• 26 July 2024

Press Release: The Green Hive Project Consortium Launches Innovative Support Tools for VET Providers to Promote Sustainability Education

The Green Hive project consortium is proud to announce the development of comprehensive support tools aimed at empowering VET providers to establish and manage internal hubs for sustainability education. This initiative equips VET organizations, teachers, and trainers from Greece, Italy, Ireland, Romania, and Spain with cutting-edge practices and tools to enhance learners' sustainability competences.

This milestone has been achieved through the collaborative efforts of consortium partners and stakeholders in the VET sector, facilitated by the creation of dedicated working groups. These groups brought together experts from Ireland, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Romania to develop a "Toolkit for the Setup and Management of Green Combs." The toolkit includes a How-to Guide ePublication, which provides detailed processes, tools, and methods for establishing a Green Comb across six developmental domains: Governance, Organization, Community, Activities, Tools, and Relationships with the Hive. Additionally, a set of 12 Canvases is provided to aid Comb coordinators in managing and growing their hubs effectively within each domain.

Furthermore, the consortium has developed a 9-module MOOC specifically designed for Comb coordinators. This course covers the EU Sustainability Competence Framework, best practices for implementing the GreenComp, and a systemic innovation approach to fostering sustainability competences in VET. It also delves into the six domains essential for managing and nurturing Green Combs. Currently piloted by VET teachers, this MOOC will soon be freely accessible on the project platform, enabling other VET providers to benefit from the educational content.

The culmination of these efforts produced the necessary guidelines, canvases, and training resources to position VET institutions as the managing centers of networks involving local stakeholders. These networks aim to foster learning, networking, and cooperation on sustainability challenges. Through this initiative, students will develop systemic and critical thinking skills by understanding the interconnectedness of the economy, society, and environment and collaborating with their peers and external stakeholders.

For more information about GreenHive and to get involved, please contact:
Dr. Marie Taylor, Technological University of the Shannon 
marie.taylor@tus.ie