YOMA: GreenLearntoEarn
The YOMA Green Learn to Earn (Green Learn2Earn) initiative is a partnership project that builds on the T-learning project, especially its course activated Change Project model, making this transformative learning approach available to youth across the African continent through the UNICEF YOMA digital platform.
The Green Learn2Earn initiative offers youth in South Africa learning programmes to learn about environmental sustainability while contributing to their communities, civil society organisations and the common good. The Green Learn2Earn courses are designed for young people in South Africa and elsewhere who want to make a positive impact on the environment and their community while gaining skills to earn an income. Participants can access complete free micro-learning courses via the YOMA platform, or via associated platforms like Atlas Academy. The courses are framed within learning pathways that focus on Environmental Practices such as AgroEcology and River Monitoring. Through participation on these courses, youth can also showcase their learning through creative projects like videos or poems. The initiative aims to empower young people to contribute to a sustainable future. The programme seeks to promote economic income generation for youth, as well as recognition of informal learning and through YOMA it also creates access to employment opportunities for young people, while encouraging green work interest.
So far, through a collaborative grounded approach, the programme has produced micro-credential courses for two learning pathways on AgroEcology and River Health Monitoring, and is currently producing micro-credential courses for three additional learning pathway courses on Placemaking, Greening and Rehabilitation, Waste and Circular Economy and Community Facilitation. From 2023 until 2026, over 1000 youth have been impacted through our GreenLearn2Earn online courses as participating youth gain new knowledge, develop gardens in their communities, cleaned up rivers, collaborate with others in their communities and more.
This programme led out of the Rhodes University Environmental Learning Research Centre, working in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Trust (UNICEF) and the Duzi-uMngeni Conservation Trust (DUCT), GroundTruth and other partners.
Relevant links
GREENLEARN 2 EARN COMPETITION: YOUTH CHALLENGE
GREEN LEARN2EARN – AGROECOLOGY IMPACT TASK
GREEN LEARN2EARN – AGROECOLOGY COURSE