Share and develop new perspectives on sustainability in mountaineering

Dear Naturefriends,

Are you a mountaineering or tracking guide or on the way to become one? Are you curious how you can make your outdoor activities more sustainably responsible? Would you like to get new inspiration on how to deepen the emotional relationship of your participants with the natural and social surrounding? Do you want to share your inspiring stories and hear good practices from like-minded colleagues and friends in the mountaineering field from different Naturefriends organisations? And next to this climb up some beautiful mountains while practicing all you have learned?

Then feel very invited to participate at the upcoming international training course “The Way is the Goal”

International Young Naturefriends (IYNF) is seeking candidates for the position of Networking Coordinator! 

IYNF is an international youth umbrella organisation that brings together Young Naturefriends and their organizations across Europe. It currently has 18 member and 8 partner organizations with more than 120.000 young members organized in over a thousand local groups.

The core role of IYNF is to facilitate the cooperation between member and partner organizations and individual members by creating links, organizing meetings, providing direct support and promoting nature-friendly activities all over Europe.

We are a progressive organization that lives its values of respect, equality, solidarity, sustainability and love and care for nature in everyday life. We aim to be a great learning, values-based and mission-driven organization.

The Networking coordinator is a member of Secretariat based in Prague, Czech Republic. The Secretariat currently consist of two full time employees and two long-term EVS volunteers and we are looking for an inspiring and responsible person to join the team.

Have you heard of EVS and are you considering to become a volunteer yourself? Are you searching for a project where your contribution would be seen and valued on the local as well as on the global level? Are you interested in environmental outdoor education, sustainability and youth work? Would you like to learn, grow and develop your skills in the related fields?

Then don’t hesitate to apply and join the IYNF team in 2015!

Naturfreundejugend Deutschlands – NFJD in partnership with IYNF is organising the training course Wilderness Mentoring. Taking place in Eifel, Germany between 15 and 21 September 2014, it will be aimed at inspiring trainers to care for nature and to enable them to kindle the passion for nature in others. Its purpose will be to build an intimate relationship with the natural world by applying time-tested mentoring methods of people living in close touch to Earth.

On 9 - 11 May 2014 for the first time, The Eu parliament will open its doors to young people from all over Europe and invite them to the house of European Democracy. Throughout three days they we'll be exchanging ideas and perspectives for the future of Europe. It will be an exceptional, bu its scope, several thousand people, timing, just ahead the EU elections, and its premises, the official building of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. To offer you the perfect mix of meaningful and enjoyable event, the European Youth Event will feature ideas labas, political debates, role-play games concerts and even a sreet parade.

Attachment: 

IYNF at EYE - call for participants 2.pdf

This week Morgan Henley brings you an comprehensive article about the controversial topic of fracking. She explains why fracking cannot be labeled as a clean energy source.

There’s a new epidemic that is ravaging the U.S. and it could come to your town next. Its street name is "fracking" - short for hydraulic fracturing. It's a dangerous addiction and is transforming once thriving neighborhoods into wastelands. The dealers are tough and will go to any extreme to get their dollar. These pushers, instead of tempting junkies into filling their bodies with deadly drugs, are helping countries pump toxic chemicals into their own ground. This dangerous trend is only growing in popularity because as with drug abusers, these states somehow neglect to realize that this new shale gas fix is just a temporary and dangerous high.

The process of fracking begins drilling deep holes into the ground, at depths of 2 km or more. Then millions of liters of a water, chemical, sand combination are inserted into this hole at really high pressures in order to fracture the shale rock and release natural gas.

2014 is the IYNF’s year of Urban Outdoors. Urban Green Citizenship is a unique training course which combines non-formal learning with direct community work and active experience of open air workshop festival Give&Get. It will bring together youth workers, youth leaders and NGO workers from across Europe, providing them with an opportunity to share their experiences in the field and learn from other participants the different approaches to youth work in cities when it comes to green urban activism.

Attachment: 

Training Course Urban Green Citizenship - Call for Participants

This week Morgan Henley describes the environmental dilemma of an air traveller and deals with burning questions associated with air transportation.

Up until recently, I considered myself a pretty environmentally sustainable person. I could check off most of the boxes: vegetarian, recycle fanatic, public transport user, green candidate supporter - all of those things that I thought would do enough to give me a low carbon footprint. Then one day, I realized the truth. I had heard something vaguely mentioned from a friend once or twice before, but it wasn't until then that I knew the extent of my oblivion. Did you know that one return flight from Europe to the US can increase your carbon footprint for a year by 25%?

Cue my shock and horror. As someone who takes flights rather frequently - and often long ones- I realized I had been a carbon culprit all along. Opening my frequent flyer mile statements became a weekly reminder of my sins. In the process of dealing with this horrifying news, I did some research, and I feel it is my duty to share with you. To do so, I am going to walk you through my small crisis by using something you might be familiar with - the five steps of grief. Technically, it’s called the Kubler-Ross system, and it’s been around since 1969, so if it’s been around for that long, it’s got to work! 

The annual Networking Conference 2014 comes with the title Urban Outdoors – Resilient Cities, Resilient Youth!

Do you have interesting ideas how to transform your city into a better place? Would you like to involve your young nature-friendly group into meaningful local initiatives? Have you implemented an interesting project and do you believe it could inspire Young Naturefriends around Europe? Are you keen on finding more about topics that connect the urban phenomenon with the nature? Do you like to spend your free time outdoors?

If you answered yes at least to one of the questions, then you are the right person we are looking for!

Attachment: 

IYNF NETWORKING CONFERENCE 2014_invitation.pdf

The IYNF “Year of action for change” has brought many valuable experiences and promising changes in the sustainable practices. We were happy to contribute to many possitive transitions and we are proud that our campaigns attracted more members, partners and supporters comparing to the previous years!

IYNF would like to continue in this possitive trend in 2014 and concentrate on “URBAN OUTDOORS”! 

First Fresh Planning Weekend Impressions! Brought to you by Henrique Gonçalves!

There is something special about attending IYNF events and it starts with a travel. Every journey is a unique experience, the unknown places that are being drawn in our ways by the speed of the train, while our eyes are gazing at the landscapes, houses and towns until we finally reach the venue. 

IYNF always aims to to provide best opportunities for youth - also by offering meaningful work experience opportunities for youth, full of learning and educational opportunities. Magdalena Rauch from Poland did a three months internship in our office in Prague. Read about her impressions!

My final impressions from the internship time

When I came to IYNF office on the first day a desk with a welcoming post-it-note attached to the computer monitor was already waiting for me. These kind of warm memories were provided for me within the whole time of 3-month internship, from August to October 2013. If I am asked what my impressions are, the first thought that comes to my mind is the office team, which I had occasion to work with, but also to learn from them and spend some days out of office, during staff retreat.

Share and develop new perspectives on sustainability in mountaineering

Dear Naturefriends,

Are you a mountaineering or tracking guide or on the way to become one? Are you curious how you can make your outdoor activities more sustainably responsible? Would you like to get new inspiration on how to deepen the emotional relationship of your participants with the natural and social surrounding? Do you want to share your inspiring stories and hear good practices from like-minded colleagues and friends in the mountaineering field from different Naturefriends organisations? And next to this climb up some beautiful mountains while practicing all you have learned?

Then feel very invited to participate at the upcoming international training course “The Way is the Goal”

Write to adriana@iynf.org to place an order!

We are absolutely delighted to announce that “Green Toolbox” is now available online on IYNF website and can be requested in printed version from IYNF office.

Green Toolbox encourages and inspires various sector organizations to apply sustainable working practices in their daily work and within their project and office management. It responds to the questions ranging from how we can choose the most environmentally friendly merchandise and gadgets to most socially responsible banking for our organization; what office and project management practices can do most good and least harm for people, natural environment and animals.  

Sustainability is a combination and synergy of social justice, ecological health, and economic vitality. This publication responds to a growing interest in sustainable consumption, addresses urgent global matters, and conveys the necessity for action. It aims to provide NGOs with the tools, information, and inspiration needed to introduce a wide variety of sustainable practices.

Attachment: 

Green Toolbox