EVERYDAY SURROUNDING

This year we have started a project which is co-operation and knowledge exchange in the field of environmental education between Lahti and St. Petersburg. "The Everyday surroundings of young people" includes for example home, school, travelling, free time and friends. The target group in this project is young people between 13-20.

The aim of the project is to get young people to describe their everyday life, experiences, their surroundings and feelings most important for them. They also can tell what does not satisfy them or what they want to change. To describe these different kind of ways can be used e. g. drawing, painting, drama, music, poetry, videos and models. That material should be seen next spring on an exhibition in Lahti and St. Petersburg. The message from the young will be delivered also to the decision-makers.

The partners in this project are Health Control and Environmental protection Centre; Environmental School and Youth Department in Lahti and Youth Creativity Home of Frunzensky district in St. Petersburg.

Two groups of 6-12 young people are going to be gathered in Lahti and in St. Petersburg. The groups and the leaders are going to work on everyday surroundings and exchange experiences and share information. The aim is to get the young people in Lahti to interact with the young people in St. Petersburg and to involve young people in the environmental issues. The group in Lahti is going to visit St. Petersburg in September and the group from St. Petersburg is going to re-visit Lahti in December. We are going to share information on methods used in the field of environmental education. We are also planning to produce new environmental education material for young people.