As part of the Commit2Green Horizon Europe project, a community engagement event was organized in Thessaloniki, Greece, bringing together parents and educators from two primary schools to initiate the co-design process of their schoolyards. The event aimed to introduce the project’s vision and actively involve the school community in shaping greener, more climate-resilient learning environments through participatory planning. More than 30 parents and several educators took part in the two-hour workshop, which focused on presenting the project’s objectives and the role of nature-based solutions (NBS) in transforming a conventional schoolyard into a natural schoolyard. Participants engaged in structured focus group discussions and tailored interactive activities designed to explore their needs, expectations, and potential concerns regarding the upcoming interventions. The exchange created space for dialogue around biodiversity, heat mitigation, outdoor learning opportunities, and the overall quality of children’s daily school experience.
The workshop placed strong emphasis on co-creation and shared ownership. By actively involving parents and educators in identifying priorities and shaping early design directions, the process strengthened community commitment and fostered a collective vision for more inclusive and sustainable school environments. At the end of the session, key insights from each focus group were presented and discussed in plenary, allowing participants to reflect on diverse perspectives across the school community.
To further broaden participation, attendees were invited to complete and share a digital questionnaire via QR code. The survey enabled those unable to attend the event to contribute their views, ultimately engaging more than 70 parents and educators in total. The combined findings from the workshop and questionnaire will directly inform the co-design and implementation of a natural schoolyard, ensuring that the final design reflects local needs while advancing Commit2Green’s cross-scalar strategy for community-level greening and climate adaptation.
