About PEAK

PROBLEM: Climate crisis, Low population and Economic downturn

Europe’s mountain regions have contributed to shaping not only Europe’s history, society and economy, but also its climate and environment. Now under threat from issues concerning low population density, difficulty of access, economic and ecological vulnerability, there is distinctive NEED for a new approach to the environmental preservation, economic regeneration and sustainable development of mountain regions. PEAK – New Heights for Youth Entrepreneurship is a new approach which places young people at the heart of the process.

For centuries, young people have out-migrated from Europe’s remote, high-altitude regions, a process that resulted in brain drain and the consequent social and economic destabilization of mountain communities. Mountains occupy 41.3% of European territory and are home to 25.4% of Europe’s people and millions of Europeans depend on mountain resources (i.e. fresh water, energy, minerals, forests) for their living so the NEED to promote their safeguarding and sustainable development is strong.

OBJECTIVE

PEAK is motivated to achieve the following objectives:

  • Unlock the economic potential of youth entrepreneurship and new economic niches (such as offering tours or selling added value regional products)
  • Combat and reverse depopulation by attracting young people to stay, move to – or move back to – mountain areas and become entrepreneurs.
  • Empower youth through entrepreneurship to be equal partners and torchbearers in creating and implementing goals toward environmental sustainability, which according to the World Programme of Action on Youth is crucial to youth participation in environmental preservation.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

The first tangible results of the project will be the intellectual outputs:

Output 1

PEAK Climate Smart Mountain Entrepreneurship for Youth Resource Pack – A resource pack for youth educators and stakeholders it will explore the regeneration potential of youth entrepreneurship and new economic niches (such as offering tours or selling added value regional products) in sustainable mountain development. The study will adopt a broad European focus with in-depth problem-based spotlight on the particular issues and challenges (remoteness, distance from decision centres, depopulation, ageing demographics, lack of basic infrastructure, unemployment and low educational level rates) concerning mountain regions in Scotland, UK, Greece, Iceland, Ireland and Italy.15 Participant Forum, 30 pilot testers and 200 download users will benefit.

Output 2

PEAK Youth Entrepreneurs Video Showcase – A compendium of 30 inspiring and accessible video case studies collected from of young PEAK Entrepreneurs across Europe, this IO will consolidate multiple sources of inspiring information, accessible to our target groups. Video is the communication medium of choice by young people (TikTok/Snapchat/YouTube) and it will be a great medium for informal learning in PEAK – New Heights for Youth Entrepreneurship. 100 Youth Educators will use the video showcase in informal learning and 1000 viewers will learn new approaches.

Output 3

PEAK Youth Entrepreneurs Framework and OERS – We will develop one innovative framework for in non-formal youth education and make it available as OERs for youth and enterprise organizations to use in their groups. It will include:

  • youth educators train the train guide which provides all the background research/information (learning goals, pedagogic strategies, links to source teaching materials) educators need to successfully roll out a PEAK Entrepreneurs training programme
  • Learners Workbook which youth trainees can use to record their learning journey
  • 5-7 bite-sized modules each with learning objectives and interactive activities/lessons which provide an engaging and deeper level of applied learning.

Output 4

PEAK Entrepreneurs Reach and Teach Study and VLE – is a substantive multilingual, online interactive platform which will enable remote and distance learning and foster peer connections and collaboration among PEAK Entrepreneurs across Europe. The inclusion of a virtual learning environment (VLE) is crucial given the remoteness of mountain areas. The PEAK Entrepreneurs VLE will be designed and optimised in an accessible and appropriate way and will be informed by a Reach and Teach study on the best virtual learning environment tools (cloud based/app etc) for remote/peripheral access. Following the study, CCL will select the tool/software best suited to remote learning in mountain locations and they will proceed to develop the PEAK Youth VLE. 850 beneficiaries will engage in the VLE.