Recreo Verde

Problem Statement

Children in underserved communities often lack access to comprehensive climate education, leaving them unprepared to address environmental issues. Additionally, educators in these areas frequently lack the resources and training to teach climate topics effectively. This gap perpetuates a cycle of inadequate climate literacy and unpreparedness for environmental challenges. Addressing this need with engaging and practical education for children, along with empowering educators, is crucial for fostering environmental stewardship and proactive attitudes towards sustainability. 

Target Group

Children from vulnerable communities in Greater Buenos Aires participating in or benefiting from local organizations.

Proposed Solution

Recreo Verde is a 4-module course focused on biodiversity, waste separation, and water conservation, combining fun with education. The aim is not only to inform but also to actively engage children, fostering positive changes in their habits and attitudes toward environmental care. The course culminates in a practical project in the fourth module, allowing children to learn through hands-on activities and contribute to promoting responsible environmental attitudes within their institution.

Additionally, teachers will receive environmental training, enabling them to integrate sustainability into their teaching. This ensures that they can pass on this knowledge to their students over the years, increasing the overall impact and reaching more students.  

Hub Activities

• Defining Agenda: organizing timeschedule for the workshops; defining topics for each day & materials needed; defining partners that need to be contacted; defining which role each shaper will have, define with which NGOs we will be working.  


• Preliminary Survey: Identify # people that will participate in the workshops and average age; identify additional needs related to space/resources in each site; identify problems within each community


• Communication Plan: build logo & brand; define schedule for posts in IG/Tw; Upload project in toplink; define who'll be in charge of generating content (video/photos) for each workshop; ask for approval for posting content related to participants (<18), design certificates for the children.


• Resources: gather materials needed for each workshop; food& beverage; coordinate shaper's participation; partnerships (merch; snacks; ,materials), buy materials for the final workshop.

Short-term Goals

• 5 workshops in 5 different local education centers in underserved communities


• 100 kids educated about climate topics. 5


• environmental projects that adapt to and mitigate climate change in each of the institutions


• 20 teachers trained on how to add climate to their lessonsIncreased awareness and empowerment 

Medium-term Goals

• Community educated on climate change


• Work with government to establish 5 workshops yearly for education centers.


• 400 kids (20 per teacher) that received lessons from the educators trained are now aware of climate change and what they can do to mitigate it and adapt to it

Long-term goals

• Underserved communities in Buenos Aires do not only have skills to adapt to climate change, but are also committed in mitigating it.


• New climate leaders from different backgrounds


• Reduced emissions in Buenos Aires 

Metric goals:

In terms of Workshops in Underserved Communities:

Quantitative Metric: Number of workshops conducted (5 workshops).

Qualitative Metric: Feedback from the kids (and their guardians) on the workshops and their content. 

In terms of the Number of Kids Educated about Climate Topics:

Quantitative Metric: Number of kids educated (target: 100).

Qualitative Metric: Pre- and post-workshop surveys assessing knowledge gain and attitude change towards climate issues.

In terms of Environmental Projects in Institutions:

Quantitative Metrics:

-Number of environmental projects initiated in each institution (target: 5 projects in total - one per institution).

-Number of kids who actively participated in executing the project.

-Number of kids and staff trained in how to maintain and take care of the project created

Qualitative Metric: Impact and satisfaction assessment of projects after implementation.

In terms of Teachers Trained on Integrating Climate into Lessons:

Quantitative Metrics: 

-Number of teachers trained (target: 20 teachers).

-Number of students these teachers trained (target: 400 children)

-Percentage of teachers who implemented the topics in their future lessons

Qualitative Metrics:

-Feedback from teachers on the effectiveness of training.

-Pre and post-survey measuring attitude and knowledge change in teachers

In terms of Reduced Buenos Aires emissions: 

Quantitative Metric: Pre- and post-project comparison of emissions with the help of local organizations that measure emissions. 

Our project goals directly attack children’s lack of climate education in underserved communities by providing them with fun and engaging education, encouraging practical solutions through environmental projects, and empowering the children and educators to be agents of change. This initiative will not only build resilience within the communities but also nurture the future agents of change in Buenos Aires. 

Collaborators:

• Lazos de Libertad


• Other local NGOs TBD

Resources needed:

• Funding


• Partnerships: local NGOs; environmental NGOs; teachers, 


• Expertise: Education, biodiversity, sustainable transportation, waste management, water.