Celebrating our peer-to-peer support meetings (September – December 2024)

by Asociación Biodiversa

As part of the LOCALY Project’s mission to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing across communities, we are happy to come back to the peer-to-peer support meetings held from September to December 2024. These events brought together youth workers who participated in the GO LOCALY! training course held in Spain in July 2024 and who led the implementation process in each of the localities (in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Germany) to share insights, challenges and best practices for implementing community based projects connected to environmental education.

Building Bridges Through Peer Learning

The peer-to-peer support meetings aimed to provide an open platform for participants to exchange ideas, address challenges, and celebrate milestones achieved in implementing LOCALY’s project. These sessions amplified the collective impact of our work, proving the power of cross-border collaboration and support.

1. September Session: Kickstarting the Conversation

Held on 19th September 2024, the inaugural meeting set the tone for dynamic engagement. Youth workers from Spain, Italy, Greece, and Germany discussed their initial steps in implementing the projects their youth groups chose. They also shared the challenges they were encountering and possible solutions. There was also a fire prevention workshop by Isa, from Asociación Biodiversa.

2. November Session: Midway Reflection and Adaptation

The second meeting, held on 19th November 2024, focused on evaluating progress and sharing strategies. Participants shared insights, pictures, feelings, and information about how the local implementation of community-based projects was progressing in their localities,  enriching the collective experience. Case studies of successful initiatives provided inspiration, while open-floor discussions enabled honest conversations about obstacles and potential solutions.

3. December Session: Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead

The final session on 12th December 2024 celebrated the actions taken over the past months in order to implement the local projects. Youth workers shared their implementation journeys, emphasizing key achievements and future plans. Participants once again exchanged visuals, feelings, and updates about their project’s progress, fostering a sense of unity and accomplishment.

Takeaways

  • Enhanced collaboration: The meetings fostered a sense of community among participants, enabling cross-regional partnerships that will keep going during 2025 till the LOCALY project end, and beyond.
  • Practical insights: Attendees left with actionable strategies and tools to tackle challenges in their respective communities.
  • Empowered communities: The emphasis on peer support and shared learning empowered participants to drive impactful changes locally.
  • Motivation: it was mentioned by several participants how learning about other projects that are happening simultaneously boosted their motivation and
  • Challenges help growth: in participants’ words, when there was a difficulty and then it was overcome, there is power in the experience that stands after the difficulty.

Together, we are building stronger, more resilient communities, one meeting at a time.

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