When we hear the word education, most of us automatically think of learning that happens inside classrooms during the first couple of decades of our lives. But education neither begins nor ends in the classroom, and if we want any form of education to result in life long learning, it must be directly connect to and meaningful for life itself.
Therefore, each year Save The Med Foundation works with thousands of students and their teachers to deliver hands on educational projects that focus on learning about life and for life.
Through their own research, students learn about the ways in which our lives affects other life forms that we share the planet with through the example of marine animals (the learning about life part). Through the development and implementation of their own ideas and projects they then take action and promote behavioural change with the aim of reducing negative human impact on wildlife and humans alike (the learning for life part).
“By participating in these projects we consider that our students firstly; improve as human beings, secondly: they become empowered and thirdly: they become very aware.
Participating in activities even during school holidays, removing plastics from the beach, being the ones who lead projects in school… is what makes us see that for them it is a life lesson, a way of life, which they establish in their homes, which we establish in the school. And later they consider themselves tutors of the students who enter from the earliest ages.”
- Joana Fuster, secondary school teacher, Aula Balear
Through the Dos Manos School Programme and the Changemakers Project students help make a positive impact in their homes, schools and local communities. So far this school year more than 1000 students have collected citizen science data on plastic pollution and discussed solutions to plastic pollution through the Dos Manos School Programme. Meanwhile, 42 student teams have signed up to the Changemakers Project and are now working independently on the development of ideas and projects to reduce the use of single use plastic.
Participants will be invited to join the Changemkaers event where they get to meet the other teams, present their project, share ideas, network, inspire and be inspired.* Five lucky Changemakers teams that present the most impactful projects will be invited to join Save The Med’s research and education team at sea for unforgettable expeditions and excursions this summer!
“It’s an amazing experience and an opportunity to change as a person and make a difference for the environment!” - Paula, Changemaker 2020, Thalassa Team, Queens College.
This school year, a Junior version of the programme for students aged 8-14 was officially launched. While the objective is the same for both age groups, the Changemakers Junior Project invites teachers and their class to work all together for the reduction of single use plastic.
The teams with the most impactful projects are invited to join Save The Med’s research, education and multimedia team for exciting experiences in and outside of the classroom.*
“Through the Changemakers Junior project, students learn to put values into practice. It gives them the opportunity to actively participate in a real project, in which they have a responsibility.
They learn that every action has consequences and that each person is responsible for them.” - Diana Barceló Gelabert, Teacher at CEIP Punta de n’Amer, Changemakers Junior 2021
To learn more about Save The Med’s education programmes visit savethemed.org. To sign up to the 2021 Changemakers project before it’s too late, visit changemakersatsea.com. Contact edu@savethemed.org for any questions you might have!
*Format of events to be decided closer to date and is subject to change based on the evolution of the pandemic. All participants will be informed by email.
Special thanks to Fundación Jesús Serra, Ocean Family Foundation, European Outdoor Conservation Association, La Caixa Bank via Fundación La Caixa, WorldCoo, the Ministry of the environment and environmental education of the Government of the Balearic Islands, OceanCare and our Corporate Partners who all contribute to the co-funding of Save The Med’s education and awareness projects.