Welcome to Ecokomandy
Youth EcoTeam Programme
Global Action Plan, an international NGO, in the 1990s produced an effective, practical model to invite households, schools and other citizens groups to adopt a sustainable lifestyle. Their approach, called the EcoTeam Programme, has since been perfected and adapted to a large number of 
countries, including many CIS countries. The Belarusian NGO Ecohome, founded by Irina Sukhy and others, and the Dutch NGO IVN recently joint forces to adapt the programme to Belarus society and especially schools. A Belarusian Youth Ecoteam Programme for the ages of 12-15 years can prepare young people for a sustainable development of Belarus, not only in theory but in practice. Together with their parents and neighbourhoods, participants can pave the way for a sustainable Belarus, by developing and adopting modern habits and strategies for energy and water conservation, waste separation, green consumerism, nature conservation and sustainable human relations.
For the youths, a special workbook will be developed, which invites them to assess the current sustainability performance of their (parents’) household, and act for improvement. A large number of teachers and other qualified individuals could be trained as coaches for the youth teams. The programme could be used both in after-school activities and, with time, the regular school curriculum.
As all EcoTeam programmes, a Belarusian Youth EcoTeam programme would be designed to show pupils what is their own potential to improve sustainability. A central element in Education for Sustainable Development, it gives the programme an immediate appeal for both youths and coaches. The Dutch NGO Association for Environmental Education IVN, with its extensive body of volunteers, is experienced in guiding the keenest EcoTeams in developing plans for sustainable community programmes. In this way, even the wider public will be made aware of the importance of sustainability and will be shown that even youths can contribute to it.
