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- Exploring the Acceptability of an Environmental Education Program for Youth in Rural Areas: ECOCIDADANIA ProjectPublication . Silva, Isabel S.; Cunha-Saraiva, Filipa; Ribeiro, Ana Sofia; Bártolo, AnaBackground: There has been a growing interest in environmental education programs to improve environmental awareness and behavior change among school-aged youth. Yet, assessment of the approaches aligned with citizen science principles emphasizing community participation and empowerment is scarce. The present study aimed to explore the acceptability of the “ECOCIDADANIA” environmental education program targeted at youth in rural areas. Methods: The program was applied for two years in the municipality of Gouveia, and it involved nature walks methodologies combined with citizen science. A total of 107 students participated in the program. Eighteen participants (13 youth and 5 teachers) were selected as key informants, and semistructured interviews were conducted to assess the appropriateness of the intervention and the perceived benefits. Results: The program was demonstrated to be acceptable to youth and teachers, and its benefits included increasing students’ knowledge, skills and self-efficacy, discovering the territory, promoting environmental awareness, strengthening social relationships between peers and educators, and contributing to the promotion of individual and collective well-being. All the participants were satisfied with the program’s activities and recommend its continuation in the school context. Conclusions: Programs of this nature could foster environmental activism and enhance environmental sustainability at the local level, which reinforces the entrepreneurship profile of the youth.
- Activating aspirations: fostering creative and soft skills for rural NEETS in central PortugalPublication . Ribeiro Santos, Ana Sofia; Roque, Isabel; Sousa, João CarlosThis article focuses on young people not in employment or education in rural areas of Portugal. It highlights the specific vulnerability of this group, and its conceptual focus is underpinned by the debate between the capabilities approach and structural ramifications in the labour market. It presents a case study analysis based on an employability and social inclusion programme for young people in Central Portugal. The data analysis comprises documentary analysis, interviews with PES services and case workers, and 13 semistructured interviews with young people. The discussion, which covers the views of programme participants’ and stakeholders, deconstructs generalisations about the labour market and employment prospects for higher education graduates, taking the capabilities for education, work, voice and aspirations as analytical points. We argue that rural young people’s employability may be enhanced by nonformal training that stimulates entrepreneurial and soft skills, and that service delivery should take mobility into account when planning interventions in rural areas.