Training the Teachers in Argentina

The YouthEnergy project is all about training and empowering a new generation of informed young leaders who are gender-aware, skilled, connected, and politically active. It’s important to focus on young people as they’re going to play a huge role in making sure that Argentina’s energy transition is just and fair.

One of the most exciting aspects of this project is that it gives young people the chance to become agents of change, sharing their knowledge about climate protection, just energy transitions, and the gender dimensions associated with them. To achieve this goal, we have developed a program of three training series aimed at technical school teachers in the provinces of Chubut, Neuquén, and Mendoza, covering topics related to climate change and just energy transitions.

The project team along with representatives from the provinces of Mendoza, Neuquén, and Chubut, at the conclusion of two days of intensive training.

We are thrilled to announce that we have successfully completed the first round of training in the three participating provinces! The training focused primarily on topics related to climate change and was a huge success. Thanks to this training, teachers now have the tools and teaching materials they need to convey these important topics to their students. This is going to help them become more aware and committed to making our world a better, more sustainable place for future generations!

The teacher training on climate change in Chubut took place at the beginning of April 2024 at the Ecocentro Pampa Azul Foundation, located in Puerto Madryn. Furthermore, the training sessions in Neuquén and Mendoza were held in June, one at EPET N°15 in Zapala and the other at Conectar Lab in Godoy Cruz.

Theoretical session conducted by the Neuquén representatives during the climate change training in this province.

The training sessions in the three provinces saw an amazing turnout! Teachers were eager to participate, and we were delighted to welcome provincial authorities, the Energía Joven project team, and representatives from the provincial school directorates. Additionally, during the first training in Chubut, we were fortunate to have representatives from the Office for Climate Education (OCE), who helped us develop the most engaging teaching materials on climate change and prepare trainers from each of the provinces.

Combined theoretical explanation and practical exercise session conducted by OCE representatives during the climate change training in Chubut.

The day got off to a great start with an inspiring presentation of the Energía Joven project,  where teachers learned more about the project’s long-term goals, the delivery of materials, and their future involvement. The development of the teacher training course, scheduled meetings, and requirements for classroom application were also detailed in this presentation.

The next part of the training was all about climate change! Participants learned about greenhouse gases and their impact on ecosystems like the ocean and the cryosphere, as well as their effects on humanity. The dynamics combined practical and theoretical parts. This means participants got to conduct a series of experiments to promote active exploration and learning from their own experiences. Then, they got to hear a detailed explanation of the phenomena observed during the experiments. It was amazing to see how the teachers engaged with each other in such a constructive way, which really helped to boost their productivity!

Teachers conducting an experiment to understand the albedo effect during the climate change training in Mendoza.

At last, we concluded this first round of training with the creation of an engaging metacognition and reflection space for the teachers to discuss the topics covered. When we asked the teachers if they thought these experiences could be replicated in their classrooms, most of them were enthusiastic about the idea! However, some participants mentioned a few challenges, such as the lack of available time or the difficulty of articulating climate change topics with the current curriculum in their schools. Despite this, the teachers were thrilled to report that they had learned new concepts during the training and recognized that climate change is a perfect fit for many subjects.

If you want to learn more about the YouthEnergy project, visit our partnership page!