LANTERNLearning & Action in the Energy Transition
Igniting Change for a Just and Sustainable Future
A dynamic initiative designed to empower, inspire, and facilitate the active involvement of young people in the transition to renewable energy. Why? We believe that by fostering collaboration and providing learning opportunities, we can spark a wave of positive change in the communities of Southern Europe.
Lantern isn’t just about renewable energy; it’s about unleashing the potential of young trailblazers. It’s a call to arms, an invitation to collaborate, and a pathway to ignite a green energy revolution, with youth at the forefront.
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Why LANTERN?
Empowering the next generation
The overarching goal of the LANTERN project is to empower, inspire, promote and facilitate the active participation of young people for an inclusive and sustainable transition to renewable energy by fostering collaboration between youths from Portugal, Greece and the rest of Southern Europe.
Our mission is to engage youth in actions, projects and initiatives that bring local benefits and promote a green energy transition, providing opportunities for an active role in their communities.
The LANTERN Experience
Empowering Youth With Knowledge and Skills
LANTERN’s set of activities for change is as dynamic as the youth it engages!
A 7-month journey that takes participants on an exploration of energy and climate challenges, renewable solutions, and community-driven approaches. But it’s not just theory – participants will roll up their sleeves and build renewable energy systems themselves. They’ll gain entrepreneurial skills, learn to navigate European projects, and become catalysts for green innovation. With a Guide for Youth Action in the Energy Transition and a network of like-minded peers, these young trailblazers will have the tools they need to light up their communities. LANTERN doesn’t just educate; it creates a setting for young people to self-empower to craft their sustainable future.
Project Activities:
Youth Energy Academy
The core activity of this project is a 7-month virtual program focusing on 7 Modules covering topics on climate and energy-related challenges, technological solutions, community-led projects and cooperatives, social entrepreneurship models, financing, and design thinking approaches for project development. The Academy that has been tested in various formats in Asia and Europe is now offered in the following 7 Modules, each delivered in 4 virtual sessions (1 session per week, 28 sessions in total). The Academy will utilize non-formal education methods to create an engaging and interactive learning environment.
Theoretical Modules
Energy Trilemma
Understanding the complex relationship between energy security, sustainability, and affordability.
People Power
Empowering individuals and communities to actively participate in the energy transition.
Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE)
Exploring the potential of decentralized renewable energy systems and their role in local communities.
Resource Mobilization
Learning effective strategies for mobilizing resources and garnering support for energy projects.
Social Business
Exploring innovative business models that combine social and environmental impact within the energy sector.
DRE ON THE GROUND
Learning from examples and existing projects and looking at the development, implementation and use of renewable energy in community projects.
IDEA TO ACTION
From head to hand. Developing project ideas.
Energy Workshop
A 3-day practical in-person workshop (in Greece) with a focus on practical skill development (building and managing small-scale energy applications), aiming to increase participants’ competencies in designing such systems. The energy workshop promotes a collaborative and learn-by-doing approach for the co-creation of solutions, based on decentralized renewable energy (DRE).
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and build some systems!
Training of Trainers
A 5-day Training of Trainers (in Portugal) aiming to train participants on the skills and capabilities that will allow for future collaboration between them and the partner organization in training activities that are based on the model of the YEA. It will provide participants with an understanding of SEYN’s methodology and hands-on approach that facilitates disruptive learning processes that foster experimentation, and creative exploration of appropriate solutions, and encourage trainees to learn by doing through playful and purposeful interactions.
Guide of Best Practices: Energy Transition in Communities
Research, co-design & development of a publication titled: Energy Transition in Communities: Guide of Best Practices. This guide aims to be a resource of inspiration and guidelines for people wanting to further advance or start a project of DRE in their local communities. To make its contents more approachable to this project’s main and secondary target audience, the publication will be translated into English, Greek and Portuguese.
Building a sustainable future
A Vision for Tomorrow, Today
But LANTERN doesn’t stop there. It equips these change-makers with the capacity to spread their passion and knowledge. By empowering young individuals, we’re also building a network of changemakers who can replicate these activities in their own communities. It provides a guide for youth action and masterclasses that showcase green skills and new career pathways. From January 2024 to August 2024, Virtual connections will bridge geographical gaps, while on-the-ground experiences in Greece and Portugal will make sustainable energy tangible. LANTERN is designed for young individuals, aged 18 to 35+, a diverse cohort with a shared passion for change. Together, they’ll illuminate the path to sustainability for generations to come.
Who can join?
Join the LANTERN Movement
Are you aged 18 to 35+ and driven by a passion for change? Ready to take action? If so, we’ve got something for YOU:
Ready to Ignite the Energy Revolution? Are You the Spark We Need? If your heart beats for energy and you’re eager to get your hands dirty, you’re the one we’re searching for. Dive into the world of community renewable energy projects, step into leadership roles, and become a beacon of inspiration. Together, we’ll illuminate a greener path.
Calling All Trailblazers in Southern Europe (Greece and Portugal): Have you ever faced the uncertainty of seasonal economic activities, navigating through tourism, fishing, and agriculture? Guess what? Your potential is your superpower. Join us, and let’s transform those challenges into opportunities.
Young Women in Energy, Ready to Rewrite the Story? To all the young women who’ve been told they’re just energy consumers – are you ready to rewrite the script? Your destiny is in technical and leadership roles within the renewable energy sector. Join us, and let’s redefine the narrative together.
This isn’t your average training; it’s your chance to be part of something extraordinary. So, are you ready to take the first step? Apply today, and together, we’ll be the driving force behind a sustainable future. Your journey starts now!
News from LANTERN
Here’s what’s new!
Stay tuned on this section for regular updates on the project’s activities.
Introducing the Project Partners
SEYN
The Sustainable Energy Youth Network (SEYN) is a non-profit association based in Portugal. SEYN aims to build a collaborative and inclusive global community. By exchanging services, ideas, projects and forging collaborations. Through its actions, it seeks to build capacity and empower young people towards action. Through training, mentoring, knowledge sharing and a variety of tools and methods, SEYN equips young people with the skills and tools to design and implement small-scale sustainable energy projects through engaging experiences.
The Southern Lights
The Southern Lights (TSL) is a non-profit organization based in the South of Peloponnese in Greece in a beautiful agroforestry farm. Their mission is to spread knowledge, techniques and the mindset for regenerative practices in all domains of human activity. Through workshops, networking and building active and alive examples of regenerative practices in close collaboration with other organizations, public entities and ecological enterprises. They empower people of all ages and backgrounds with knowledge, skills, and inspiration essential to cultivating regenerative habitats, inhabitants, and habits, while enhancing their professional capabilities to initiate their own projects and/or businesses.
One of their long term projects is the Regenerative Farming Support Program that is promoting regenerative farming in Greece.
Website: https://thesouthernlights.org/
Contact: eplus@thesouthernlights.org
Any questions?
Check the FAQs!
Project Disclaimer:
“Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Agência Nacional para a Gestão do Programa Erasmus+ Educação e Formação. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”
