Type of Training
Intensive and immersive training program.
Step. and GO! Turn your challenges into concrete actions.
Participatory Science Step 1
Participatory Science and Project-Based Learning in Service of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Definition and facilitation of participatory science projects.
EXCLUSIVE In this training, discover the Pedagogical Progression developed and refined over 30 years by the NGO Objectif Sciences International!
Ready to become a key player in participatory science?
Formats
An immersive training program alternating theory and practical applications.
Define a project throughout the training and acquire tools and skills module by module.
🌍 In its Project Design + Facilitation editions (education, animation or teaching):
Hackathon of 5 full days or 10 afternoons, in-person in Paris, Nice, or your city with practical workshops and project acceleration.
🚩 In its Special Facilitation and Special Teaching edition:
3-day internship in full immersion in the Alps or your region.
For Who ?
Project Design + Facilitation
📚 Facilitators and educators (science, art, sports, sociocultural)
👩🏫 Teachers (primary, secondary, university)
🔬 Researchers and engineers wishing to design, coordinate, or lead participatory projects
🌍 Educational or environmental project managers
🎓 Pupils, students looking to develop impactful projects in participatory science (startups, associations...)
💼 Job seekers wishing to specialize in participatory science
🏛️ Political and institutional actors
🎨 Educational designers and content creators
🧩 Education professionals looking to integrate participatory science
🔬 Education researchers and trainers in pedagogical engineering
🌍 Educational managers in institutions and associations
Special Facilitation or Teaching
📚 Facilitators and educators (science, art, sports, sociocultural)
👩🏫 Teachers (primary, secondary, university)
🔬 Researchers and engineers wishing to facilitate participatory projects
🎭 Science and cultural mediators specialized in active pedagogy
🌍 Educational or environmental project managers
🤝 Anyone looking to develop skills in collaborative project facilitation
📖 Trainers and education professionals wishing to experiment with new approaches
🔬 Educational researchers and engineers in learning sciences
Prerequisites
This training is open to everyone, as long as you are motivated and ready to engage in teamwork. However, to make the most of this training, the following skills and knowledge are recommended.
Mindset and Soft Skills
✅ Motivation and curiosity for participatory science and project-based education.
✅ Ability to work in a team and collaborate with diverse profiles.
✅ Initiative and adaptability to thrive in a dynamic and interactive environment.
✅ Openness to experimentation: willingness to test ideas, fail, and learn.
Organizational Skills and Digital Tools
✅ Basic proficiency in office tools.
✅ Comfort with collaborative tools.
✅ Ability to structure and organize a project, even as a beginner (e.g., creating an action plan, following logical steps).
Useful (but not mandatory) Knowledge
🚀 Basic understanding of participatory science: grasping the concept of citizen-involved research.
🚀 Experience in facilitation or teaching: useful but not required, as the training covers these aspects; experienced participants will discover new approaches.
🚀 Familiarity with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): beneficial for contextualizing projects.
Learning Objectives
Project Design + Facilitation
On-site, you will be able to:
🎯 Define a participatory science or participatory research project
🎯 Design educational activities based on participatory science
🎯 Understand how to conduct it with a participatory approach
🎯 Experiment with innovative methods to engage students in active research
At the end of the training, participants will be able to:
✅ Design and lead engaging participatory research projects
✅ Create lesson plans integrating participatory research
✅ Bring them to life with partner organizations involved in the training, or in the form of a start-up, lab project, or association
✅ Master project-based pedagogy tools applied to participatory science
✅ Use tools and methodologies of educational design applied to teaching
✅ Develop interactive facilitation methods adapted to different audiences
✅ Integrate participatory science into their professional practices
✅ Promote project-based learning and experimentation in the classroom
✅ Adapt participatory science to different levels of education
✅ Build bridges between research and education for collaborative learning
✅ Understand and apply the Sustainable Development Goals through participatory research
Special Facilitation or Teaching
On-site, you will be able to:
🎯 Refine or improve an existing project
🎯 Understand how to conduct it with a participatory approach
🎯 Adapt participatory science projects to different educational contexts
🎯 Apply pedagogical tools that foster student engagement
At the end of the training, participants will be able to:
✅ Facilitate a participatory science project by engaging diverse audiences
✅ Create group dynamics that foster collaborative learning
✅ Master project-based pedagogy tools and facilitation techniques adapted to participatory science projects
✅ Encourage participant involvement through active and immersive pedagogy
✅ Adapt their practices to different contexts (workshops, events, field projects)
✅ Design immersive lesson plans inspired by participatory research
✅ Integrate scientific inquiry and investigation into their teaching
✅ Use interactive approaches to foster curiosity and student autonomy
✅ Develop collaborations between teachers, researchers, and educational actors
✅ Leverage participatory science to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the classroom
Training Content
The Project Design + Facilitation and Project Design + Teaching editions includes advanced aspects of project management, methodological structuring, and participant networking, while the Special Facilitation and Special Teaching edition focuses more on facilitation and scientific mediation skills.
In general
📦 Fundamentals of Participatory Science Facilitation
Practical introduction to Participatory Science and Project-Based Pedagogy
Understanding the facilitator’s role: posture, communication, participatory leadership
Engagement techniques: how to motivate and involve an audience?
Team-building exercises and group dynamics
Hands-on facilitation of workshops and projects
📦 Specifics of the Special Teaching Edition
Adapting participatory science to the school curriculum
Facilitation techniques and classroom dynamics management
Integration of interdisciplinary skills (sciences, humanities, arts, digital tools)
Case studies and feedback from pioneering teachers
📦 Techniques and Facilitation Tools
Creation of interactive educational content (serious games, practical workshops)
Scientific mediation and popularization: adapting language for different audiences
Handling unexpected situations and group interactions
Project-based participatory science design simulation
📦 Practical Application and Feedback
Real-life facilitation: each group runs an activity
Collective feedback and experience analysis
Structuring and planning a long-term facilitation project
Final assessment and certification
Project Design Supplement Only
📦 Project Design and Structuring
Types and challenges of participatory science projects → In-depth analysis of project categories.
Hands-on "Participatory Science Projects" Hackathon → Learning by doing and working in groups on defined topics.
Defining a project, methodologies, and planning tools → A structured approach to designing a coherent and achievable project.
Creating a project prototype, documentation, and communication materials → Developing concrete tools for project implementation.
📦 Implementation and Project Promotion
Real-world simulation, group-based facilitation tests → Learning through experimentation and feedback.
Final presentations, storytelling, impact, message clarity → Showcasing and communicating projects effectively.
Plenary project presentations → Highlighting achievements and sharing insights in a large group.
Post-training opportunities → Support for professional or associative career paths after training.
📦 Specifics of the Design + Teaching Edition
Educational design approach: how to create immersive activities?
Creation and prototyping of interactive educational materials (games, videos, simulations)
Assessment methods for learning in participatory projects
Experimentation with digital tools and collaborative educational platforms
Content
Participatory science, project-based pedagogy, citizen engagement, impact project creation and development.
Format
Hackathon with theory/practice alternation.
Target Audience
Educators, teachers, researchers, students, professionals from all backgrounds and industries.
Career Prospects
Facilitation of scientific travel programs, participatory project management, creation of impact-driven businesses, NGOs, and intergovernmental participatory programs.
What Makes This Training Unique
An exclusive methodology, an engaging professional network, and a strong focus on implementation and "out-of-the-box" thinking.
Methodology and Pedagogy
📖 Immersive and participatory approach, based on hands-on practice.
📖 Active methods: role-playing, case studies, real-life scenarios.
📖 Collaborative tools: project canvases, interactive platforms, digital tools.
📖 Formative assessment: experience feedback, self-evaluation, group feedback.
Trainers and Speakers
🚀 Hackathon led by Mr. Thomas EGLI, Founder of the NGO Objectif Sciences International.
📚 Modules conducted with and by experts in participatory science, project-based pedagogy, project management, and facilitation (Universities Switzerland, France, elder trees from large organizations, local experts).
👩🔬 Guest speakers: researchers, educators, and trainers specialized in facilitation and participatory program design (UN Organisations, Research Centers, Associations).
🗣️ Testimonials and feedback from former participants and project leaders.
Partners of the training
🌟 This Step One Participatory Science training is a unique opportunity to learn how to lead an innovative and impactful citizen research project. 🌍🚀
Terra Scientifica
Terra Scientifica, the exhibition for scientific travel and solidarity based tourism, enables participatory science stakeholders to mobilize their participants - whether traveling solo, with family, with friends, or in school trip formats. The show offers the general public opportunities to contribute to civic projects, discover unusual places, and learn while exploring science and nature.
Visitors can participate in initiatives such as observing endangered species, exploring ecosystems, or studying the stars. The event features conferences, interactive workshops, professional networking sessions, and a variety of activities for adults, children, and students. It also promotes unifying projects in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. Exhibitors and speakers present environmentally friendly travel offerings, thereby strengthening civic engagement through hands-on participatory science experiences.
Now an essential event for enthusiasts of science, nature, and responsible adventures, Terra Scientifica relays and co-organizes the Step 1 hackathons with Step and Go. In doing so, it fosters optimal networking among training participants to multiply potential professional collaborations and enhance the feasibility of the initial sessions of the participatory science projects you design during the hackathon.
NGO Objectif Sciences International
Founded in 1992 and holding Special Consultative Status with the UN ECOSOC since 2011, Objectif Sciences International (OSI) is an NGO that organizes Participatory Science projects worldwide. OSI engages children, teenagers, and adults in real scientific and technological research through formats such as school trips, science camps, expeditions, and solidarity based trip. Its integrated Participatory Research approach supports fundamental, applied, and engineering projects -ranging from ecosystem studies and exoplanet detection to wildlife monitoring and drone design- addressing challenges linked to sustainable development.
By involving participants in hands‐on research, OSI fosters scientific learning, skill development, and civic engagement, while empowering individuals to contribute meaningfully to societal improvement and international solidarity. Each project not only advances scientific understanding but also contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with outcomes shared with local communities and the global scientific community.
Collaborating closely with the scientific community, OSI coordinates scientific educators, sustainable development experts, and local operators. Functioning both institutionally from its Geneva headquarters -near the United Nations- and operationally through local groups worldwide, OSI ensures broad outreach and impactful partnerships.
OSI is contributing to this training by making its methodology for designing participatory science projects available exclusively to Step and Go, along with its famous pedagogical progression, which enables participating citizens to become both involved and capable, so that they can run the project as their own.
Geneva Forum
Created in 2001, the Forum de Genève is an international, ethical platform positioned between Davos and Porto Alegre to promote a sustainable and inclusive economy.
It brings together researchers, economic actors, NGOs, and international institutions to foster co-creation and exchange on key issues such as impact finance, ethical currencies, responsible tourism, citizen science, project-based learning, conflict mediation for peace, and the rights of nature. Through interactive conferences, collaborative workshops, rapid pitch sessions, roundtables, and networking events, the Forum actively involves participants and accelerates the transition from reflection to concrete action.
It also issues calls for breakthrough technologies and supports blended finance initiatives to align projects with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The Geneva Forum is fully dedicated to advancing impactful projects on a global, international, and local scale, thereby offering a unique meeting space that balances innovation, pragmatism, and intersectoral cooperation to tackle today’s economic, social, and environmental challenges.
The Geneva Forum contributes to this training by making available to you, as participants in Step and Go, its platform for accompanying and realizing impact projects, so that you can bring your Participatory Science projects to life and create new employment.
Skills and Development
Project Design + Facilitation
By the end of this training, participants will have acquired:
✅ The ability to design a participatory science project from A to Z, defining objectives, protocols, and engagement strategies.
✅ A rigorous methodology to integrate collaborative approaches and involve citizens in data collection and analysis.
✅ Facilitation and teaching skills to ensure participant engagement and project continuity.
✅ A critical approach to evaluate the scientific and societal impact of the projects implemented.
💼 Professional Development:
Participants will be able to design and manage projects within scientific organizations, NGOs, cultural institutions, or public institutions. These skills open opportunities in scientific project management, science communication, and the development of participatory research programs.
Special Facilitation or Teaching
Upon completion of this training, participants will gain:
✅ Mastery of facilitation, teaching and engagement techniques to involve diverse audiences in participatory science.
✅ A toolkit with pedagogical methods, mediation resources, and adapted interaction techniques.
✅ A deeper understanding of participatory science challenges and their impact on research and society.
✅ The ability to organize and lead events, workshops, and field activities to effectively mobilize citizens.
💼 Professional Development:
With these skills, participants can advance as science facilitators, teachers, environmental mediators, or citizen research coordinators, integrating these practices into associations, local governments, museums, or research centers.
Career Opportunities
🎓 Training certification, valuable for your CV.
🎓 ECTS Credit Certificate.
🎓 Immediately applicable skills in participatory science project design, facilitation, and pedagogy.
🎓 Access to a network of professionals and opportunities to engage in real projects or develop your own.
This training provides concrete tools to bridge the gap between science and society by actively involving citizens in knowledge production. 🌍🔬
It also emphasizes the transfer and mobilization of research knowledge from the outset, integrating citizen research formats. 📖💡
Finally, it not only enables the creation of impactful projects with potential job opportunities but also ensures participants know how to successfully lead and facilitate them for their target audiences. 🚀👥
If you are eager to create, facilitate, and bring participatory research projects to life, this training is for you, regardless of your starting level! 🚀🌍
Practical Information and Registration
Session Project Design + Facilitation
Special edition #ParticipatoryScience for the #Ocean (read more here)
🗣️ Language:
in French and translated into English for non-French speakers (projects subgroups in french or in English).
📍 Location:
Nice, in a non-residential format, in an immersive setting ideal for exchanges and experimentation at the UN World Ocean Conference (UNOC3) and at Université de Nice 12 minutes walk betwenn Green Zone and Blue Zone of the UNOC.
📆 Dates:
June 3 to 12, 2025, during the UN World Ocean Conference, the One Ocean Science Congress, the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco, and the World Congress For Climatic Resilience of Coastal Cities and Regions.
👥 Registration and costs contribution:
Step 1 - Brochure - English
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