Training course on Waste Management and Upcycling through Art.
The Hague, The Netherlands. 

With the team of experts, trainers, stakeholders and the partner organisations, ARTcycling was a fantastic learning opportunity- a space for youth workers to learn and gain new experiences and to start making a change for tomorrow.

Artcycling stands for the management and the upcycling of waste through art. Up to now, waste is perceived as an unwanted material. It is one of the reasons why it is not efficiently re-used in large quantities. Every European contributes on average with 481 kg waste yearly. Unfortunately, most of the waste is not recycled or upcycled. Upcycling is based on the principle that you cannot throw anything away. There is no “away”. Alternatively, upcycling is about creating mechanisms for circulation of resources, their efficient usage, instead of the creation of waste.

Waste as a resource could be properly managed to result in green entrepreneurship and the creation of new jobs. Upcycling does not just offer an opportunity to reduce our footprint. It is also a way to strengthen communities, boost entrepreneurship and lead a more environment-friendly lifestyle.

The training course gathered 32 youth workers and youth leaders from 8 countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Latvia, the Netherlands, Romania) to explore upcycling and waste management. The activities were centred on gaining insight into different waste-management cycles, meetings with stakeholders and artists, attending craft workshops and practising a zero-waste approach during an entire week.

At the end of the course, the participants were able to implement creative new upcycling and recycling approaches within their work with the young people.

Main objectives

• To raise awareness about upcycling among youth workers, youth leaders and youth trainers
• To promote an environmental-friendly lifestyle at the local level in the different participating countries
• To practice different zero-waste methods
• To develop key skills and competencies in non-formal environmental education
• To reinforce cooperation between partner organisations

Project title: ARTcycling
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Learning Mobility of Individuals
Action Type: Youth mobility
Training Course
Project identification/ contract number: 2017-1-NL02-KA105-001662
Dates of the activity: 20- 28 September 2017
Place: The Hague, THE NETHERLANDS
Coordinator: Youth for Mobility
https://www.facebook.com/YouthForMobility/
Number of participants from SEAL CYPRUS: 5