After its successful project in Cottonera, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar is calling for volunteers ready to commit some time to help it extend its heritage programme for students ‘Our Heritage, Our Future’ to other towns.
Over the past year, the project provided students with heritage-based learning through hands-on activities aimed at equipping young people with skills valuable in the tourism, restoration and communications industries while cultivating a deeper appreciation of local history.
The project provided training in guiding tours and in developing communication materials through journalistic English and graphic design. The students then researched and created their own guided tour, designing and sewing their own costumes and preparing promotional leaflets.
The project helped equip students with essential skills in research, communication, public speaking, teamwork and creative problem-solving. Students were also exposed to new career opportunities through site visits to the Institute for Tourism Studies, Bighi Restoration Centre and media institutes.
The programme was supported by Atlas Insurance, the Martin Laing Foundation and Game-based Learning, in collaboration with St Margaret’s College, Cottonera.
After a year of work, FAA also launched its heritage website game focused on Cottonera’s history – https://culture-malta.org/ – to foster pride in the students’ heritage.
Similarly, through the guided tour, the students showcased their heritage confidence and research through a captivating guided tour of Cottonera in period costume.
FAA said it has always considered heritage as a public resource that this project harnesses as a means to provide careers that can help students break out of the poverty trap and aspire to careers in heritage, restoration and hospitality. Importantly, it enables migrant students to integrate and set roots in their new home, to become committed, active citizens.
It added that the appreciation of local heritage builds up self-esteem, which helps youths resist drug abuse and gang participation, while career fulfilment reduces risks of mental health problems.
With this in mind, FAA aims to gradually extend the project to other youths across different towns and the programme in terms of historical research and training of students.