Noticias: Gobierno y Universidad de La Laguna colaboran en proyecto para influencers sostenibles
Government and University of La Laguna develop an initiative to turn students into spokespeople and dynamizers of the 2030 Agenda
The project is part of the 14 initiatives promoted by the autonomous government in collaboration with the two public universities of the archipelago
The Government of the Canary Islands, in partnership with the University of La Laguna (ULL), has launched a course to train sustainable influencers. Within the framework of the objectives of the Canarian Sustainable Development Agenda, the academic institution is carrying out this project aimed at preparing young people as agents of sustainability to become 3C influencers (knowledge, awareness, and commitment) in their academic, professional, associative, social, or personal spheres.
According to the coordinator of the initiative and teacher and researcher at the Faculty of Education of La Laguna, Itahisa Pérez Pérez, the idea is to speak to young people on an equal footing and with their own tools as the most effective way to convey information, involve them in specific projects, or make them participants in different proposals.
And for that, nothing better than being an influencer and using social media as a communication vehicle. However, this model is far from the usual image of celebrities who showcase their lifestyle and is aimed at disseminating content with social purposes.
The initiative is among the 14 projects promoted by the two public universities, with funding from the Government of the Canary Islands, to search for innovative solutions that contribute to raising awareness and developing the Canary Agenda 2030.
Initially, most of the students who enrolled in the course were unaware of Agenda 2030, the SDGs, their purposes, or how to work to implement them. Once started, they showed a «great interest» in the possibilities to develop their projects and that they must continue to «give young people options to participate and present their proposals directly» and impact groups that are not usually reached by these initiatives, such as older people, dependents, or people with disabilities, says Pérez.
Small actions, big objectives
The students were attracted not only by the name (Influencer 3C) but also by the opportunity to «take actions from the small, but with a final goal that can be significant,» says Wude Castro, one of the participants in the project studying Pedagogy at the ULL.
The course was designed with a theoretical part, already completed, and a second phase of «unique» practices. The coordinator explains that the students themselves decide their «personalized» itineraries – guided by a tutor – in which they address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that best suit their personal, educational, or even vital interests. Pérez insists that these are not standard practices but aim to generate content, mainly on social media, but also through talks or advice and services (ApS).
The initial area of this proposal is the municipality of La Laguna, although its projection is regional to disseminate the SDGs and facilitate their understanding, while «conveying the urgency of accelerating their implementation and explaining how they contribute to improving the economy and social well-being.»
In March, five people will complete the course. The goal is for these young women to become spokespersons for the selected projects, which mainly refer to the socio-educational and gender fields, although they have also addressed poverty and health.
«Not to be famous or make money. We want to change and improve things,» insists Wude Castro in a reflection shared by her colleague María del Cristo Velázquez.
«Acting to change things»
Velázquez, a doctoral student at the ULL, is focused on disseminating aspects related to terrestrial biodiversity, responsible consumption, and climate change through social media – she has opted for Bluesky.
She notes that «creating awareness is not as difficult as creating the necessary commitments to generate a positive change,» and considers that social media is the «most direct and effective» means to convey this type of content to young people.
Wude Castro also understands that this channel – in her case, Instagram – is the easiest way to connect with people her age. She is part of an NGO that works on projects aimed at alleviating poverty and raising awareness that «in the Canary Islands, there is also a population that does not have access to basic services; it is not just a problem of underdeveloped countries.» She is convinced that «we can collaborate to change things and build a more equitable world.»
Itahisa Pérez, the coordinator, acknowledges that the work of knowledge and awareness is «medium and long-term,» but emphasizes that this course «is a seed to continue empowering and working,» because the goal is to continue with the project and implement it on other islands.
Personalized projects
This is also the vision of María del Cristo Velasco: her goal is to consolidate a group of influencers creating commitment through projects focused on environmental protection.
Another student, Katherina Gómez, is interested in promoting quality well-being and inclusive education and found in Influencers 3C a path to work through the SDGs related to Health and Well-being and Quality Education, areas that are also related to her background in Pedagogy.
As part of the practical aspect, she is working on a socio-educational project focused on the workshop Re-Connect: Prevention of Tech Addictions and Use of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) through healthy habits. Her proposal aims to raise awareness about the responsible use of ICT through a workshop that seeks to provide tools to manage technology use in a balanced way, avoiding its risks and enhancing its positive use.
Katherina affirms that being an influencer is a good option to reach out to young people, especially because «they access information through social media like TikTok.» From these platforms, she assures, one can reach them more directly, a view shared by her colleagues.
Through a barter market, Ithaisa Martín wants to delve into the circular economy, another sustainable development goal. «Small actions to provoke changes.
Intergenerational encounter
Through TikTok and Bluesky, she disseminates her initiative and, for now, is finding receptivity not without surprise because «even at the University, it is surprising that the word influencer is linked to the 2030 Agenda.» She maintains that this formula for offering content is more dynamic and closer to young people than a traditional course and «has more impact.»
Alejandra Hernández, a second-year Pedagogy student, was led by the course to a project focused on Canarian culture that, together with the University, is being developed at the CEIP Prácticas Aneja de La Laguna. The center considers it important for students to know about Canarian culture, and the first phase is to detect the interests of the children.
As a final touch to these months of learning, in May – and in the context of the Day of the Canary Islands – an intergenerational meeting is planned in which more than 90 Pedagogy students participate, whom this student, along with the faculty, involved in the project.
Like her colleagues, Hernández – especially interested in the SDGs related to culture and education – trusts in the influence of social media and visual ‘pills’ to convey her content because «you can offer relevant information more effectively than through talks or formulas that require more time.»
On a personal level, the expectations of these students «have been met and even exceeded,» as through the course they have been able to delve deeper into the sustainable development goals and, above all, find ways for their application and as they all repeat «be part of a change.»
