Published: April 21, 2025
In February 2025, the Erasmus+ GreenGuard Project took a significant step forward with an enriching job shadowing event hosted in Italy. Partners from Portugal, Germany, Croatia, and Italy gathered for three days, from February 10th to 14th, to participate in a diverse array of immersive experiences, workshops, and interactive learning sessions dedicated to promoting sustainability and combating greenwashing.
Our Italian partner, Istituto Universitario Carolina Albasio in Castellanza, opened the event with a unique gamified activity, ''Escape4Change'' designed to engage participants creatively in sustainability topics. Afterward, participants visited the Centro Ricerche e Studi dei Laghi (CRSL) in Milan, where they explored ECOMATE, a leading sustainability-driven software house. This visit provided practical insights into how innovative digital tools can help organizations implement authentic sustainable practices.
The second day continued at CRSL, focusing on research and analytical activities. The highlight was a virtual session on the ''Greenwashing Index'' led by Carolina Albasio, where participants discussed methodologies and tools to detect and measure greenwashing effectively. The afternoon session was dedicated to formulating guidelines to assist youth organizations in transitioning towards genuine sustainability, reinforcing the project's core objective to empower young individuals and educators in recognizing and combating misleading environmental claims.
A dynamic virtual workshop, ''EcoTruth 101: Decoding Greenwashing'' facilitated by Contextos, rounded off the day, providing participants with practical toolkits for non- formal education settings.
The final day took the participants to SILAQ in Peschiera Borromeo, Milan, where sustainability expert Mrs. Buffoni offered in-depth job shadowing opportunities. Participants gained firsthand exposure to sustainable business practices and management strategies. The day concluded with a gamified activity in SAFELAND, providing an interactive learning experience that emphasized safety, sustainability, and effective resource management.
Each day of the job shadowing event was complemented by networking opportunities and cultural experiences, including traditional Italian meals and informal gatherings, allowing for deeper connections and idea exchange among project participants.
This enriching job shadowing experience in Italy provided all participants with fresh insights, practical tools, and renewed motivation. By experiencing real-world applications of sustainability and learning directly from experts, project partners are now better equipped to further GreenGuard’s mission of mobilizing youth towards authentic environmental progress across Europe.
Stay connected for more updates as the GreenGuard Project continues to unfold exciting and impactful activities in its mission for genuine environmental sustainability!
