Outdoor Education for Wellbeing, Environment and Inclusion

About the project

Europe faces challenges that touch young people's social, personal and professional lives: social exclusion linked to political tensions, health issues made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic pressure from inflation and environmental degradation. They have affected the mental health and inclusion of young people and youth workers alike. The project asked who should receive care first, and answered that youth workers need the right tools and support before they can care well for others.

The training introduced youth workers to Experiential Outdoor Education (EOE), which uses outdoor challenges to support personal growth and group development through authentic experiences, group interaction and self-exploration. Studies cited by the project link EOE with less stress, more motivation and stronger engagement for the environment, which matters after a pandemic that left many young people anxious and over-digitalised. EOE also carries values that suit youth work, such as sustainable living, respect for nature and stepping out of one's comfort zone.

From 18 to 25 August 2023, EMOTiC hosted 30 youth workers aged 20 to 30 in Vienna from eight countries: Austria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, North Macedonia, Poland and Romania. Ecological Future Education (Latvia) coordinated the project, with EMOTiC as partner and host alongside Active Green Solution (Greece), Culture Clash Croatia, Szatyor Egyesület (Hungary), CET Platform (North Macedonia), Innowatorium Foundation (Poland) and Asociația Kasta Morrely (Romania).

For the project, outdoor education should be open to everyone. The course set out to reintroduce EOE in a way that puts safety and wellbeing first, does not exclude people who cannot cope with heavy physical pressure, and uses easily accessible places such as public yards, community gardens and national parks. The aim was to help youth work respond to complex issues such as climate change, mental health and exclusion.

Participants explored youth issues such as exclusion, mental health and climate anxiety and the role of youth work in tackling them, then the principles, theories and methods of outdoor education. Activities on teamwork, inclusion and wellbeing led to a nature excursion, nature reconnection sessions and an outdoor education hackathon. In the final days, participants designed and piloted their own small outdoor activities.

Reflection time, country realities and intercultural evenings were part of the learning, and every participant received a Youthpass certificate. National teams prepared a local action plan, and the team supported each group to run its follow-up initiative between August and December 2023, as an integral part of the training itself.

The project booklet is a practical guide to outdoor education: why it matters, how young people spend their free time, its history and values, materials, benefits and possible problems, places to practise outdoor activities in Europe, games for learning outdoors and reflection activities.