News
Member meeting
After our last autumn meeting, which took place online, we finally met again in person this year in may. And even very close to nature in a forest garden in Brandenburg. On one hand, we looked inwards and reflected on how our structures and processes are working in terms of content and structure and what changes, adjustments and further developments are needed. On the other hand, we celebrated the projects that have been successfully implemented, such as the second manual on collective action and the eSD-online module. Finally, we also took a look into the future and talked about possible next projects and how we can expand and extend our educational work and workshops.
It remains exciting & in transition. And we are already looking forward to the next meeting.
LGBTQI+ Training of Trainers
In May, 3 members of Wandelwerk participated in an LGBTQI+ Training of Trainers aimed at supporting LGBTQI+ activists who want to grow as activist-trainers or step into a trainer role and use holistic methods of education and facilitation for activists and change-makers. It was an extraordinary learning experience and the team came back with a lot of new inspiration and stories to share.
general assembly
In March of this year, we had another general assembly. We exchanged ideas and discussed content in order to continue developing the Wandelwerk together this year. A new board was elected, the position of treasurer was passed on and a motion to amend the articles of association was adopted.
April 2024
Theatre of the Oppressed
In November 2023, 13 of us travelled together to the Spanish Pyrenees to spend a week learning the content and methods of Theatre of the Oppressed.
We are fascinated by the possibility of enabling people to act in the fiction of theatre to become protagonists, so they become acting subjects of their own lives.
Thanks to the Ulex Project for this successful collaboration!
Publication of the book „Klimabewegt"
Today, our new book "Klimabewegt - die Psychologie von Klimaprotest und Engagement" (in German) was published by oekom Verlag and can now be ordered. It is also available as open access and can be downloaded free of charge from our website and from oekom.
April 2024
Free Online Training (German)
Whether the topic is climate change or democratic empowerment: Specialists in extracurricular education also need to address social change in their work. The new, free online training course "BNEhoch3" shows them how to do this. Members of Wandelwerk have also taken part with a module on the topic "From knowledge to action with environmental psychology ", which is now available free of charge (only in German).
Simply register and give it a try. Have fun!
Graphic: © WILA Bonn / Christiane Büchner
April 2024
Motivation & resilience in funzt! podcast
In this double episode of the podcast funzt!, Eva Junge from Wandelwerk talks to Dorli Flämig about motivation and resilience in engagement and activism. Alongside Eva, who looks at the topic from a scientific perspective, you will hear people talk about their personal experiences of failure, burning out and getting back up again in the first episode. The second episode then takes a more confident look at strategies for healthy long-term engagement.
Episode 1, German
Episode 2, German
Also here, German
Crowdfunding for the book "Klimabewegt - Die Psychologie von Klimaprotest und Engagement"
We have spent the last two years working on a book on the topic of "Psychology of Climate Protest and Engagement" and have put a lot of energy and heart and soul into this project. If you are interested in psychological insights and practical examples around climate protest and engagement, then the book is just right for you! However, this is only the Crowdfunding for the German book. For the English book you will have to be a little more patient.
**We would be very happy if you supported our crowdfunding at oekom Verlag.
Workshop Emotions and Climate Crisis
In August, we facilitated a workshop on sources of motivation for collective action for the Landesjugendring NRW. What motivates young people to take action? And how can youth organisations help them to maintain their motivation in the long term? Together with volunteers and full-time staff, we spent a day exploring these and other questions. You can find some impressions of the workshop below.
August 2023
The third round of our training programme "weiter_wirken - conveying sustainability successfully" starts in August 2023
We all know the problem: Sustainability is important to us but still we do not always act accordingly. It seems even more difficult to initiate long-lasting changes to promote a change in societies towards more socio-ecological sustainability and justice. Based on findings from psychology and behavioral science, our training and networking programme "weiter_wirken" offers explanations and solution approaches to such challenges around socio-ecological sustainability. The program addresses full-time and volunteering folks of socio-ecological projects from North Rhine-Westphalia that aim to learn over a period of six months how to shape their projects for social and ecological sustainability to become even more effectively.
More information
June 2023
Research Workshop on Motivation and Resilience
At the beginning of May, we met with 32 committed people from self-organised projects at the Fuchsmuehle in Waldkappel to explore burnout in a group context. Topics included burnout & privilege, reflections on our (socio-political) biographies to date, a social-psychological model of collective action and case group counselling in small groups. Thanks to the Reallabor GutAlaune for the collaboration, it was an honour!
June 2023
New members of the Wandelwerk
At the end of April, the Wandelwerk organized the 3rd multiplier training, which enables new people to become part of the Wandelwerk. The participants learned about the structures of the Wandelwerk and we discussed workshop methods and different trainings. We are happy about all future members of the Wandelwerk and we are looking forward to working together.
April 2023
From the Roots Up – Train The Trainers
22nd – 30th of April 2023
Exploring the power of radical nature connection and ecological learning for collective action
This Training for Trainers aims to support trainers, facilitators and educators who want to use nature-based and eco-systemic approaches of education and facilitation for activists and change makers seeking to empower defense of the earth and struggles for social justice.
Where: On the Hill, in Devon (UK); https://www.onthehill.camp/
More Info here: https://ulexproject.org/courses_events/roots-of-resilience-2-2-2/
Handbook as audio book
You don't feel like reading today? Thanks to the IPU Local Group Hamburg, our handbook is now available as an audio book. Have fun with it!
January 2023
Writing Week at the Brunnenhaus
Ten of us met for a week in early December at the Brunnenhaus in the Rhineland and wrote together on our handbook. We have been researching and discussing the psychology of collective action for about 3 years. This week helped us to clarify outstanding questions in personal conversations, to work in silence on the individual chapters and to take walks together through the fresh snow in the forest.
December 2022
Member meeting
During our Wandelwerk meeting in November, we deliberated on how we can further advance our organization both structurally and in terms of educational work. And we have planned some exciting projects for the next year.
November 2022
„From the Roots up“
A learning opportunity for socio-ecological change practitioners: Explore the power of radical nature connection for collective action with Wandelwerk (Germany) and Ulex (Spain), from 5th to 11th Dec 2022, near Cologne, Germany. Participation fee based on donation.
October 2022
Interview with Karen Hamann
How can psychological challenges be addressed in sustainability communication? In this interview by Engagement Global, Karen provides insights into her work and describes how we can effectively encourage more climate action.
June 2022
Presentation of Research Findings
In May three of us presented the first research findings of the EPEAC project. At the Conference of the IPU (Initiative Psychology in Environmental Protection) on Climate Justice, we presented our preliminary findings of our two studies. We talked about factors for a healthy and sustainable activist culture as well as psychological challenges and sources of motivation in activism. Our workshop was well attended and the subsequent discussion was very interesting and enriching! Thanks to the IPU e.V. for this inspiring congress!
May 2022
Members Meeting
At the first general meeting in 2022, we had a lively exchange of ideas in order to continue to develop Wandelwerk together this year.
March 2022
International meeting
At the beginning of November, we had a small meeting with our partners of the international Erasmus+ project "Education for Pro-Active Environmental Citizenship". We are looking forward to the next year in cooperation with the Ulex Project in Spain, Transformative Education in England, and Vedegylet in Hungary.
November 2021
Wandelwerk meeting
And finally, we were able to meet in person again. Together we discussed the future of Wandelwerk, talked about the current projects, and now, we are looking forward to the next year with Wandelwerk.
October 2021
Education for Pro-Active Environmental Citizenship (EPEAC)
Since November 2020, Wandelwerk is part of an international Erasmus+ project. The aim is to strengthen engagement for climate justice. With three international project partners, we will look at how people become motivated to get involved in the climate justice movement (in the long term).
After an initial intensive research phase, we want to put our findings on paper and make them available for you. In mid-2022, we will move into developing training methods to equip even more people with environmental psychology knowledge on protest & volunteering. At the end of the project, several trainings will take place in the respective countries of our network. If you want to stay up to date, please have a look at the News page.
This project is funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus Plus program. Our partners are:
Ulex Project in Spain
Transformative Education in England
Vedegylet in Hungary
Introduction to environmental psychology
As part of the Green City e.V. evenings, Eva Junge from Wandelwerk gave an introduction to environmental psychology. The workshop makes aware why knowledge does not always lead to appropriate action and how own projects and conversations can be designed more sensibly in the future.
Interview mit Eva Junge zum Seminar an der Universität Passau
Zusammen mit der Wandelwerk - Kollegin Karen Hamann hält Eva Juge im kommenden Semester an der Uni Passau zum ersten Mal das Seminar „Psychologie des Klimawandels“. Im Interview mit dem dortigen Zentrum für Karriere und Kompetenzen spricht sie über ihre Motivation und die Kerninhalte des Seminars.
September 2021
Project Gut Alaune
Wandelwerk is a cooperation partner in the project „Reallabor Gut Alaune", which has now been selected by the Gesellschaft der Ideen. We are looking forward to the partnership!
August 2021
Neuer Flyer zu unserem Umweltpsychologie-Handbuch
Die Psychologists for Future haben eine Zusammenfassung unseres Handbuchs "Psychologie im Umweltschutz" als Flyer verfasst.
August 2021
Wandelwerk is a scientific partner, and supports the social innovations of the "Gesellschaft der Ideen" with its expertise. You can find more information about it here:
June 2021
Everyone is in favor of environmental protection. But changing your own life? Too complicated. However, experts in environmental psychology show that behaviour change is entirely possible and absolutely necessary. Eva Junge from Wandelwerk in an interview with WILA Arbeitsmarkt.
May 2021
Free Participation in the seminar "How to Face the Perfect Problem – Wie Klimakommunikation gelingen kann":
On Monday April 12th, 2021 you can participate in a Wandelwerk workshop by Eva Junge. The seminar is hosted by the Forum für Internationale Entwicklung & Planung.
Since November 2020 Wandelwerk is part of an international Erasmus+ project "Education for Pro-Active Environmental Citizenship". By now, we are in an active dialogue with our project partners: Ulex Project in Spain, Transformative Education in England, and Vedegylet in Hungary.
March 2021
The training on "Psychology of Climate Justice" was a success. Alex W. participated in the Wandelwerk event: "Innovative and effective - the Psychology of Climate Justice has given me many practical skills and also hope on how to engage people for commitment and change."
February 2021
A little introduction to environmental psychology! Together with the Bewegungsakademie, we have created this video for you. You will learn what environmental psychology is and which psychological findings can help us promote environmental protection.
January 2021
Finally, the psychology of social-ecological change is available as a German online lecture! People are currently working on a translation :)
December 2020
As member of Wandelwerk, Eva discussed communication strategies for ambitious climate politics in Slovenian TV!
November 2020
This weekend, our Wandelwerk meeting took place online! We are looking forward to a year with multiplier events, new educational material on protest and activism, and online workshops & seminars.
October 2020
Wandelwerk was awarded to be one of RENN's sustainability projects 2020 and as a thank-you note, we received a poetry slam! For everyone who would like to watch it:
October 2020
Would you like to know the psychological consequences that the corona crisis has on the climate crisis? Jointly with IPU, we wrote an article about it that you can read in Perspective Daily:
June 2020
We visited the lecture series in Marburg with and recorded our lecture "Psychology of Change" (German) for you! You can watch it here:
November 2019
We are a formal organisation! On February 2nd, Wandelwerk was officially founded.
February 2019
This weekend, we received coaching support by network n with the ambitious aim to create a joint vision! If you are a university group and would like to receive a coaching though the network n, you can find more information here:
February 2018
Of course, we visited the IPU congress on mindfulness and gave our workshops as introduction to environmental psychology.
October 2017
End of October we participated in the biggest Conference for Start-Ups in the Ruhr and were able to gain many new insights. From giving our very first literal „elevator pitch“ to speed-dating two investors, we had the chance to try out some new things. On top of that we visited some exciting workshops and met some „successful“ start-up entrepreneurs.
October 2017
We were at the degrowth summer school and gave four 4-day courses: Psychology of collective action, of climate change communication, of individual behavior change and of degrowth. If you want to learn more about our couses, visit:
August 2017
At our successful project meeting in Brandenburg, we gave our group the name Wandelwerk.
June 2017
An exciting IPU visioning tour at the beautiful traditional ship Lovis lies behind us. We diligently set sail into a new IPU future. Would you also like to have a seminar at the Lovis? Here you can find more information:
May 2017