Degrowth Course for High School
In the spring of 2026, we conducted the elective course "Degrowth" at Rakvere State Gymnasium for the first time.
The course focused on systems thinking, helping students perceive the connections between economic, ecosystem, and social processes, while understanding the inevitability of change and how both society and individuals can better adapt to it.
The primary goal of the course was to enhance young people's ability to understand the patterns governing the world and the links between the environment and the economy, while providing them with the knowledge and experience to shape more sustainable lifestyles. Through this project, we aimed to:
raise student awareness regarding the planet's ecological and social limits;
provide skills and practical experience in bridging theory and sustainability issues using the concept of degrowth;
encourage young people to initiate change themselves, including through community-based initiatives.
Topics covered:
The history and current state of global organization
Biodiversity and the fundamentals of ecology
Introduction to degrowth
Other alternatives: Circular economy and doughnut economics
Technology and a sustainable society
Democracy ("democracy training")
The commons and value creation
Preparing for a joint event: the ABCs of event planning and presentation
Hosting a communal event
Course wrap-up
The course culminated in a student assignment to organize a public community event at the school, based on what they had learned during the course. The aim of the public event was to give young people the opportunity to move from the theoretical acquisition of knowledge to creating a practical output. Working in groups, the students had free rein regarding the format, but they were required to create a single "exhibit" in their small teams that synthesized what they had learned during the course. This exhibit could offer a critique of the past or present, or present a forward-looking vision, and could be presented in any form—such as a sculpture, photograph, piece of music, discussion, etc.
The pilot project conducted at Rakvere State Gymnasium served as the first step toward establishing a curriculum that can be adapted and implemented in other schools and youth organizations across Estonia.
The activities were supported by the European Union and the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) through the Mondo project "NOPLANETB." The NGO Tasaarengu Eesti is responsible for the content, and it cannot under any circumstances be considered to reflect the views of the European Union or ESTDEV.
