About

Youth Entrepreneurship should play a catalytic role in converting STEM advances and innovations into public benefits, thus carrying the ability to create social and environmental value. Accordingly, it has become increasingly recognised that entrepreneurship education should be approached in an interdisciplinary manner to remain capable of satisfying the imperative need for sustainable and eco-friendly communities. It is worth mentioning that research findings testify an increased need for various industries in labour force with an expertise in STEM-oriented disciplines, but also a demonstrated need for business professionals who do maintain the capability to incorporate science (incl. environmental education) and technology -primarily through research and development- into corporate strategies and management plans that could be adapted in consistency with the requirements and peculiarities of both non-for-profit and for-profit sectors.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES, METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH & ENVISAGED RESULTS

“Green STEAM Incubator” is seeking to investigate the common boarders of STEAM and entrepreneurship, by identifying ways in which STEM-oriented knowledge can be utilised along the path of enhancing agriculture, environmental engineering and social innovation, under the context of Youth-oriented activities. Simultaneously, the project aspires to set a fertile ground for the promotion of a culture of social enterprises, agro-businesses and start-ups, capable of utilising recent technological innovations. Such multifaceted target will be achieved through a sequence of methodologies:

-by setting a framework on how to create collaborative affiliations among youth organisations, relevant stakeholders and agro-businesses, with the ultimate goal to foster activities interwoven with the sector of permaculture and organic farming, thus promoting a cross-sectoral, collaborative scientific learning experience for young people (18-35);

– by creating gamified methodologies such as treasure hunts, quests and a board game in environmental STEAM-oriented activities that relate permaculture/organic farming and environmental education, with a pedagogical focus habitat conservation and biodiversity; in other words how to conserve, protect and ultimately restore the areas we live in, thus encouraging positive behavioural change of youth, by simultaneously raising awareness concerning enormous eco-systemic issues, e.g. water shortage, water and air pollution, improper disposing of waste, land and soil degradations;

– by designing and delivering Modules for “Microcontrollers” and “3D Modelling” Youth Laboratories (Incubators) that will enable participants to acquire knowledge on how to design and promote holistic, high-tech solutions for sustainable communities, that stem from STEAM sector. Such Modules will guide young participants on how to employ “Design Thinking Models” in order to carry out potential environmental projects that bring into life innovative eco-friendly products and services;

-by creating and promoting media campaigns and digitized exhibitions which demonstrate eco-friendly products and services, designed and constructed under the context of “Green STEAM Incubator” laboratories.

IMPACT ON PARTICIPANTS & TARGET GROUPS

Green STEAM Incubator envisages to directly involve 140 participants (youth workers) in total throughout the pilot testing phase, local training activities and short staff training events, with the aim to bring STEAM laboratories in Youth Organisations, namely:

(i) local youth organisations, youth centres and municipalities dealing with disadvantaged groups such as NEET, early school leavers, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and ex-prisoners, with the aim those to be endowed with STEAM-oriented skills and capacities, which are deemed able to increase their possibilities to penetrate into the local labour market;

(ii) youth organisations and youth centres dealing with environment policies and actions (including on-line and off-line campaigns and other events which are seeking to create awareness, by informing the wider public on environmental awareness issues), as well as with the creation of more sustainable and eco-friendly communities;

(iii) youth organisations which are focusing on the provision of non-formal education related to social entrepreneurship, green entrepreneurship and agro-entrepreneurship and which primarily function as main providers of specialised education and training to the future generation of agro-entrepreneurs.

(iv) youth organisations and youth centres which are seeking to acquire expertise in STEAM-oriented activities which are simultaneously endowed with social, environmental and humanitarian ramifications, thus being capable of providing pioneering solutions to systemic socio-economic and environmental problems.

PROJECT CONSORTIUM
C.I.P. Citizens In Power (CYPRUS; applicant)
Center for Social Innovation (CYPRUS)
CEPROF (PORTUGAL)
LogoPsyCom (BELGIUM)