Living Labs in Austria empower children and young adults for a sustainable future

General concept of the Living Lab

The GenB Living Labs took place in Austria from April to June 2023, engaging different age groups across two schools. The high school “AHS am Augarten” in Vienna’s 2nd district hosted the Living Lab for students aged 14 to 19.

Over three workshops, around 20 students from three 7th grade classes, accompanied by two teachers, actively participated in the sessions, which were integrated into the ‘Human and Environment’ subject curriculum.

Meanwhile, the elementary school Südstadt in Maria Enzersdorf, Lower Austria, served as the venue for the Living Labs targeting the 4 to 8 and 9 to 13 age groups.

A total of approximately 100 pupils and 7 teachers took part, representing all classes in the school, with the exception of two hindered by time constraints.
To accommodate the large number of pupils, two Living Labs were organized for 4 to 8-year-olds, while one was dedicated to the 9 to 13-year-olds.

Activities implemented

In the first workshop of the High School Living Lab, students were introduced to the concept of bioeconomy and its challenges, with a specific focus on its connection to the food industry—a subject explored in their “human and environment” curriculum for the semester. In the second workshop, students had the opportunity to present their project ideas, which they had brainstormed during the intervening period. They received support from workshop moderators to further develop their ideas. During the final workshop, students showcased their completed projects and engaged in group reflection on the entire Living Lab process. The 17-year-old students successfully realised three projects as part of their participation:

1. Educational video series: with videos covering various aspects of the bioeconomy, such as upcycling of clothes, media influence, economic consequences, sustainable energy resources, transportation, and bioeconomy in politics.
2. Elementary school education: teaching an elementary school class about the bioeconomy through theory and hands-on experiments.
3. Sustainable packaging advocacy: sending an information email to the head of a supermarket chain addressing packaging reduction and the potential use of bio-based packaging.

During the first workshop of the elementary school Living Labs, students were introduced to the concept of bioeconomy through the book “What is Bioeconomy?” and a presentation of various related products.
They were then encouraged to express their own ideas on the topic through drawing. From these ideas, the classes collaboratively developed project proposals, which were presented in the second workshop.

Additionally, during the second workshop, the students had the chance to engage in hands-on activities at different stations, including painting with natural colours derived from plants and spices, creating seed balls, and playing a memory game focused on the theme of bioeconomy.

The final workshop of the Living Labs in the elementary school concluded with a showcase event, where the students’ products and projects were exhibited in the auditorium.
Representatives from each class took the stage to present their projects to the entire school community, including teachers and staff members. Following the opening presentations, all students had the opportunity to explore the exhibition, examine their peers’ completed projects, and engage in discussions with the workshop moderators to gain deeper insights into the project development process and their overall experience with the Living Labs.

The elementary school students successfully realized a variety of projects, including flowerpots and purses crafted from recycled tetra packs and fabric remnants, pencil cases from repurposed plastic bottles, bags from fabric remnants, photo frames decorated with buttons, and a poster showcasing ideas for products derived from biobased materials. In addition, the older students created a bioeconomy magazine and produced a series of informative videos on various aspects of the bioeconomy.

The Living Labs in numbers

Number of Living Labs organised (total): 4 Living Labs with 3 workshops each (in total 12 workshops)
Number of activities and experiments implemented (total): 89
Number of students reached (total): 120

See the factsheet here!

EU project GenB announces open call for young “GenB Generation Bioeconomy Ambassadors”

The Consortium of the EU-funded project GenB– Young biovoices for a sustainable future – is proud to announce an open call for young individuals younger than 30 years old to become “GenB Bioeconomy Ambassadors”. This unique opportunity aims to empower young enthusiasts and provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge to shape a sustainable and prosperous future.

The GenB project is dedicated to promoting the bioeconomy, which harnesses the power of renewable resources to create innovative products, generate economic growth, and address environmental challenges. By engaging young people, the project aims to foster a new generation of change-makers passionate about sustainable development and equipped to tackle the pressing environmental issues of our time.

As GenB Bioeconomy Ambassadors, participants will have access to a comprehensive training program designed to enhance their understanding of the bioeconomy and its potential, as well as equip them with key skills and tools to promote the bioeconomy.
The program includes workshops, mentorship sessions, and networking opportunities with other EU Ambassadors, industry experts, policymakers, and renowned researchers in the field.

Key benefits and opportunities for GenB Bioeconomy Ambassadors:

Visibility and reward: GenB Ambassadors will be the frontrunners in promoting the bioeconomy among young people. Their role will be rewarded through many visibility actions, including social media, participation to conferences as young biovoices, engagement in communication activities at European scale.

Network Opportunities: GenB Ambassadors will have the chance to connect with a global community of like-minded individuals, industry leaders, and organisations committed to driving positive change in the bioeconomy sphere.

Skill Development: GenB Ambassadors will gain valuable knowledge and expertise in various aspects of the bioeconomy, including biotechnology, renewable resources, circular economy principles, and sustainable entrepreneurship. Ambassadors will also gain valuable skills, including video-making, copywriting, campaign planning, stakeholder engagement, workshops organisation. They will be also equipped with soft and transversal skills, such as design-thinking, visual thinking, pitching, and public speaking, to make their voice heard on the bioeconomy.

Opportunities for Outreach and Advocacy: GenB Ambassadors will be advocating for the bioeconomy and raising awareness about its potential among their peers, local communities, and wider audiences through various channels, including social media, large-scale events, and educational activities.

Have an active role in European Bioeconomy: GenB Ambassadors will have the opportunity to collaborate with the bioeconomy community, contribute to position papers for the EU Commission, participate in international competitions and awareness and educational initiatives of the GenB project related to the bioeconomy.

The open call targets individuals under the age of 30, who are passionate about sustainability, innovation, and would like to take an active role in their communities. Candidates should demonstrate communication skills, leadership potential, and a genuine interest in the bioeconomy, sustainability and circularity.

To apply for becoming GenB Bioeconomy Ambassadors and learn more about the selection criteria and application process, interested individuals are encouraged to visit the official GenB Project website at: https://www.genb-project.eu/ambassadors/become-a-member/.

The cut-off dates for applications are:

• 31st August 2023, 11:59 PM CET
• 30th November 2023, 11:59 PM CEST
• 29th February 2024, 11:59 PM CEST
• 31st May 2024, 11:59 PM CET

Successful candidates will be notified within one month after each cut-off date.

About the GenB Project:
Launched in November 2022, led by APRE and composed of 10 organisations from 8 countries, GenB is a 30-month project funded by Horizon Europe, the European Union’s funding programme for research and innovation.
The GenB Project is committed to promoting the bioeconomy and empowering young leaders to drive sustainable development. Through education, collaboration, and advocacy, the GenB Project aims to accelerate the transition towards a bio-based economy, harnessing the power of renewable resources to meet global challenges and foster prosperity.

On 25 April 2023 for the occasion of Earth Day, PEDAL accepted the invitation to visit the Leisure Centre at Gessayova in Bratislava (Slovakia) with an interactive presentation.

Download the presentation in Slovak here!

How to create bioplastics from orange peels? and from millk?

Discover it now!

Download the Italian presentation