Community social characterization
The Municipality of Barcelos had, in 2021, a population of 116.766, a density of 308 hab/km2 where 24,5% of its population is below 24 years old, and 20% is over 65. The area of the pilot project is located in rural, forestry and urban areas.
It has a universe of 13,765 students from pre-school to secondary education.
Governance in the pilot case
Municipality of Barcelos, Local Municipalities, Youth associations/groups, Selected schools and teaching community, Parents’ Associations,
Cultural and environmental associations.
Motivation of the pilot
Intergenerational interaction and integration as an instrument
to preserve and enhance the ecological and cultural heritage of the school’s playgrounds. Appropriation of the natural based systems to the human life recreation. Promotion of leadership with youth and educational community. Promote environmental resilience of local communities in adapting to climate change. Promote creative leisure among students, the ability to play freely and in contact with nature, autonomy in recreational relationships with sustainable playgrounds.
Local governance profile
Composition of the local governance: Partner leader,
horizontal partners, other stakeholders.
Target group
Students from the following schools: EBS Vila Cova, with 430 students from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd cycles and secondary; EB2.3 Abel Varzim, with 373 students from the 2nd and 3rd cycles and Centro Escolar António Fogaça, with 315 students from the pre-school and 1st cycle.
Existing NBS applications and initiatives
Arboretum in Barcelos secondary school.
Small scale NBS testing
To be determined by local communities engaged in participatory and co-creation activities
Leverage resources for NBS
Other schools, and other local cultural and environmental
associations.
Challenges raised during the preparatory meetings
How to stimulate the participation of the critical mass, environmental awareness and NBS implementation to the educational community.
How can we integrate the participation/co-creation process of this pilot with the Municipal Climate Action Plan (participation process).
How can we promote the transmission of ancestral knowledge of free play and youth leadership.
Environmental Challenges
Main threats: Very urbanized school playgrounds, with few
opportunities for contact with nature and few opportunities for creative play. Overly protective playgrounds, with few opportunities to experience the risks and challenges of free
play in natural or less artificial environments. To promote climate adaptation and mitigation to climate changes.
Who owns the land?
Mostly public land.
Social Challenges
Stimulate the participation of the critical mass, promote
environmental awareness among stakeholders and implement the NBS agreed.
Stimulating a sense of community among the project stakeholders.
Promote the transmission of ancestral knowledge of free play and youth leadership.
Related projects to create synergies
Workshop “Learning to play and playing to learn” and KIT of traditional playground games made available to all Pre-school and 1st cycle Basic Education classrooms.
Economic Challenges
Develop more environmentally sustainable playgrounds; diversify sources of play and recreation among the youth community.
Possible local partners, associations, initiatives and champions to be engaged
Local Schools and teaching community of the involved schools
Youth associations/groups
Local municipalities (Vila Seca, Vila Cova, Vila Frescaínha São Pedro)
Local cultural and environmental associations
Parents associations