Participation

Active community participation is essential for driving environmental sustainability in Maracena. Here is how we get the community involved to make a tangible difference:

The Youth Space of Maracena launched a local youth volunteer group with the mission of promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices among young people in their communities and educational centers. By empowering young people to take the lead in planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating these initiatives, the program provided them with valuable non-formal educational opportunities that promoted their learning while creating active citizenship and fostering social participation.

Through hands-on activities, the young volunteers not only learned about the importance of
environmental protection but also developed leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities. The key focus of these activities was to create positive, lasting impacts on both the local environment and the broader community.

One of the notable events organized by the youth volunteer group was a local initiative aimed at promoting the use of bicycles as an eco-friendly mode of transportation while also raising awareness about road safety in public spaces. The event had several key objectives and activities that aligned with both environmental and social goals:

• Various Animation Workshops by the Environmental Mobility Volunteer Group – these workshops were designed to engage young people in the topic of sustainable mobility, focusing on the benefits of cycling for both the environment and personal health;
• Road Safety Education Circuit for Children and Young People – in addition to promoting sustainable transportation, the event also included a practical road safety education circuit which aimed at teaching children how to navigate public spaces safely while using bicycles by simulating real-life traffic scenarios;
• Presentation of Public-Use Bicycles for Young People – a key component of the event was the introduction of public-use bicycles, which were made available to young people as an alternative, sustainable mode of transportation;
• Exhibition of Vintage Sustainable Mobility Vehicles – as part of the event, an exhibition was held to showcase vintage vehicles that promoted sustainable mobility.

The event was a huge success, not only in terms of raising environmental awareness but also in encouraging young people to take ownership of their community’s sustainability efforts.