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a non-formal learning framework for young people. In many countries these clubs
are officially recognised and supported as a framework for youth work that facilitates their capacity building and learning (Goldman et al. 2017; Kiilkowski and
Kivijärvi 2015; Forkby and Kiilakowski 2014).
In Israel, youth movements (YMs) are defined as “non-formal organizations of
young people active for young people, that have a consolidated vision and membership is voluntary” (Ministry of Education website) and they comprise one of the
main agents involved in non-formal education of youth. Principles and requirements
common to all formally recognised YMs include:
• education according to universal humanistic values,
• respect for human rights and cultural diversity,
• community and social involvement – contribution to the community and
environment,
• cultivating critical thinking, readiness and willingness for change,
• personal and social self-realisation.
Throughout the years, Israeli YMs have contributed to society in general and to
youth in particular in a diverse range of areas: promoting social values and human
rights, encouraging coexistence, tolerance and social solidarity; reducing social
gaps; cultivating leadership, democracy, responsibility and involvement; and reinforcing a sense of attachment to the country (place-attachment).
In view of the environmental-social challenges facing society, Riemer et al.
(2014) emphasise the need for effective environmental programmes that engage
youth in environmental actions outside the classroom, and are based on a socially
transformative approach that promotes, among others, participatory democratic
education, real-world contexts, action taking. Consistent with this, Israeli YMs are
inherently ‘youth engagement programmes’ that promote the civic engagement of
their members. Thus, they provide a pre-existing youth engagement framework in
which the focus of civic engagement can be expanded to address environmental
challenges (Goldman et al. 2017). Moreover, Riemer et al. (2014) acknowledge
youth as a particularly good target group for civic environmental engagement, in
part due to their ability to effectively reach other young people as well as other
members of their community. In Israeli YMs, youth educate youth and work within
the community; in this aspect they also provide a built-in framework for promoting
youth environmental engagement.
Currently, there are 15 officially recognised YMs in which >250,000 young people are active (Ministry of Environmental Protection website). Following recommendations deriving from a national survey of environmental education in Israeli
YMs (Yavetz et al. 2011; Goldman et al. 2017), various steps have been taken to
increase the inclusion of ‘environment’ within their civic engagement (i.e. strengthen
the involvement of YMs in sustainability and contribute to developing young people’s Environmental Citizenship). Two noteworthy initiatives with potential for a
ripple-effect within the YMs are:
14 Educating for Environmental Citizenship in Non-formal Frameworks…
a non-formal learning framework for young people. In many countries these clubs
are officially recognised and supported as a framework for youth work that facilitates their capacity building and learning (Goldman et al. 2017; Kiilkowski and
Kivijärvi 2015; Forkby and Kiilakowski 2014).
In Israel, youth movements (YMs) are defined as “non-formal organizations of
young people active for young people, that have a consolidated vision and membership is voluntary” (Ministry of Education website) and they comprise one of the
main agents involved in non-formal education of youth. Principles and requirements
common to all formally recognised YMs include:
• education according to universal humanistic values,
• respect for human rights and cultural diversity,
• community and social involvement – contribution to the community and
environment,
• cultivating critical thinking, readiness and willingness for change,
• personal and social self-realisation.
Throughout the years, Israeli YMs have contributed to society in general and to
youth in particular in a diverse range of areas: promoting social values and human
rights, encouraging coexistence, tolerance and social solidarity; reducing social
gaps; cultivating leadership, democracy, responsibility and involvement; and reinforcing a sense of attachment to the country (place-attachment).
In view of the environmental-social challenges facing society, Riemer et al.
(2014) emphasise the need for effective environmental programmes that engage
youth in environmental actions outside the classroom, and are based on a socially
transformative approach that promotes, among others, participatory democratic
education, real-world contexts, action taking. Consistent with this, Israeli YMs are
inherently ‘youth engagement programmes’ that promote the civic engagement of
their members. Thus, they provide a pre-existing youth engagement framework in
which the focus of civic engagement can be expanded to address environmental
challenges (Goldman et al. 2017). Moreover, Riemer et al. (2014) acknowledge
youth as a particularly good target group for civic environmental engagement, in
part due to their ability to effectively reach other young people as well as other
members of their community. In Israeli YMs, youth educate youth and work within
the community; in this aspect they also provide a built-in framework for promoting
youth environmental engagement.
Currently, there are 15 officially recognised YMs in which >250,000 young people are active (Ministry of Environmental Protection website). Following recommendations deriving from a national survey of environmental education in Israeli
YMs (Yavetz et al. 2011; Goldman et al. 2017), various steps have been taken to
increase the inclusion of ‘environment’ within their civic engagement (i.e. strengthen
the involvement of YMs in sustainability and contribute to developing young people’s Environmental Citizenship). Two noteworthy initiatives with potential for a
ripple-effect within the YMs are:
14 Educating for Environmental Citizenship in Non-formal Frameworks…