What is the Eco-patrol educational program for youth?
Eco-patrol is an international non-formal education program aimed at young people aged 14 to 18 who want to learn more about the environment, sustainability and how they can contribute to their communities.
The program was developed through the partnership of six organizations from Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary and Italy. It combines methods adapted to young people, teamwork and practical activities, in order to approach the topics of environmental protection in an interesting and accessible way.
Eco-patrols - manual for informal education of young people on environmental topics
The central part of the program is the Eco-Patrol Manual - an educational tool consisting of 8 interactive modules, each addressing a key environmental protection topic:
Module 1: Eco-literacy
Module 2: Biodiversity and ecosystems
Module 3: Climate change and other human impacts
Module 4: Waste Management
Module 5: Energy and Resources
Module 6: Water
Module 7: Sustainable agricultural and food systems
Module 8: Environmental policies and activism
The educational program uses informal learning methods such as role-playing, creative workshops, outdoor activities, quizzes and team challenges. It has been tested by more than 120 young people from 5 countries, confirming that the methods work well in practice.
Each module can be used in schools, youth associations or NGOs, making it a flexible tool for teachers, youth workers and educators. The program is available in 6 languages (English, Croatian, Macedonian, Serbian, Hungarian and Italian) and can be downloaded for free here.
Why Eco-patrol?
The Eco-Patrol program answers an important question: how to encourage young people to care for the environment and act sustainably in their everyday lives?
By combining knowledge, teamwork and concrete actions, the program:
- makes learning about the environment practical and interesting,
- connects young people with peers with similar interests,
- strengthens cooperation between schools, associations and local institutions,
- empowers young people to become agents of change in their community.
Dissemination and impact
So far, the Eco-Patrol concept has achieved:
- more than 120 young people through local groups in five different countries,
- over 700 teachers, educators and youth workers came into contact with the program through seminars and events, tried out the modules and gained access to a printed or PDF version of the manual,
- Almost 900 manual downloads in different languages by the end of April 2025.
Positive feedback from young people and educators confirms that Eco-patrol is not just the result of one project, but a sustainable educational approach that can be used by any organization interested in environmental education of young people.
The Eco-patrol educational program has a positive expert opinion from the Education Agency, which confirms its quality and compliance with educational standards and recommends it as a valuable form of cooperation with schools and children.
How to get involved
The Eco-Patrol Handbook and accompanying tools are available for free download. Whether you are a teacher, youth worker, member of an association or a young person interested in environmental protection, you can use the materials and start your own Eco-Patrol in your community.
For additional information, please contact the publisher of the Handbook at: mail@argonauta.hr
Note: This manual/program was created with the support of public funds and is available for free use for educational and non-commercial purposes. The author prohibits commercial use of the material and it is not permitted to charge end users for participation in the program or use of the manual's content.
