INVOLEN is an innovative project promoting intergenerational learning through game-based learning, targeting nature conservation volunteers in 5 European countries (Italy, Greece, France, Hungary and Slovenia). INVOLEN brings together two different age groups, adolescents and senior citizens and encourages their participation in voluntary activities for the protection and preservation of the European ecological heritage, focusing on NATURA 2000 sites. Seniors and youth are challenged to work together in groups and design their own interactive ICT games on nature conservation. A wide dissemination campaign of the INVOLEN model is launched by initiating school competitions leading to European awards in all participating countries.

The objectives of the project include promoting volunteering for nature conservation, making adult education more attractive to all ages, enhancing the preservation of protected areas including NATURA 2000 sites, contributing to the cohesion of communities living inside or near protected areas by enhancing their awareness of the ecological value of their surroundings, bridging the generations’ gap by deriving benefits for young and old and by involving schools and the civil society and promoting the culture of active citizenship.

For more information read here: http://www.involen.eu/en/

The INVOLEN partnership worked extensively on the creation of A Guide For Learning Facilitators, a handbook addressed particularly to educators who are interested both in the theoretical and practical background of the project. The Guide presents the methodology developed by the INVOLEN team, and piloted in 5 countries (Greece, Italy, France, Slovenia and Hungary) with groups of teenagers and seniors.

The aim of the Guide is to give practical advice to teachers and other learning leaders and facilitators about implementing the INVOLEN methodology, providing also examples of how this methodology was applied during its pilot application in schools and NGOs. The Guide, besides presenting the background of the project, focuses in explaining the core concepts that form the INVOLEN framework: Intergenerational Learning, Volunteering and Nature Conservation. This framework is elaborated on the basis of the INVOLEN methodology focusing on the project’s target groups, the identification of the groups’ needs on an intergenerational learning and ICT skills building approach. The role of the INVOLEN facilitator is clarified within the context of the INVOLEN learning process and two models for organising a course of learning activities is presented. The section of game design focuses on game based learning within the context of location-based mobile games. The Guide dedicates its final chapter in the piloting process carried out in the five partner countries focusing in outlining the setting of each case, the diversity among intergenerational groups as well as to provide information about the management aspect of the INVOLEN methodology implementation.

The Guide is a useful tool in the hands of any educator willing to participate in the INVOLEN Competition as it provides a basis for organising an intergenerational group for implementing the INVOLEN methodology.

The Guide is now available in paper and digital editions in all project languages:

The INVOLEN Toolkit for Learners is a manual designed to offer practical knowledge for the implementation of the INVOLEN methodology. The Toolkit helps the reader understand what a location-based game created in the context of INVOLEN is, what its components are, what steps must be taken to create a new game, how to collect the material for the senario of the game, and what are the online platforms available to host it. Examples of games created during the piloting phase of the INVOLEN methodology are also included, as well as stories that provided the background for the pilot games’ content.

The Learning Toolkit is structured in two parts: the first Part is addressed to all the participants of INVOLEN activities, i.e. youth, senior citizens and teachers or other experts who act as learning facilitators; the second Part is addressing learning facilitators only, providing some additional information and guidance that would-be useful to them in leading and facilitating their groups of volunteers. The first part of the Toolkit includes 4 sections. The introduction section provides an overview of the INVOLEN project, its target groups and its main products – the location-based games created by volunteers in protected areas. Some useful definitions are offered in the second section, regarding volunteering, intergenerational learning and nature conservation. The third section of the Toolkit focuses in documenting experiences from the pilot implementation of the INVOLEN methodology and presenting examples for inspiration of prospect participants. Nature conservation activities, examples of stories narrated by seniors, and a selection of INVOLEN games created by the pilot groups are included. The key-points for the design of INVOLEN games are presented in the fourth section, together with some ICT tools that are available for constructing location-based games. The second part that addresses mainly the prospect INVOLEN facilitators includes a section on volunteer management; techniques on how to encourage and organise the narrations of the older volunteers; information and links to the INVOLEN Webinars for training learning facilitators; and an overview of the work units that the learning facilitators can use to organize the group work of the intergenerational teams.

The Guide is now available in paper and digital editions in all project languages:

The aim of the INVOLEN Helpdesk is to provide a space for a community of experts, facilitators and volunteers to exchange experiences, share ideas and most importantly to support each other in order to carry out the activities of the INVOLEN Lifelong Learning Programme. In the framework provided by the INVOLEN Helpdesk group a member can ask questions about the INVOLEN Competition concerning ICT & Game-design, Intergenerational Learning, Environmental Volunteering, and also ask practical advice about the INVOLEN Methodology implementation. Experts will be addressing questions in each field, while all members can benefit from their answers and solutions reaching the whole community. Experienced members (i.e. educators, facilitators, ICT skilled participants) are encouraged to participate in conversations and contribute to the dialogue. Members of intergenerational teams in all partner countries are welcome to join the groups created for each partner country (Italy, Greece, France, Slovenia and Hungary) and to communicate in their national languages. An English version of the Helpdesk group is also available for members outside the partner countries who wish to keep up with the INVOLEN activities: a selection of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) from all partner countries will be translated by partners in English and will be made available to the public.

The INVOLEN Helpdesk has been created using Google Groups which offer an easy to use interface and a simple registration process for new users. Six Helpdesk Facebook groups have been created in order to host the social part of the INVOLEN project in all project languages. Their role is complementary to the main Helpdesk assistance and aim in updating participants in terms of events, deadlines, sharing media and polls.

Anybody who is interested in participating at the INVOLEN Competition, getting introduced to the methodology and application of the INVOLEN project or keeping up with news and events is welcome to join both Helpdesk groups and be part of the INVOLEN community.

INVOLEN Helpdesk in English: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/involen-helpdesk-in-english

INVOLEN Facebook group in English: https://www.facebook.com/groups/involen/

Google Groups help: https://support.google.com/groups/answer/46601          

INVOLEN partnership announces the International Conference: "Innovation in environmental education:ICT and intergenerational learning" that will be held in the wonderful town of Florence, Italy on September 24-25 2015. The conference aims to promote discussion on three core topics connected to lifelong learning: intergenerational learning, for promoting the transmission of knowledge and skills between different generations in relation to nature conservation and local heritage; but also for promoting new technologies -ICT and mobile game design- as well as environmental volunteering for enhancing both education and active citizenship.

Activists in nature and social organisations, academicians, practitioners and volunteers, experts on different thematics of education and lifelong learning are invited to share their knowledge and experience. Find more information for the participation to the conference, abstract submission, location etc. on http://involenconference.com/, and check your eligibility to participate for free. The conference will also host the awarding ceremony of the winners of the “Volunteer Conservationists’ Games” European competition which record the participation of almost 30 intergenerational teams across Europe (www.involeneuropeancompetition.wordpress.com)

Read all the latest about the publications of the INVOLEN project in partners’ countries here