Women4Green
Women in Power for a Green Economy
Sustainable development is essential for the future of Europe, but also the whole world.
In this regard green economy is the economy of the future. This is also coming along with changes in the work environments of tomorrow. Jobs are changing, and workforce needs to be prepared for future jobs, especially emerging in course of the green economy.
This bears a chance especially for the disadvantaged group of women for long-term employability as it is proven that women are an essential part in reaching a green economy. Therefore, the project draws on the sustainable development agenda and the SDG’s empowering young women deciding on professions in this future-relevant field.
The goals of this project are to:
1. raise young women’s awareness and interest in future relevant, green economy jobs and the skills needed
2. empower young women to decide for green economy job
3. provide guidance of how to increasingly interest and recruit young women for future green economy jobs
4. contribute to gender equality in green economy jobs
Young women need to be approached already in the phase of career orientation and career orientation has to be adapted incorporating evolving new green jobs and focusing on gender equality in this respect. The project results will support in reaching the project goals and objectives.
Women4Green pursues an action-oriented approach to produce all deliverables and to realize the project objectives. The main target groups, young women between 14 and 20 years and career orientation centers will be involved in all stages throughout the Women4Green project development to generative high-qualitative, relevant project results and achieve the highest possible impact.
Background
The Covid-19 crisis reminded us again of the urgently needed transition towards a more sustainable economy addressed in the 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, the PARIS AGREEMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE and now the GREEN DEAL. Overall sustainable development is based on environmental, economic, and social pillars.
In this regard governments agreed that the green economy is a crucial tool for sustainable development. Thus, green economy can be recognized the economy of the future. Developments in this context are now facilitated and bear an opportunity in the period of crisis recovery. To reach a green economy, on the one hand innovations are crucial and on the other hand arising. According to the ILO, 24 million new jobs could be created by 2030 in course of the shift towards a greener economy. Related to this, it is proven that gender equality, also achored in the SDG’s has to be taken into consideration.
The traditional gender work division is still recognizable with women still underrepresented in brown, and also in the green economy due to the emphasis on technical and innovational skills required, though they are considered an important part for reaching green economy as shown in various studies:
*It is proven that empowering females facilitates economic growth and development
*Women’s knowledge, their ability to act and collective actions have the potential to contribute to increased resource productivity, enhanced ecosystem conservation, sustainable use of natural resources and in general creating more sustainable systems.
Additionally, evidence shows that especially women and young people were severely affected in course of the Covid-19 crisis. It is verified that the career choice of women has lifelong implications on their life in regard to the increasing pay gap and related old-age poverty. Green jobs are essential for sustainable development and this offers new opportunities for women.
Project Results
PROJECT RESULT 1: CATALOGUE OF GREEN PROFESSIONS AND SKILLS
A catalogue of Green Professions and Skills is developed giving on the one hand a comprehensive insight in what green economy jobs are in each country and which specific competences/skills are required as well as an evaluation to which extent green economy jobs are already approached in career orientation. On the other hand, it will comprise an outlook on the future development in this field giving an overview about the future skills required and also revealing the needs in career orientation in this regard.
PROJECT RESULT 2: CONCEPT OF LEARNING EXPERIENCE (Didactic Concept and Curriculum)
To ensure maximum integrity and usability of the project outcomes for our main target groups a tailored learning experience design is developed. This includes a competence- and learning goals-oriented didactic concept for the whole learning experience. It will be established based on the educational-theoretical and learning-psychological background. Additionally, the curriculum for the learning material will be designed based on the gathered results of project result one.
PROJECT RESULT 3: PODCAST DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNITY BUILDING
Community building is emphasized over the whole project duration which will be facilitated by providing a common platform for exchange gathering interested young women and good practices for exchange on the one hand and conducting different workshops with experts and role models in the field on the other hand.
Furthermore, for the provision of additional inspirational and motivating input podcast episodes are generated including women who are already successfully working in the field of green jobs, companies in the field or also persons working in job orientation.
PROJECT RESULT 4: LEARNING MATERIAL
Learning material is going to be developed for the target group of young women in job orientation to get a better insight into what the green economy is, which jobs are available in this field, which skills are required and what potential educational and career paths are available to start in this field.
PROJECT RESULT 5: WORKSHOP DESIGN FOR CAREER ORIENTATION
To successfully guide and accompany young women towards a career in the green economy field an experiential workshop setting, applicable for career orientation, is developed. The concept facilitates creative problem solving by bringing together as many different experiences, opinions and perspectives as possible at the same time understanding the needs of the main target group.
Additionally, a Girls Day will be organized which allows young women to get a direct insight into one green job, including an intercultural exchange about their experience.
PROJECT RESULT 6: GUIDE FOR YOUTH CAREER COUNSELLING AND RECRUITING
The developed guide provides a methodological guidance for career counselling as well as companies to attract specifically women to take on a career in a green economy job and thus contribute to an inclusive green economy. It will be elaborated how young women can be interested in a green economy job, what it needs to attracts them and what the needs are in regard to working environment.
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