RCE Barcelona: Avalon Sustainability Schools
Avalon Sustainability School, organized by RCE Barcelona partners, develops transformational learning experiences in wild places for young people, aged 13 to 19 to engage in the challenges of our time in a fun, creative way. Participants come from diverse countries and backgrounds to learn from each other, develop new skills, live in community and gain competence in outdoor leadership, creativity and sustainability.In 2012 young people came from Palestine, Turkey, Jamaica, Spain, Germany and the UK. This July participants from Pakistan and Indonesia will also join the camps to be held again in the Spanish Pyrenees. RCE Barcelona welcomes partnerships with other RCEs to enable young people from different countries to participate in this multicultural learning partnership and is currently working with RCE Cairo to explore the possibility of holding a camp in Egypt in 2014.
Avalon Sustainability School was founded by the UK based outdoor adventure company Active Earth Learning and the social enterprise Barcelonya, coordinator of RCE Barcelona. The program is inspired by Gaia Education’s Design for Sustainability delivered in 27 countries and held in a stunning area of natural beauty in the Spanish Pyrenees.
Youth in Transition
Avalon works in partnership with a number of foundations and NGOs to enable young people from countries in transition to participate in the program alongside teenagers from Europe. Current partnerships are with De Brye Charitable Trust (UK), Coalition for outcomes-based benefits (US), Active Earth Foundation (UK), Save the Children & Youth Council for Sports (Palestine), Rise International (Jamaica) and Mercy Corps International Youth Citizens Corp (Pakistan, Tunisia, Indonesia, Somalia, Jordan, Kenya).
A team of experienced outdoor educators, artists, sustainability professionals and coaches provide a supportive environment for each participant to develop their own personal learning journey. Over two weeks participants enjoy a diverse range of adventure, art and community based activities to explore the ecological, social, economic and world-view challenges of our time in a safe, fun and creative way. These include canonying, via ferrata, water trekking, rock climbing & hiking, archery and meditation, eco-building, land-art, music, dance, yoga, massage and an overnight solo experience in the wild.
Creative Minds • Open Hearts • Wild Spaces
The programme is inspired by three core values; creative minds, encouraging learning through art, music, theatre, dance and diverse creative expressions as a universal language; open hearts, to embrace the connection with others and nature, experiencing and understanding the self as part of the earth; and wild spaces, living profound experiences in the outdoors engaging with the interconnected social, ecological and economic challenges of our time.
For more information visit: www.avalon-school.org
For more information visit: www.avalon-school.org
