Food and Climate workshops
HCC's Role and Expertise in the FoodWave Project
As a service provider for AMB (Metropolitan Agency of Brașov) within the FoodWave project, Highclere Consulting designed, coordinated, and facilitated a series of educational workshops on “Food and Climate – Planting ideas for a healthier future.” These workshops targeted high school and university students and aimed to raise awareness about the link between food systems, consumption habits, and climate change.
Role
Conceptual Design and Facilitation: HCC developed the full educational concept and methodology for the “Food and Climate” workshops, ensuring that the sessions were both scientifically grounded and engaging for young participants. The approach integrated interactive exercises, digital engagement tools (such as Menti.com), and participatory discussions.
Delivery and Moderation: Raluca Barbu, representing HCC, delivered and moderated the workshops in multiple educational settings (including Colegiul Național Andrei Șaguna, Colegiul Național Economic Andrei Bârseanu, and the UNITBv Faculty of Food and Tourism) reaching over 100 young participants.
Content Development: HCC prepared tailored educational materials, presentations, and exercises that introduced complex notions like food systems, sustainability, climate resilience, and responsible consumption, using accessible language and local relevance.
Data Collection and Analysis: Through real-time surveys and participatory feedback, HCC collected data on youth perceptions, food habits, and priorities for local food strategies, later summarized into a report with recommendations for AMB.
Reporting and Recommendations: The final report compiled by HCC provided insights and policy-oriented recommendations on how local authorities and schools can engage youth in sustainable food practices and integrate food education into curricula and public procurement.
Expertise Demonstrated
Systems Thinking and Food System Transformation: HCC applied a systemic approach to understanding the interconnections between agriculture, consumption, economy, and the environment, linking local realities in Brașov to global sustainability goals (SDGs 2, 12, and 13).
Youth Engagement and Participatory Education: The workshops showcased HCC’s ability to translate complex sustainability topics into interactive, youth-friendly formats, empowering participants to imagine local solutions and future scenarios for sustainable food in Brașov.
Local Policy and Strategy Facilitation: By connecting workshop insights to the emerging Urban Food Strategy of Brașov, HCC played a key role in bridging youth perspectives with local policy development.
Communication and Awareness-Raising: Using creative communication tools and storytelling (e.g., “Be a Food Influencer” campaign), HCC enhanced project visibility and mobilized local youth to adopt climate-smart food choices.
In the FoodWave project, Highclere Consulting acted as the educational and facilitation partner for AMB, developing and implementing the “Food and Climate” workshops in Brașov. Leveraging its expertise in food systems, communication, and participatory facilitation, HCC designed interactive learning experiences that engaged over 100 students in understanding the connections between food, climate, and community well-being. Through these activities, HCC not only built awareness but also contributed actionable insights and recommendations to inform Brașov’s local food policy and youth engagement strategies.
