GreenVET pathway

Image by Roter Salon Stadtgymnasium Dortmund, K. Christensen, B. Volland

Regular Community Participation and Engagement Event

A recurring, low-threshold community event that brings together members of the school and local neighborhood to collaboratively address challenges and initiate transformative actions using interactive and inclusive methods.

Key People and Partners Involved

School management and teaching staff
Students and their families
Local community members and organizations
External facilitators or moderators (optional)

Description of the practice

This practice involves organizing a regular (e.g., monthly) event where members of the school community"alongside neighbours and local stakeholders"come together in an open, informal setting to explore solutions to shared challenges. Designed to be easily accessible and welcoming to all, these gatherings use participatory methods (such as design thinking or the world caf" methodology) to ensure inclusive engagement and creativity.

Each event focuses on a timely or locally relevant issue. Through structured yet flexible dialogue, participants co-develop ideas and agree on one actionable, innovative step that is implemented immediately or soon after the event. This emphasis on real-time decision-making and implementation nurtures a culture of shared ownership.

The format supports sustainable development by embedding democratic participation, problem-solving, and local resilience into the everyday fabric of school life. It encourages learning beyond the classroom, turning abstract goals into concrete action.

Where it’s being implemented

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This practice is inspired by the "Roter Salon" (Red Salon) initiative at Ernst-Reuter-Gesamtschule in Karlsruhe, Germany, where school leadership regularly brings together members of the school and wider community to collaboratively explore and develop ideas for school improvement.
https://www.ers-karlsruhe.de/gemeinschaftsschule#Gemeinschaftsschule
Another school implementing this format is Stadtgymnasium Dortmund, Germany. Here it brought together students, parents, teachers, and staff in a welcoming, creatively designed space to explore the theme of DIVERSITY, develop inclusive school project ideas in mixed groups, and experience a new, participatory event format that was praised for its atmosphere of equality, collaboration, and genuine community spirit.
https://stadtgymnasium.com/2023/10/27/vielfalt-der-erste-rote-salon-am-stadtgymnasium-dortmund/

Impact and Results

Increased participation and collaboration between the school and local community
Stronger student and staff engagement in sustainability and innovation
Experience of self-efficacy in co-creating the learning environment
Visible, small-scale transformations that build momentum over time
Greater community trust and sense of shared responsibility

Implementation Tips and Insights

Let the school community give ideas and decide on the topic of the community event.
Ensure the atmosphere is informal and inclusive to lower barriers to participation.
Start with small, manageable topics to build early success.
Always conclude with one clear, actionable decision and give promise to follow through with the implementation.

Useful Links and Resources

This link might not lead to content in English language. Use your browser's translate function or automatic captions to explore this resource. IDEO's Design Thinking for Educators Tool is free, practical, and education-focused.
https://page.ideo.com/design-thinking-edu-toolkit
Downloadable toolkit to implement a world caf" with tips for setup, questions, and facilitation:
https://www.theworldcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Cafe-To-Go-Revised.pdf