). The online event provides a forum for EU parliamentarians, representatives of the national focal points of the Youth guarantee as well as young people and civil society working in this field to report on the specific situation in their countries. Best practices for measures, educational cooperation and policies will also be presented to initiate new ideas and to plan their implementation. The online event enables for discussions about the remaining tasks of the member states to develop programmes on how to (financially) implement the European Youth Guarantee in light of green recovery policies and the challenges of climate protection.

To be successful in reducing youth unemployment in light of the European Green Deal we will need strong European networks for an effective exchange of knowledge, sustainable cooperation and good policies. The online event aims to give an impulse to develop such networks and showcases some innovative policies.

Chair: Samia Kassid, Germany. Senior Programme Manager – Rights of Children and Youth, World Future Council.

Our Keynote Speakers
– Prof. Dr. Lina Gálvez Muñoz, MEP, Vice Chair of Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
– Max Uebe, European Commission, Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion B1 Employment Strategy
– Dr. Spiros Protopsaltis, Governor of OAED Manpower Employment Organization Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Vice Chair of European Network of Public Employment Services, Greece

A moderated discussion with
– Nikos Chrysogelos, Wind of Renewal: Youth unemployment, EYG and the challenges in Greece
– Silke Steinberg, FIAP, e.V.: GRÆDUCATION: a systemic approach for innovative, greennvocational training as change agent for labor markets (Best Practice)
– Afroditi Strati, Young Voice from Greece
– Ms Sandra García Lopez, Public Employment Service, Spanish Youth Guarantee Coordinator
– Dr. Silke Karcher, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety / EUKI (Policy Example) (tbc)
– Prof. Dr. Francisco José Sánchez de la Flor (Universidad de Cádiz): YesClima: Lifelong Education (Best practice)
– Mario Férnandez Ardanaz, Vice-President of the Provincial Government of Cádiz: Tackling Youth Employment in the province of Cádiz.
– Paula García Rodríguez, Young Voice from Spain
– Ian Menzies, Senior Education Officer, Education Scotland: Scotland’s Youth employment strategy: Developing the young workforce (Policy Example)

In our web-event we will discuss if and how a Green Sector offers a unique chance to involve young women and men endangered by economic exclusion, in particular by implementing the goals set out in the European Green Deal (EGD) and the corresponding National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). The Green Recovery will create new business and service opportunities for which today’s youth will need to be prepared.The European Commission’s initiative to “reinforce the Youth Guarantee” aims to support young people in gaining work experience and developing skills as well as to boost employability for a green economy. There is no doubt that the COVID-19 crisis will worsen employment opportunities, and it is feared that young women and men are hit hardest being excluded from qualified work. The exclusion of (not only!) the European youth from economic activities will increase intolerably, particularly in regions with an already high youth unemployment.

Therefore, the focus of the reinforced Youth Guarantee should also be on employment in innovative, emerging professions that are important for a sustainable Europe and in Subscribe Past Issues Translate creating jobs with a focus on “Green Skills”.

Today, youth make up 37 % of the global working-age population, but account for 60 % of the total unemployed. According to OECD, global youth unemployment rate is three times higher than for adults. The youth labour market is highly sensitive to economic cycles and in times of economic crisis youth employment is hit more strongly by economic shocks than adult employment. Young workers are often “first out”. During the 2008 crisis, one in ten jobs in Europe held by workers under 30 were lost. In Spain, Greece and Ireland, half of working young people lost their jobs between 2007 and 2014. Twelve years after that recession and despite economic recovery across the OECD, youth employment rate stagnated since 2010 and never recovered to pre-2008 crisis levels. Economic crises force young people into long-term unemployment, inactivity and discouragement which affects their long-term career prospects. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth labour market outcomes will be severe in developed, emerging, and developing countries. Economies with high rates of informal employment are particularly vulnerable to shocks. The lockdowns and the spread of the virus mean millions of young people lack social protection, income benefit in case of sickness, and are at risk through inadequate access to universal health care.

The reinforced Youth Guarantee will play a crucial role to tackling youth unemployment in Europe, especially in countries like Greece or Spain. The World Future Council and its partners, the Diputación de la provincia de Cádiz, Universidad de Cádiz, FIAP e.V. (Gelsenkirchen), the Sekretariat für Zukunftsforschung(Berlin) and Wind of Renewal (Greece), welcome the Commission’s initiative to “reinforce the Youth Guarantee” and have submitted in May 2020 a memorandum to the European Commission advocating for adequate training of young people to create new jobs that are in line with the European Green Deal. On top prevocational and vocational qualifications must be improved and should form part of the educational system.

About the World Future Council

The World Future Council (WFC) works to pass on a healthy and sustainable planet with just and peaceful societies to our children and grandchildren. To achieve this, it focuses on identifying, developing, highlighting, and spreading effective, future-just solutions for current challenges humanity is facing, and promote their implementation worldwide. The Council consists of 50 eminent global change-makers from governments, parliaments, civil societies, academia, the arts, and the business world. Jakob von Uexkull, the Founder of the Alternative Nobel Prize, launched the World Future Council in 2007. It is an independent, non-profit organisation under German law and finance our activities with institutional partnerships and donations.

The World Future Council works on solutions to some of the most pressing challenges by finding and spreading exemplary laws and policies that have a proven record of producing positive impacts both for current and future generations, working with parliamentarians, policy makers and relevant stakeholders as well UN bodies at an international level. The World Future Council recognises the increased and urgent need of empowering youth regarding access to decent jobs, including green jobs. In 2019, the Future Policy Award, also known as the “Oscar for best policies”, highlighted exemplary laws and policies that foster enabling environments for youth so that they can develop their full potential, realize their dreams, and contribute to the success of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Future Policy Award worked in partnership with the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the United Nations Development Programme, with support of the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, the International Labour Organization, and Youth Policy Lab. www.worldfuturecouncil.org

GRÆDUCATION

IThe BMBF funded project GRÆDUCATION provides important solutions to this problem in Greece. Together with the Greek Employment Agency O.A.E.D. and the Greek Ministry of Education, FIAP e.V. and the German Greek Chamber of Industry and Commerce are initiating collaborations between German and Greek vocational educators to “green” technical training and qualifications. In addition, the focus is also on interdisciplinary, transformative aspects, which aim at the “green” empowerment of young people. www.fiap-ev.org, www.graeducation.org

EUKI YESclima

In the project YESclima (“Young Energy Experts working for climate-friendly Schools”, 2018-2020), 22 young women and men from Greece and the Spanish province Cádiz, have elaboratedg energy-audits and proposals to make school building more energy efficient, mainly with “smart” natural techniques and using solar energy. The project is managed by the University of Cádiz (leader), the Greek social cooperative enterprise “Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewals” (Athens), the “Sekretariat für Zukunftsforschung” (Berlin) and the Energy Agency of the province of Cádiz (all implementers). The project is integrated in the “European Climate Initiative” (EUKI), founded, and financed by the German Ministry for Environment, Natural Protection and Nuclear Safety. https://www.euki.de/euki-projects/yesclima/

Participants

We aim to reach out to policy makers, parliamentarians, EU-representatives, civil society, and youth working the field of youth employment.

Format

This is a virtual event held over Zoom. It may be streamed live on the World Future Council Facebook page. The event will be recorded and can be made available on the World Future Council’s website and Facebook page.

BACKGROUND

The BMBF funded project GRÆDUCATION provides important solutions to this problem in Greece. Together with the Greek Employment Agency O.A.E.D. and the Greek Ministry of Education, FIAP e.V. and the German Greek Chamber of Industry and Commerce are initiating collaborations between German and Greek vocational educators to “green” technical training and qualifications. In addition, the focus is also on interdisciplinary, transformative aspects, which aim at the “green” empowerment of young people. www.fiap-ev.org, www.graeducation.org

The World Future Council works on solutions to some of the most pressing challenges by finding and spreading exemplary laws and policies that have a proven record of producing positive impacts both for current and future generations, working with parliamentarians, policy makers and relevant stakeholders as well UN bodies at an international level. The World Future Council recognises the increased and urgent need of empowering youth regarding access to decent jobs, including green jobs. In 2019, the Future Policy Award, also known as the “Oscar for best policies”, highlighted exemplary laws and policies that foster enabling environments for youth so that they can develop their full potential, realize their dreams, and contribute to the success of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Future Policy Award worked in partnership with the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the United Nations Development Programme, with support of the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, the International Labour Organization, and Youth Policy Lab. www.worldfuturecouncil.org.

In the project YESclima (“Young Energy Experts working for climate-friendly Schools”, 2018-2020), 22 young women and men from Greece and the Spanish province Cádiz, have elaboratedg energy-audits and proposals to make school building more energy efficient, mainly with “smart” natural techniques and using solar energy. The project is managed by the University of Cádiz (leader), the Greek NGO “Wind of Renewals” (Athens), the “Sekretariat für Zukunftsforschung” (Berlin) and the Energy Agency of the province of Cádiz (all implementers). The project is integrated in the “European Climate Initiative” (EUKI), founded, and financed by the German Ministry for Environment, Natural Protection and Nuclear Safety. https://www.euki.de/euki-projects/yesclima/

Nov 04 2020
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Webinar: “YESClima Young experts for climate-friendly schools in Mediterranean countries”

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“YESClima:Young experts for climate-friendly schools in Mediterranean countries”

Final Event YesClima 2020 | GREECE“

5/11/2020, at 16.00-18.00

An online discussion on “youth work on climate protection and energy saving”, organized by Anemos Renovation in the framework of the EUKI YESclima program on Thursday 5/11, from 16.00-18.00 (the discussion will be in Greek).

The event, which will be broadcast on Facebook and YouTube, will discuss with specific examples how climate protection contributes to the creation of new quality, green jobs and reduces costs for heating and cooling of public and private buildings.

WHEN? -> at the 5th of November,

WHERE? -> in the WELCOMMON Hostel, an innovative hostel with social impact and a center for social innovation dedicated to promote green and circular economy and employment in green, social and cultural sectors

but also! in our online event on facebook & youtube!!

We would be more than happy to invite you to take part in this event, in order to exchange knowledge, experiences and good practises for more climate-friendly buildings and educational centers as well as for green jobs on energy efficiency and climate protection.

The program of the event is:

  • 16.00 Greetings and description of the project carried out within the framework of EUKI YESclima by Nikos Chrysogelos (President of the Social Cooperative: “Wind of Renewal”)

  • 16:10 Greetings by Francisco José Sánchez de la Flor, (Professor Titular de Cadiz University, Director of the Department of Machines and Thermal Engines, Superior School of Engineering. Universidad de Cádiz, Spain, project coordinator (English))

  • 16.15 “Results of energy control project in 9 school buildings and a hostel within YESclima”: Dimitra Beleri, (architect), Ioanna-Athina Georgopoulou (building physicist).

  • 16.35 “Experience from my participation in the YESclima project”: Agapi-Evangelia Tsampazi (Civil Engineer AUTh., M.Sc., Ecology Program Coordinator, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Foundation, Greece)

  • 16.45 “Climate protection and energy saving in Municipality’s  schools – the experience of cooperation in the framework of the EUKI-YESclima program”: Maria Androutsou, (Mayor of Agios Dimitrios)

  • 16.55 “Climate protection and energy saving in Municipality’s  schools – the experience of cooperation in the framework of the EUKI-YESclima program”: Alexis Mavragannis (Deputy Mayor of Vrilissia)

  • 17.05 “From the level of the building we are now moving to the level of the neighborhood – interactions and new approaches at European level”, Michalis Goudis (Director of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Foundation, Greece, former communications manager of Housing Europe, the European Federation of Public and Private Michalis Goudis)

  • 17.20 Discussion – Interventions, questions and answers (Q&A)

  • 17.45 Closing by N. Chrysogelos

The event in Spain 

Energy saving and natural heating – cooling systems

Natural heating and cooling methods use less energy and are frequently more economical. However, many educational buildings in Spain and Greece use expensive and energy-consuming heating and air conditioning systems instead of more efficient and climate-friendly solutions. The condition of most of the educational centres should be improved. It is a fact that more climate-friendly solutions are rarely used.

The YESclima project is an EUKI program that aims to train young experts in energy related topics, to carry out energy audits in primary schools and to provide advice to the municipalities involved in the project. With their practice and additional training, the project goal is to increase their chances of working while at the same time contributing to reducing emissions from heating and cooling in public buildings.

In the framework of the program “YESClima: Young people working for climate protection and energy saving” 11 young people from Greece, organized in 3 groups, after a theoretical training and practicing for 6 months, they acquired knowledge, skills and abilities so that they can work professionally in energy saving techniques in buildings. All three of the teams, firstly, visited 8 educational centers in Athens in order to evaluate their energy audits based on the existing equipment and newly acquired knowledge. After that, their task was to compose technical essays where the current energy behaviour of the buildings is estimated and elaborate on measures and techniques that could improve the the indoor climate and thermal comfort as well as provide data concerning the energy savings in the heating and cooling of buildings, and thus also economic savings for the local authorities that manage the schools.

In Greece this project is organized by the Social Cooperative “Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal” with the collaboration of two municipalities of Attica, Ag. Demetrios and Vrilissia, the University of Cádiz-Andalusia (UCA), the Provincial Energy Agency of Cadiz (APEC), the Sekretariat für Zukunftsstudien Berlin an der Freien Universität Berlin.

This project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI). EUKI is a project financing instrument by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The EUKI competition for project ideas is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It is the overarching goal of the EUKI to foster climate cooperation within the European Union (EU) in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.’

Nov 01 2020
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Lucile: volunteering during COVID-19 for social green innovation in Athens

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I am Lucile, twenty-two years old and I am doing my second year of a master’s degree in international and humanitarian law in France. This summer I wanted to travel and be useful at the same time so I decided to spend 2 months as a volunteer with Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal in Welcommon Hostel! I found the ideal place where I could enjoy a beautiful city, meet great people, and help the refugees with organizing the activities and giving language classes.

I- About the classes
Because of Covid-19, the classes were limited to five students. In the beginning, it was a real challenge to respect the sanitary conditions and to guarantee a good atmosphere. The students had to keep a distance from each other, wear a mask, the most difficult thing was to talk with the mask… It wasn’t easy to teach with these circumstances but it wasn’t impossible either. I can say that, little by little, the volunteers and also the students, we all adapted to the situation.

Thomas, a volunteer, who had been in the project since March, created different level groups : beginner, intermediate, and advanced English speaker. I took care of three groups of “English beginners” and one group of “ french beginners”.

My first class was difficult because there were two families with children from different ages (ten to fifteen years old). Moreover, although they seemed to be all beginners, it turned out that some of them couldn’t read and write at all, the others were able to speak a little bit, and the third group was only able to read and write in english. And they all wanted to be in the same group.

Also, I had a real culture shock, because for the first time in my life I spoke and met people from Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey etc… They were speaking a lot in Farsi together and with the different dialects of farsi which made me a little bit confused at the beginning. In addition, they are not used to learning English.

So, Thomas and I had to find a solution which allows everyone to feel good, and which respects the sanitary conditions. We decided to divide the people into two groups of five : one with the children and one with the adults. Also, during the class, Sajad, one student, who could speak English and Farsi, helped me a lot. He did a translation between Farsi and English, which permitted me to understand much better the students and vice versa. Step by step, we put in place an organisation that worked and the classes became better for me and for my students.

I also taught French with another group of beginners. I was very surprised to discover that teaching your own native language can be sometimes so hard! I thought before that English was more difficult, but actually it’s completely the opposite. I had a group of five students who were very interested in French, so they were motivated and we could see a lot of things in two months! Such a pleasure to be a teacher with students who are interested in your class.

As a first experience, being a teacher was a big advantage for me. Before coming here, I had no idea how to organize a class, or how to teach… I didn’t know what to expect. Thanks to that, it was very easy for me to adapt myself to students’ needs. I was happy to be there, share my knowledge and have fun with my students. At the same time I also improved in english. As we had a lot of autonomy in our activities of how to organize a class, I let my creativity speak!

II- About the activities
Concerning the activities, it was a good opportunity to speak, to share the experiences between volunteers and refugees and to see beautiful places in Athens. For example, we went to Likavitos and Phillopapos. From the hostel, it’s easy to go there, and you don’t need any money. So everyone can go ! Visiting these places was a good opportunity to see the students in another context, out of the class, and discover beautiful views and monuments together. Also, with Tosia (another volunteer), we organised a treasure hunt in the National Garden. This means that students were in the teams of five/six (3 teams in total) and with the map the goal was to accomplish as many activities as possible in one afternoon. It was very fun to play together and experience a good team spirit.

Also, we organised a French and Afghan movie. We only needed a projector, one room, two old posters, pillows, a lot of popcorn and we were ready to watch a movie! It was relaxing and a warm moment that we shared together: with the reception staff, students, and the volunteers.

With some students, we also did game nights and played “Time’s up”, which is a rapidity game. This game is a perfect way to learn english vocabulary and have fun at the same time.

In the hostel, we also organised a “crêpes party” with my French students, in the idea of discovering a little of french culture. We prepared together the pastry, cooked and made them jump in a french way, and after all these efforts, we ate them all together! During this evening, we shared a good meal and played funny games. Such a good moment spent together !

I really enjoyed my stay here, in Welcommun Hostel ! Athens is a beautiful city full of colours and good vibes, and the Welcommon is a warm and welcoming place. The hostel is located close to the city centre, in Exarchia. It’s a beautiful place and it’s easy to go out and find a good beer or a good souvlaki. I met great people from different places with a different culture background. With the reception staff and the other volunteers and staff, I could see a true solidarity between us.

My volunetering was supported by the European Solidarity Corps Erasmus program as part of the project “Social Green Innovation for Youth” implemented by the social cooperative Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal