PERMA SCHOOL is a European Erasmus+ project that aims to integrate permaculture principles into school education as a tool for building sustainable, inclusive, and healthy learning environments. The project brings together schools and organizations from Spain, Greece, and Cyprus to promote environmental awareness, climate action, and participatory learning through innovative, hands-on approaches.

Over the course of 24 months, the project will co-create a new curriculum grounded in permaculture ethics, support teacher training, and engage students through real-life projects that connect theory with practice. Central to this initiative is the development of the PERMASCHOOL HUB, a multilingual online platform that will provide educators and students with tools, lesson plans, and collaborative spaces to implement sustainable practices in their schools.

Through national trainings, student-led activities, and interschool fairs, PERMA SCHOOL will empower young people to take an active role in addressing environmental challenges. With a strong dissemination strategy targeting over 300,000 stakeholders across Europe, the project seeks to inspire a long-term shift in educational practices—placing sustainability, creativity, and resilience at the heart of school communities.

1. Encourage international cooperation for sustainability
PERMA SCHOOL connects schools and environmental organizations from Spain, Greece, and Cyprus to work together on making schools greener, healthier, and more sustainable.

2. Use co-creation to involve everyone
Teachers, students, and experts will work side by side to design the project’s curriculum and tools. This teamwork ensures that the learning materials are useful, engaging, and created by the people who will use them.

3. Train teachers in permaculture and climate education
The project helps teachers gain the skills and knowledge they need to teach about permaculture, sustainability, and how to care for the environment in creative and effective ways.

4. Help students learn through doing
Students will take part in hands-on lessons and real projects that show them how nature works and how they can make a difference in their communities.

5. Share the project widely across Europe
Through events, a digital platform, and online resources, the project will reach thousands of people, helping other schools across Europe to learn from and use the PERMA SCHOOL model.

The PERMA SCHOOL project will carry out a variety of activities aimed at promoting sustainability in schools through education, collaboration, and innovation:

Phase 1: Co-Creation & Preparation.

• Co-Creation Panel: A group of 20 participants (educators, students, and environmental experts) will come together to co-design the PERMASCHOOL curriculum and tools.
• Co-Creation Panel Research & Curriculum Design: Partners will develop an innovative, participatory curriculum based on permaculture principles, including activities, lesson plans, and learning outcomes.

Phase 2: Digital Platform & Tool Development.

• PERMASCHOOL HUB: A multilingual online platform will be launched, offering:
  – Educational resources and toolkits
  – An Activity Planning Tool for schools
  – Collaborative spaces for sharing ideas and best practices
• Content Upload & Testing: Materials will be uploaded and tested by partner schools to ensure usability.

Phase 3: Capacity Building & Pilot Testing.

• 3 National Teacher Trainings: One training per partner country (Spain, Greece, Cyprus) to equip secondary school teachers with permaculture and sustainability education skills.
• 9 Student Lessons (3 per country): Practical, in-class activities will introduce students to ecological thinking and permaculture, using the new curriculum.
• Local PERMASCHOOL Projects: Students will design and implement their own small-scale environmental projects in their schools or communities.

Phase 4: Engagement & Public Events.

• 3 National Interschool Fairs: Events will be held in each partner country where students showcase their projects, engage in eco-activities, and exchange experiences with peers.
• Educational Film Production («Knowledge Acceleration Cinematography»): A short documentary will be created to capture project highlights, success stories, and the overall impact on schools and communities.

Phase 5: Dissemination & Sustainability.

• Communication Campaign: Social media, newsletters, press releases, and public events will be used to share results with over 300,000 stakeholders.
• Final Reports & Policy Recommendations: A final publication will summarize outcomes, best practices, and recommendations for adopting the PERMASCHOOL approach in other European schools.

The Perma School project aims to achieve several key results:

1. Co-created Curriculum
   A practical, permaculture-based curriculum for secondary schools.
2. Teacher Training
   At least 60 educators trained in sustainability and active learning methods.
3. Student Engagement
   180 students involved in hands-on lessons and local eco-projects.
4. Digital Platform (PERMASCHOOL HUB)
   A multilingual online hub with resources, planning tools, and collaboration spaces.
5. Student-Led Projects
   Real environmental actions led by students in their schools and communities.
6. Interschool Fairs
   3 national events showcasing student work and promoting eco-education.
7. Educational Film
   A short documentary highlighting the project’s impact and inspiring others.
8. Wide Dissemination
   Outreach to over 300,000 stakeholders across Europe.
9. Scalable Model
   Tools and recommendations to replicate the project in other schools.

Here is a list of the expected impact of Perma School project:

1. On Students

– Increased environmental awareness and climate literacy

– Stronger engagement through hands-on, project-based learning

– Empowerment to take meaningful action in their schools and communities

– Development of key competences: critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving

2. On Teachers and Schools

– Improved teaching practices through training in permaculture and sustainability education

– Greater capacity to integrate environmental topics across subjects

– Creation of greener, more inclusive and healthier school environments

– Access to innovative tools and resources via the PERMASCHOOL HUB

3. On Local Communities

– Stronger school-community connections through student projects and interschool fairs

– Increased visibility of environmental issues and sustainable solutions

– Inspiration for families and local stakeholders to adopt eco-friendly practices

4. At European Level

– Broad dissemination reaching over 300,000 people, raising awareness across sectors

– Transferable tools and curriculum that can be adopted by schools across the EU

– Contribution to EU goals on education for sustainable development and climate action

– Reinforcement of the link between education, environmental policy, and active citizenship