2020 Student Engagement Winner: Facens University Center - Brazil

Facens University Center - ECOGING – Empower to Change the Game 

Pupils from public schools in Brazil often face issues such as bullying, lack of life perspective and poor environmental education. Aiming to address these problems ECOGINC was created as a game developed by university students for high-schoolers to discuss and get in touch with environmental issues in a creative and funny way. During 3 days of activities, volunteer University students play the role of mentors which allows participants to connect and promote environmental awareness, also practice teamwork and develop standards of respectful behaviour towards others, from which collaboration can follow on. The University is not doing this activity on its own and the partners for this project could not be more adequate, as they have their core business based on the practices ECOGINC wishes to disseminate, such as sustainability and high impact on the life of others. This project benefits not only high school and University students but also prepares teachers and principals with techniques that can be applied in others subjects and the cultural change becomes perennial. 

Top three learnings: 

1. Be the change can be fun! 
2. Facing an interesting challenge mobilises all parties to make the difference: Facens students, professors and also the school pupils. 
3. Discovering hidden talents can be an important weapon in tackling complex problems. 

Videos

• Video #1 (click to hide)