Eye openers, deepening of vision & what we learned from 2019 In our open innovation & experimental approach for design of the Global OWC Concept & Program with Youngsters in the lead and focus on achievement of the SDGs with No One Left Behind, 2019 brought us these insights and the steps forward to make in 2020. 1st eye opener It’s very important to organize SDG Challenges by involving youngsters from different backgrounds and countries, meeting online, during school- or free time, to work on practical solutions. In these projects the OWC approach is: ● SDG challenges always begins with sharing ideas or helpquestions of youngsters from developing countries. They also have smartphones and smart ideas for change in their communities. ● SDG challenges can also start from local needs for sustainable change. ● By this focus youngsters can work during projects of 8 weeks to 6 months during school assignments, minors, internships or free time online with each other on concrete SDG solutions. By the 48 projects we organized in 2020 we learned how to work together during SDG Challenges to create working prototypes and concepts that can be implemented in the local community directly after the SDG challenges are finished. For us very important! Because we don’t want to create ideas and suggestions for change only. We want to make huge impact in Daily Life and change of our Life Style all together. 2nd eye opener 2020 should become the year of ‘implementation’ to make the change that youngsters create in OWC reality! On one hand it is important and possible to connect youngsters from European countries with youngsters from developing countries to work on working prototypes and concepts together, but on the other it is also important to take responsibility for implementation of the solutions as soon as possible after finishing the working prototypes and concepts. Because these types of projects create solutions and hope among the involved young people and communities in developing countries. That is why we (young people and partners participating in the SDG Challenges) must also ensure the necessary budget for implementation. This is why funding became a focus in 2020.
11
