230
rary development of these educational philosophies, the challenges they encounter
extend also to Education for Environmental Citizenship.
Challenge 1: Reconnection with Nature
Reconnecting people with nature can function as a treatment for the global environmental crisis (Ives et al. 2018). Studies have shown that the number of citizens who
are unable to link simple ecological and environmental measures to human needs or
resources is increasing. A great challenge is to connect our young people to their
society and their environment (to take them from the realm of their comfort to the
unknown outside). For younger generations, nature is more a abstraction than a reality (Louv 2008). At a time when young people are less connected with their own
neighborhood than with peers in other countries (via social networks), we need to
encourage youths to leave their homes and experience their neighbourhood reality.
Non-formal education programmes need to improve reconnection to nature from
the following aspects: (1) material, (2) experiential, (3) cognitive, (4) emotional,
and (5) philosophical (Ives et al. 2017). Visiting local natural areas needs to be
exploited. Nature promotes youth creativity, stimulating all senses. Youth need to
reconnect with the local habitat to feel it as part of their environment; it does not
matter if this is a pond, a grassland, or a forest.
Challenge 2: Society’s Rules and Youth Formal Participation
Adult society’s rules often institutionalise young people’s discrimination as they
have not yet the legal adulthood to act as citizens. One Education for Environmental
Citizenship goal is to teach young people how to use democratic tools to assert their
rights. However, in practice, they are generally unable to do so without an adult,
leading to a sense of helplessness. It is interesting to see how desperate a teenager
is when he or she discovers that they cannot do something because of ‘adults’ rules’.
In theory, all citizens are equal, but youth citizens are clearly not equal in democracies in terms of formal participation, at least until they reach the legal age (Manning
and Ryan 2004). In order to reduce this feeling, it is also important to give them
tools to overcome barriers. Mentoring programmes with university students could
be part of the solution and create a connection with the following educational level.
Moreover, connecting with elderly programmes and society can promote the intergenerational collaboration for EE. Alternatively, it is important to expose young
people, via the non-formal educational platform, to those areas of civic participation
in which they can contribute to promoting social change.
Challenge 3: Developing a Pedagogical Framework for Non-formal Education
for Environmental Citizenship
A pedagogical framework promoting Education for Environmental Citizenship in
non-formal settings should be developed and evaluated. The EEC pedagogical
framework should contribute to the development of youths’ knowledge, skills, and
competencies needed to become ecologically and socially responsible environmental citizens. Best practices based on the Education for Environmental Citizenship
pedagogical framework can be developed by expert educators in Education for
Environmental Citizenship providing non-formal settings and institutions learning
D. Paraskeva-Hadjichambi et al.
rary development of these educational philosophies, the challenges they encounter
extend also to Education for Environmental Citizenship.
Challenge 1: Reconnection with Nature
Reconnecting people with nature can function as a treatment for the global environmental crisis (Ives et al. 2018). Studies have shown that the number of citizens who
are unable to link simple ecological and environmental measures to human needs or
resources is increasing. A great challenge is to connect our young people to their
society and their environment (to take them from the realm of their comfort to the
unknown outside). For younger generations, nature is more a abstraction than a reality (Louv 2008). At a time when young people are less connected with their own
neighborhood than with peers in other countries (via social networks), we need to
encourage youths to leave their homes and experience their neighbourhood reality.
Non-formal education programmes need to improve reconnection to nature from
the following aspects: (1) material, (2) experiential, (3) cognitive, (4) emotional,
and (5) philosophical (Ives et al. 2017). Visiting local natural areas needs to be
exploited. Nature promotes youth creativity, stimulating all senses. Youth need to
reconnect with the local habitat to feel it as part of their environment; it does not
matter if this is a pond, a grassland, or a forest.
Challenge 2: Society’s Rules and Youth Formal Participation
Adult society’s rules often institutionalise young people’s discrimination as they
have not yet the legal adulthood to act as citizens. One Education for Environmental
Citizenship goal is to teach young people how to use democratic tools to assert their
rights. However, in practice, they are generally unable to do so without an adult,
leading to a sense of helplessness. It is interesting to see how desperate a teenager
is when he or she discovers that they cannot do something because of ‘adults’ rules’.
In theory, all citizens are equal, but youth citizens are clearly not equal in democracies in terms of formal participation, at least until they reach the legal age (Manning
and Ryan 2004). In order to reduce this feeling, it is also important to give them
tools to overcome barriers. Mentoring programmes with university students could
be part of the solution and create a connection with the following educational level.
Moreover, connecting with elderly programmes and society can promote the intergenerational collaboration for EE. Alternatively, it is important to expose young
people, via the non-formal educational platform, to those areas of civic participation
in which they can contribute to promoting social change.
Challenge 3: Developing a Pedagogical Framework for Non-formal Education
for Environmental Citizenship
A pedagogical framework promoting Education for Environmental Citizenship in
non-formal settings should be developed and evaluated. The EEC pedagogical
framework should contribute to the development of youths’ knowledge, skills, and
competencies needed to become ecologically and socially responsible environmental citizens. Best practices based on the Education for Environmental Citizenship
pedagogical framework can be developed by expert educators in Education for
Environmental Citizenship providing non-formal settings and institutions learning
D. Paraskeva-Hadjichambi et al.