"<< Background >>Circular Economy (CE) embeds two key challenges in today's society: saving the environment while maintaining a sustainable economy. CE can be described using a basic economic premise: if we minimise consumption of raw materials and natural resources, we'll generate less waste and lead a more sustainable life. There are already numerous European initiatives that support and encourage the CE approach, making it completely feasible to apply it in any country (https://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/). By embracing this approach, all Europe could generate a much-welcomed net economic yearly benefit of up to €1.8 trillion by 2030 (The Circular Economy: moving from theory to Practice, McKinsey Centre for Business and the Environment Report, 2016). Ultimately, the principles of Circular Economies aim to apply the ""reduce-reuse-recycle"" motto and bring it to a broader scale so it can provide economic as well as environmental benefits. This would make it then an attractive model to implement in private and public organisations. This industrial revolution linear model can be described as a process by which resources are extracted, processed using energy and labor, and sold as goods with the expectation that customers will discard them and buy more. In a circular economic model, however, the materials are re-used, making it practical to conserve assets and materials with the aim of maximising the value of resources. For the realisation of these principles there are many important players in our society which include our schools. Schools (formal and informal learning) represent an area of particular interest for circular economy (CE) implementation due to their socio-economic relevance for the service sector and their influential role in supporting sustainable development in cities and regions worldwide (Ferrer-Balas et al. 2008). Schools contribute to economic progress and social wellbeing through knowledge creation and dissemination (research and teaching) and community development (outreach activities) (OECD, 2010).CESchools aims to embed CE thinking in Schools through educational and industry partnership. The design of this project was inspired by the various studies which examined how educational institutions can support sustainable development through formal learning outcomes. The studies highlighted how student-led change from formal learning, sustainability in school-campus operations, and branding the green schools were key factors for embedding sustainability in education. One thing that these studies were lacking was the focused on a structural ""hidden curriculum"" as the core of these initiatives, as well as the the role and impact these schools have in the local economies. When we talk about hidden curriculums, they are defined as the difference between the actual learning and the curriculum-based learning for the students within educational facilities. CESchools will show how schools can be a major player in promoting circular economy approaches by engaging their students to be their speakers in raising awareness in our society. We will demonstrate how human resources and initiatives are very important in embracing CE in each country.<< Objectives >>The project aims to provide solutions to one of the biggest challenges the EU (and the world) is facing: promoting a Circular Economy mentality and helping it seep into institutions and society to generate real change. At a smaller scale, industries and educational institutions can boost this shift towards integrating CE in all areas of society. Specifically, this project will provide: (1) Tangible, durable results: Creating collaborations between educational centres and private institutions. (2) Long-term impact: promoting and encouraging CE thinking among schools; that is, ""planting the seed"" for future generations who will grow and adapt their habits to ultimately create the biggest expected impact.(3) Long-lasting outcomes: developing new and innovative hidden curriculum techniques which can be used by other countries, not just the ones participating in this consortium.<< Implementation >>These activities can divide them into during and after the completion of the project: During the project · Project Result 1: a report analysis of CE thinking in Schools. This includes previous focus groups, interviews and meetings with major stakeholders to gather quantitative and qualitative data, designed to help our main target groups. This practical information will help bring value to adopting a CE thinking and increase awareness. This outcome will engage all the target groups throughout the project, and each partner is in charge of implementing and creating network collaborations with their respective stakeholders in the way the see fit. · Project Result 2. CE Thinking in Hidden Curriculum Development. Designed to demonstrate how public and private schools can play a key role in helping promote circular economy approaches by encouraging and engaging their students. In addition, each partner will explore how the development of a CE mentality in training human resources outside of the curriculum will be important for circular economy approaches in industry.· Partner Meetings. These will be both online ( every month), and on site (every 6 months). They will help maintain a good flow of communication, and will guarantee that the deliverables are being carried out progressively, on time, and under our expected quality standards. · Learning, Teaching (Testing), Training Activity. This will provide solid feedback with trainers before going to schools and letting the student-led activities run their course. With the expertise of teachers who know the behaviours and context of schools, we can perfect our outputs and make them more flexible to increase its duplicability. · An intense dissemination strategy will be deployed at regional/national level to reach relevant stakeholders working with local and regional participants and beneficiaries in industry.· At a local level, the trainers who will pilot the resources developed in output 2 and training OER platform will continue their work within SMEs, beneficiaries, participant organisations and other relevant stakeholders.· CESchool will create and promote a the methodological framework (output 2), based on a smart use of project materials. The framework and resources can inspire and be transferred – with the necessary adjustments - also to other sectors of education. · CESchools will also contribute to the debate of education in schools and to the effect of a hidden curricula in them. It will also allow a comparison of the development of a circular economic mentality within other national contexts. A wider awareness about the issues should lead to the development of policies aimed at facilitating an international dialogue and the use and exploitation of the material produced.<< Results >>The main project's results are: 1. Create an Overarching Analysis of CE Thinking in partner countries & suggestions for the Hidden Curriculum which includes all main stakeholders's perspectives (schools and industry) at delivery phase.2. Develop an enhanced experience of a Hidden Curriculum which includes all main stakeholders (schools and industry) and design stage.3. The development of two ( 1 for teaching and 1 for learning) very well 'polished' units/manuals in the field of CE Thinking.Overall, CESchools aims to create an enhanced experience of joint CE Thinking education delivery with the inclusion of various fields and academic experts from different EU partner countries. 5. An OER platform which is flexible and user-friendly for all target groups both in schools and in the industry.6. A (or more than one) published paper/s informed by the research project in question.Furthermore, this project will directly or indirectly contribute to the following expected outcomes:- The creation of an optimal match between schools and industry to meet the needs of CE thinking.- The comparison process between existing CE Thinking by using hidden curriculum from different countries.- The mapping and complementarity of CE Thinking to other existing formal education and development routes in schools.- Greater cooperation between schools and industry providers among national and international providers.- A greater exchange and cooperation between academia and industry for the benefit of future generations and participants.- In countries where there is no clear regulatory framework for CE thinking, the deliverables, may positively influence policy development for CE approach. - The raising of the profile and recognition of CE mindedness.- The development of student and faculty professional profiles on the way of CE thinking.- The overall process of professionalisation of CE mindedness."

<< Background >>The project Digital Storytelling on Sharing Economy, short DISSE, aims at reconsidering the concepts of ‘property’ and ‘sharing’ across Europe. Our society is facing quick and technology-driven changes. New technologies have been finding their way into all our living environments and the development of online platforms have made sharing easier than ever. Throughout Europe, many new business models on sharing have emerged, sharing and swapping has become a billion Euro market.As an economic factor, the sharing economy will likely become more and more important within the next few years. Hence, this relatively recent cooperative sharing economy needs to be included into the list of school topics. Pupils need to get a realistic view on the Sharing Economy and all its aspects and many facets.<< Objectives >>Therefore, 7 European educational organisations coming from 6 European countries will actively and closely work together with their network of mainly secondary schools and teachers to develop a methodology to introduce the Sharing Economy. They will do this by applying an encouraging approach for teachers and pupils alike, the digital storytelling method.<< Implementation >>Hence, the partners will develop a DISSE framework, a guide that helps (prospective) teachers and teacher trainers include the topic of sharing economy by telling digital stories into their lessons. In a first step, the partners will do some fundamental research on the status, the background, advantages, and disadvantages etc. on the Sharing Economy in their own countries. They will search for information on the Internet, will get in contact with practitioners in sharing, both profit and non-profit organisations, but also individuals. They will conduct explorative interviews and collect any information acting as reference for teachers on the sharing economy. The results will be published on the project website and available for everyone.In a next step and, among others, based on the research, the partners will develop a) a Teacher’s Manual providing detailed information about the concept, special features and methodology of Digital Storytelling together with step-by-step explanations on how to proceed, b) a Sharing Guide including teaching material on how to use existing digital stories on sharing as teaching material as well as resources to stimulate pupils’ stories on sharing. The Teacher’s Manual will be linked to a collection of easy-to-use and low-cost software, a descriptive collection of various types of digital stories (audios, photo narratives, explanatory videos, etc.) and a list of topics to help initiate stories on sharing. The Sharing Guide will be linked to a project video channel which will hold all digital stories produced during the life cycle of the project. These stories will be the basis for teachers using the Sharing Guide as teaching material on how to use existing digital stories on sharing and how to exploit them further.<< Results >>DISSE will generate results in accordance with four main project phases and two cross cutting Intellectual Outputs whose development will continue along these phases.The four phases are called: Fundamentals (M1-M7), Competence (M8-M14), Use (M14-M22) and Exploitation (M23-M24)The 1st phase mainly deals with preparing the conceptual and methodological basis of the project and will be concerned with the discursive establishment of the conceptual framework and building and intensifying networks.The 2nd phase mainly deals with building up competences within and around the target group, project staff and the closer network.The 3rd phase focusses on testing and using the DISSE framework in Classroom Workshops. The 4th phase focusses on extensive exploitation activities.The two Intellectual Outputs are called: (1) Best Practices on Sharing Stories(2) Digital Storytelling Classrooms ToolkitThe main functions of the two IOs is (1) to create digital stories on Sharing Economy to be provided on the website and (2) to create concepts, materials etc. for classroom usage including building up a pertinent network of schools.1st Fundamental phase results:a) dissemination material and tools, such as leaflet, flyer, project website, DISSE video channel, newsletters, etc.b) first results from topical analyses of sharing economy contexts with details of the current situation in partners’ countries regarding Sharing Economy c) explorative interviews with people active in the sharing economy, such as NGOs, teachers, student teachers, etc. sharing edcuational resources, etc. c) list of topics related to sharing in a school context that can be used to initiate and giving ideas on more digital stories on Sharing Economy, d) list of descriptive types for digital stories (explanatory videos, narrative photo series, audios, etc.)e) list of easy-to-use technology to produce digital stories.d) teacher workshops for the target group (LTTA) to train how to do digital storytelling on sharing economy within the DISSE framework.2nd Competence phase results:e) A Sharing Guide based on the partners’ and target group’s experience, expertise and knowledge gained from the topical analysis and explorative interviews as well as the Teacher Workshops (C1+C2) within the DISSE framework to give instructions on how to use the DISSE videos for external and school use. f) Collection of DISSE digital stories produced during Teacher Workshops (C1+C2) uploaded to DISSE video channel to be used during the Classroom Workshops.g) Teacher's Manual on how to use the digital storytelling method based on the partners’ and target group’s experience, expertise and knowledge gained from the topical analysis and explorative interviews as well as the teacher workshops. This tutorial can also be used independently on any other subject/topic.3rd Use phase results:h) Classroom Workshop: Implementation of DISSE framework in classroom scenarios at schools to test and refine the DISSE framework (where necessary) which can be regarded as the core activity of the project. i) Production and collection of a broad set of more digital stories on the sharing economy to be uploaded to the DISSE video channel for further use and exploitation activities (fourth phase).j) Finalised topical analysis report j) Refined and translated DISSE framework according to teachers’ feedback and experience gained from the Classroom Workshops.4th Exploitation phase results:k) School partnerships: The partners will present a strategy to support schools that have been involved in the project activities to build links with other schools, especially at transnational level and thus fostering the development of quality education, EU-shared values among the young people and promoting a better understanding of the EU. m) Intensive exploitation of DISSE framework during and after its implementation in the school context at appropriate conferences, seminars, meetings, workshops, etc.

<< Background >>The GENERAL needs of the partnership will be defined here but before it is really vital to underline how the pandemic caused a drastic increase in the household waste within Europe and more specifically in the partner countries. As it is a well known fact the COVID-19 pandemic has already had tremendous impacts on the waste and household sector. At first, while the pandemic was progressing and lockdowns were imposed in many countries, the citizens' consumption habits changed because of the “I-stay-at-home-effect”. Besides the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in the consumption of single-use plastics, oftentimes as a result of health and hygiene concerns. These are the main consequences of the global pandemic era and it will continue to affect the whole world. For this reason, the project partnership has the same global problems at the country level and all these created a big awareness of the“waste management” both economic and circular needs. In this regard, the German coordinator took the partners’ attention to a report by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU); that has published a report about waste management in Germany in 2018. In this report, it has been indicated that Germany's high recycling rates of 67 per cent for household waste but for household waste in particular, has been required to strengthen efforts to promote consumer awareness and waste prevention. Though the pandemic situation has interrupted the statistical data collection in partner countries, there are several reports and papers (i.e. World Bank , UNESCO, WHO, ZEROWASTEEU and academic papers from the related literature)are indicating the global needs for waste management both at the society and industry level. This project will not only meet the needs of the partner countries but may draw guidelines for the other beneficiaries and stakeholders all over the world. NEEDS OF PARTNERSHIP: The preneed analysis which were conducted between on December 2020 findings summarized following: To improve necessary skills and competences of adults about waste economy, To participate in the waste economy, To maintain sustainable consumption philosophy as citizens, To manage household waste sorting, To have household waste aware citizen skills, to protect the nature, to change their past habits, to learn recycling waste at the household. TARGET GROUPS of this project include young adults, adults, trainers, teachers, educators, tutors, adult learning and education institutions, adult education associations, lifelong learning centres, professional training and consulting centres which work on waste management and circular economy, municipalities, policy makers, public authorities, universities, researchers, supporting groups.FINALLY, this project will enable people from different parts of the society to make them work together about a common problem threatening the World.<< Objectives >>Despite efforts at EU and national level, the amount of waste generated is not going down. The decoupling of waste generation from economic growth will require considerable effort across the whole value chain and in every home. In order to provide the transition to the circular economy will be systemic, deep and transformative, in the EU and beyond, the Commission has declared to propose the harmonisation separate waste collection systems and a whole new range of sustainable services, product-as-service models and digital solutions will bring about a better quality of life, innovative jobs and upgraded knowledge and skills. Since it will require an alignment and cooperation of all stakeholders at all levels - EU, national, regional and local, and international, The 2Teach - 2Touch Project will provide modular training modules to the adults in the partner countries. Besides since the 2Teach - 2Touch Project aims to facilitate citizens’ involvement in waste management and circular economy, the deliverables of the project will upskill the competences of adults and help citizens take account of regional and local conditions of circularity. CONCRETE OBJECTIVE 1: The project will provide tailored cut information about how citizens can be more involved in the waste management and circular economy at the household level (R1). CONCRETE OBJECTIVE 2: The project will get sufficient information about waste reduction in household and true consumption behaviour in everyday life (R2). CONCRETE OBJECTIVE 3: The project will provide detailed information about how high-quality, functional and safe products, which are efficient and affordable, last longer and are designed for reuse, repair, and high-quality recycling in the household (R3). CONCRETE OBJECTIVE 4: The project will facilitate the understanding of the most effective combinations of waste separate collection models, the density and accessibility of waste separate collection points, including in public spaces in the partner countries (R4). CONCRETE OBJECTIVE 5: The project will enhance the accessibility of citizens in upskilling competences of waste economy by creating a digital environment (R5).<< Implementation >>PROJECT MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES- Project Technical Management- Financial Management- Quality Assurance, Evaluation, Impact Assessment- Mid-term and Final Monitoring Reports- Process Evaluation Report and Quality reports;- Dissemination strategy and report;- Dissemination material (newsletters, leaflets, articles)- In-presence transnational meetings with representatives of the partner organizations.- Sustainability planE1-E5: MULTIPLIER EVENTS in Germany, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Ireland and PolandACTIVITIES RELATED WITH RESULTSR1 - 2Teach 2Touch Module 1 - Participation in Waste Economy as a citizenR2 – 2Teach 2Touch Module 2: Waste Reduction and True Consumption R3 – 2Teach 2Touch Module 3: RecyclingR4 – 2Teach 2Touch Module 4: Household Waste SortingR5 – 2Teach 2Touch Module 5: Digital Environment<< Results >>INTANGIBLE RESULTS: The achievement of intangible results will be measured using tools such as interviews, questionnaires, tests, observations or self-assessment mechanisms, due to their qualitative nature: Strengthened cooperation between partner countries through the development of a formal network based on structured communication and cooperation models, Identification of key circular economy awareness competences that can enable target groups to set up waste management with more skills; Partners of the project and their local and regional networks trained on the use of file sharing open source platform with distance learning functions during the project lifecycle; Increased awareness of public regional, national and European bodies on the urgency to facilitate the transition into circular economy and adopting EU waste legislation at the household level.TANGIBLE RESULTS: Detailed set of skills and competences being citizen in waste economy; List of indicators of achievement; 5 TRAINING MODULES AS RESULTS; National reports summarizing the main findings of the interviews; Pilots and evaluation reports; Installed and functioning digital environment; National report of practices via digital environment; Final feedback report on the use of the digital platform. Project Management (PM) Results: Meeting minutes. After each meeting a report (minutes) will be written by the host partner and reviewed by Europass Berlin, containing a schedule of required follow-up activities and tasks and an evaluation questionnaire to be filled in by all participants; List of coordination team members; Work Plan; 8 quarterly partner technical and financial reports; Interim and Final technical and financial reports; Monitoring, Q&A and Evaluation Plan; Quarterly monitoring reports prepared by all partners; Interim evaluation report; Final evaluation report; Partnership Agreement; Risk Severity Matrix and Mitigation Plan; Mid-term and final impact report; Gantt Chart. Dissemination and exploitation results: Dissemination and Exploitation Plan; 2Teach 2Touch web showcase (project website, FB, Instagram, and LinkedIn media profiles, web page on partner websites); Visual identity (logo, web banner, leaflet in 6 languages); 4 newsletters in 6 languages, 2 Academic paper.

<< Objectives >>The ambitious ACCESS project aims to bring together two of today's most demanded educational policy priorities: the acquisition of green skills through an innovative digital approach that harnesses the potential of personal digital devices. This will be achieved by development of new learning tools for teachers and pupils and by providing a high quality environment and support to enable end-users to make the most of these tools.<< Implementation >>The objectives of the project will be achieved through complementary activities:- Development of micro-learning lessons and a micro-credential evaluation process on circular behaviour in school education;- Development of an e-learning platform to communicate the results to the target audience in the most efficient way;- Training end-users in the use of all tools;- A thorough quality assessment of the potential use of all tools;- Massive dissemination of results in the EU.<< Results >>All the main outputs of the project will be digital and web-based:- Circular Behaviour training through micro-lessons;- A toolkit for teachers on how to use micro-lessons on circularity for teachers and pupils;- Scheme for Circular behaviour assessment utilizing the micro-credentials;- A learning platform with all the tools in one place, providing a secure and user-friendly environment.

<< Background >>The damaging effects that humans have on the environment has been shown and proven over and over. In fact, the recent coronavirus pandemic has clearly demonstrated how well our environment does when human destructive activity is reduced. Despite the obvious negative consequences of COVID, a clear positive side-effect was that most people became aware of how we are all interconnected. Especially with nature.As countries try to open up again, it is the perfect time to reconsider the importance of addressing global environmental issues. One of the main pillars of our society is education. It is, in fact, within the educational system that changes can be made in order to approach environmental sustainability, through tangible changes. Our project, PESEs, aims at raising awareness on important environmental issues that need to be addressed. It aims to have a ripple effect, where students who take part in our project continue the process of educating their families and friends. All partners in this project undoubtedly believe that we need to address environmental sustainability in our schools. Specifically ELC, a group of schools having first-hand contact with kids, felt the genuine need for students to truly understand environmental issues such as climate change, the circular economy model (reduce, reuse, recycle and refuse adverse practices). Younger generations are the future, if we expose them to these important environmental issues from a young age, get them involved, ask them to tell us THEIR stories, it will increase the chances of a shift in paradigm, to empower them and make them feel they are important players to improve the present situation. In fact, these young students will be future parents, stakeholders, perhaps even policy makers, and it is our mission to face this challenge in a constructive, positive way.<< Objectives >>The main, long-term goal of the PESEs is to introduce environmental sustainability in the school curricula, and make it a pillar of their education, which will in turn have a direct positive impact on the environment. We propose to create a hidden curriculum that can be integrated into their formal one, into their everyday lives.Our specific desired achievement during the duration of the project is to create a multinational community of people who take an active role in the promotion of environmental change. We want to facilitate the inclusion of environmental sustainability topics in the school curricula; in a way that is fun, interactive, and incites students to keep learning and take responsibility for their actions. One of PESEs’ main objectives is to bridge the gap between acquired knowledge and behavioural (actions) concerning sustainability in the younger population.<< Implementation >>There will be 2 international training activities (LTTAs), several national piloting sessions, amongst other activities aimed at increasing social awareness of environmental sustainability in a school setting. After the initial teacher training workshops on Digital Storytelling (DST), we intend students to produce their own and digital stories related to sustainability and environmental issues. The approach will be motivational and participatory within the school system. Partners will guide and engage secondary school students in the development of digital stories. The main goal is to empower these students to become vectors of this information and educational tools into their homes and their communities. Very importantly, they can also serve as catalysts for actions and social change. We also hope to use a self-generated means for students to voice their concerns, become engaged and seek more involvement from their local (and international) student communities. In terms of sustainability, the project is also targeted at improving the local and social economy and ecology. We will emphasize a participatory, hands-on design process by which students can generate ideas, share their own stories and create small projects. All results and proposals will be hosted and managed in an interactive, multilingual digital platform. This platform will be available even after the end of the project, so that other students, teachers and staff members can keep benefiting from the results of this project long after it is over.<< Results >>Specifically, the main outcomes of this proposal are: PR-1 (a): A METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK for implementation. Presented in the format of an electronic book (eBook), this outcome will include a literature review, analysis and evaluation of the existing educational national examples based on the UN's sustainable development (environmental) goals (SDGs). The learning and training needs for our target groups will set the structure for both of the subsequent intellectual outcomes, PR2 ( a training curriculum with the SD topics), and PR3 ( a Training Toolkit for the resources). PR-1 (b): A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT providing access to the full range of educational resources generated throughout the lifecycle of the project will be set up by ELC and AdM with the help of all partners. It will include access to the eBook and its updates (downloadable), the training curriculum, and the toolkit. The final outcome will thus include a comprehensive compendium of all intellectual outcomes for PESEs, which will be presented in the final conference scheduled for M23 in Madrid, ES. PR-2: A TRAINING CURRICULUM AND SUSTAINABILITY STORIES on sustainability development. Initially, selected groups of teachers from all the partner institutions and associates will be properly trained on the DST methodology, in order to be able to transfer it at a local level. This will be done using one of the two training activities planned (C1). Each partner will previously select local target school student groups and volunteer teachers to guide them through the process of creating their own digital stories on specific environmental and sustainable development topics chosen. This intellectual outcome is one of the central ones. The compendium of personal digital stories will be hosted and organised in an online platform that will offer flexible educational paths for the use of these stories on environmental pollution and sustainable development. PR-3: A PRACTICAL TOOLKIT of guidelines and resources for teachers and practitioners who want to use the materials generated in this project. It is intended that professionals in education have an organised and easy access to the guidelines and tools generated so that they can run DST sessions on their own, anytime, anywhere they may be. All the intellectual outputs will be maintained at least 5 years after the lifetime of the project. Further results are also expected from the 5 national multiplier events and a final conference, all planned at the final phase of the 2-year project. All these results will be integrated into the platform and project network, and as part of the on-going evaluation, a report will also be presented to describe potential improvement tools.