Participatory Processes & Civic Innovation.
Changemaker Academy
— Community Building & Development.
Ashoka Italy · Green Growth Generation · 2023
Online training for young changemakers.
Green Growth Generation is a partner of Gen C — the Changemaker Generation, an initiative conceived and promoted by Ashoka Italy and the National Agency for Youth with the aim of training the next generation, equipping them with the tools to drive change, and making them active protagonists within their communities.
In 2023, GGG participated in the Changemaker Academy Online — a free training platform offering online modules on the core themes of changemaking and youth engagement — delivering a thematic session dedicated to community building, community engagement and sustainable development.
The training module — Community Building & Development
The session was organised and delivered by Gabriella Esposito (Founder of Green Growth Generation) and Giacomo Cassinese (Sustainability Expert), who provided the enrolled young changemakers with a comprehensive overview of topics crucial for their personal and professional growth, as well as their active role within society.
Topics covered
Sustainability and community — from theory to action
Exploration of the concept of sustainability and its relationship with community actions and projects — how sustainability principles translate into concrete local practices, and how young people can become agents of change in their own contexts.
New European Bauhaus — a new way of living and designing
Introduction to the themes of the New European Bauhaus and its impact on how we live, design and inhabit urban and community spaces. An opportunity to connect young participants with one of the most innovative initiatives in contemporary European policy, centred on sustainability, inclusion and beauty.
Co-participation and community development tools
In-depth exploration of co-participation processes — how to design and facilitate a participatory process, which tools to use for developing effective and lasting community projects, and how to engage diverse actors in a shared journey.
The Community Manager — values, skills and practices
A profile of the Community Manager as both a professional and civic figure: the values that guide their work, the necessary skills, and their role in connecting people, ideas and resources. Analysis of projects selected from the New European Bauhaus as concrete examples of sustainability, inclusion and beauty applied in real community contexts.
Gen C — the Changemaker Generation
Gen C places young people at the centre — listening to them, giving them space to express opinions, exchange ideas and develop new knowledge and awareness. It promotes youth participation in actions oriented towards community wellbeing — training a generation capable of driving change in a conscious, creative and collaborative way.
The Changemaker Academy Online is the programme’s core training platform: free modules, accessible to all young people, on communication, media, change policies and civic engagement.
Green Growth Generation’s contribution
GGG’s participation in the Changemaker Academy is a concrete example of how our practice in civic innovation, participatory processes and urban sustainability can translate into accessible training for the next generation.
We believe young changemakers are fundamental interlocutors for building more sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities and communities — and that training is one of the most powerful tools for activating this change.
