Autor: PM

On July 8, 2024, the first youth workers activity of the Upcycling Waste project brought together over 25 youth workers, age 18 – 35 for an engaging and transformative experience. Held at CutSummerCamp, the activity featured the interactive game ‘Plastic Survivor,’ which not only raised awareness about the environmental impact of plastic but also empowered participants to explore practical solutions for reducing its use. Through hands-on exercises, the youth workers honed their creativity by transforming recycled plastics into new, innovative products. The experience fostered a deeper understanding of sustainable practices, equipping these young leaders with the skills and knowledge to inspire and implement environmental change within their own youth organisations and groups.

On April 5, 2024, the first school activity of the Upcycling Waste project took place at Apostolos Loukas Kindergarten in Nicosia, where we had the pleasure of working with over 50 enthusiastic children and 15 dedicated teachers. The event was designed to introduce young learners to the importance of environmental conservation through engaging, hands-on activities. Together, we explored the hidden wonders of nature and the urban wildlife of Cyprus, teaching the children about the vital role recycling plays in protecting these ecosystems.

Through interactive games, the children discovered how everyday materials could be creatively reused to support wildlife, turning what would otherwise be waste into something beneficial. They also learned the principles of proper recycling and the importance of reducing single-use items, gaining practical knowledge about how they can help the environment in their daily lives. The session fostered a sense of environmental stewardship in the students, encouraging them to become active participants in building a more sustainable future. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Apostolos Loukas Kindergarten for their hospitality and support in making this event a success.

On July 8, 2024, we hosted the second school activity of the Upcycling Waste project, engaging almost 40 children of staff members from the Cyprus University of Technology. Through the interactive game ‘Plastic Survivor,’ held at CutSummerCamp, we explored the environmental impacts of plastic and discussed ways to reduce its usage, possible ways of reusing and experimenting with ideas that can be regenerated from a problem. The children unleashed their creativity and imagination by crafting alternative objects from recycled plastics, successfully tackling the challenges presented in this unique survival-themed game. Together, we took meaningful steps toward building a sustainable future by teaching the importance of recycling.

On August 23rd, the participants of the Ecological Volunteering in the Council of Youth of Gandia, a group of young doing a two-week
long environmental activity camp, were able to learn and work on an upcycling project using the Upcycling waste platform.
We showed them all the resources that can be found in the platform and how to use it, and then they learned how to create a crib mobile using discarded bottles and cords. They used paints to create and decorate the images.
At the end they were able to take home with them a toy that can be hang to remember that there is no waste but raw materials that can
be used to create new objects.

In April, the Noi@Europe association accompanied a group of 12 students and 3 teachers from the Mangino High School in Pagani, Salerno, on a mobility trip to France. The mobility was part of a 3-year Erasmus+ project in collaboration with 3 other schools and associations from the following countries: France, Poland and Tunisia.

The entire project focused on recycling and reusing different materials, in order to protect the environment. The group of students from each school organized and participated in up-cycling workshops during the school year, and exchanged and compared their experiences with colleagues from other countries through 3 mobilities in each of the participating countries (Tunisia withdrew from the project).

During the last mobility trip of the project, which took place in Saint-Brieuc, in the north of France, the Noi@Europe association showed the UPCYCLINGWASTE e-learning platform as a good practice of collaboration between entities from different countries with a common goal; exactly as the students and their schools had done.

The closing event gathered all the students participating in the project and some local students from the Lycée Jean Moulin that hosted us, for a total of about 50 students; as well as about 20 people including professors, school principals and youth workers from the participating countries.

In early April, the Noi@Europe association implemented the “In Our Hands” training course, during which youth workers explored some techniques and methodologies on how to work with young people to implement urban regeneration actions through tactical urbanism and writing. 

During the 10-day course conducted in Roccaromana, a small village in the province of Caserta, southern Italy, the trainers used the e-leraning platform UPCYCLINGWASTE to explain some principles of up-cycling applied to urban contexts. In addition, they took a closer look at some of the woodworking methodologies that the platform makes available. As well as the workshops offered in the dedicated section.

Through the workshop, 20 participating youth workers were reached, as well as a collaborator from outside the Noi@Europe association who in turn does work with youth on urban design and regeneration and who, in this case was one of the trainers of the course.

In April 2024, a workshop was organised in Dali, Cyprus for the Upcycling project in collaboration with Terra Cypria, a local NGO in Cyprus that focus on the protection of the environment, CARDET and Precious Plastic Cyprus, a local team promoting plastic reuse and recycling. The workshop happened in Dali, Cyprus in the premises of Precious Plastic Cyprus, where they delivered a workshop for upcycling plastic bags and transforming them in long-lasting, durable items such as wallets, cases and etc, according to the creativity of the participants. In total, 15 people participated in this artistic recycling activity, from 11 to 70 years old. The backgroundof the participants was varied, from environmental reserchers to activists, teachers, students, youth workers and generally people interested in environmental protection and upcycling.

On August 30th, React VLC organized one upcycling activity where 12 young participants from Gandia but with different backgrounds participated.

In the first part of the activity they learned what it is like to participate in an organized clean-up of the beach of Gandia where the trash is regularly collected and characterized. They were able to see what type of materials and objects are found as a waste on our beaches and started to think different ways to upcycle them.

In a second stage, a short theoretical explanation of what upcycling is, examples and techniques using the E-learning platform to be ready to start getting their hands on the tools.

In the last part of the activity, they used some of these materials collected during the cleanup, plus old pallets and other recovered materials, to create a lantern that they would be able to use later during their camping night.

They learned by doing some woodworking techniques like cutting, sanding, drilling and creating joints.

They also used their creative skills to decorate the lanterns using plastic bags, and paints.

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At the end of May, the Noi@Europe association organized a series of info-days in collaboration with the municipality of Montegiordano, Calabria region, as part of the TIR project. The info-day was run with the aim of engaging young people to participate in an international work camp held in Montegiordano between June and July the same year. 

During the info-day, since the theme of the work camp was up-cycling and urban regeneration, Noi@Europe staff showed the platform to draw attention to the techniques and methods youth workers would use during the camp.

Some teachers from the Filangeri Technical Institute were also trained and introduced to the e-learning platform developed during the project. This platform was an invaluable tool not only for work during the camp, but also for future activities in a typical southern Italian environment, made up of crafts and poor in resources. About 10 teachers and youth workers were reached during the info-days and more than 50 young people participated. To keep the attention high, an activity based on nonformal education was proposed during the info-day. 

The activity involved understanding the biodegradability time of some discarded items in nature, creating curiosity and awareness among the students who attended. Focusing on the importance of the topic of waste and recycling, the basis of understanding up-cycling initiatives.

Our team in CARDET had the pleasure of participating in the Green Festival, which took place on April 16, 2024, at the University of Cyprus. Responding to the invitation from the University’s Environmental and Animal Welfare Club, we engaged with over 500 students, informing them about our Upcycling Waste project, actions, and efforts in promoting green skills and sustainable development. The event provided a valuable opportunity to raise awareness about upcycling and sustainability practices, fostering a deeper understanding of environmental responsibility within the student community.