At Surviving in the Concrete Jungle, we believe that outdoor education has the power to transform not only natural environments but also the urban spaces where most young people live today. Our mission is to adapt and apply adventure and outdoor pedagogies within cities to raise awareness of social, environmental, and political challenges—and to empower youth to actively engage with and shape their urban surroundings.
We envision a future where cities are seen not as concrete barriers but as vibrant ecosystems that connect people, nature, and culture. Through innovative, inclusive, and experiential learning, we aim to inspire a generation of young urban citizens who understand the complexities of their environments and are equipped to create sustainable, equitable, and thriving communities.
For decades, the urban-rural divide has shaped how we think about nature and education. Traditionally, nature has been associated with rural landscapes—forests, mountains, and fields— while cities were often seen as separate, artificial, and disconnected from the natural world. This divide has influenced outdoor education to focus mostly on rural or wilderness settings, sometimes overlooking the rich biodiversity and natural systems that thrive within urban areas. Scientifically, cities like Berlin host remarkable biodiversity, often surpassing that of nearby rural areas impacted by intensive agriculture. Socially and culturally, urban residents face unique challenges—from resource inequality to limited access to green spaces—that require tailored approaches to education and empowerment. Our project challenges this outdated binary by highlighting that urban environments are part of nature and deserve equally innovative outdoor learning approaches. This shift is motivated by a vision of breaking down barriers, fostering inclusion, and recognising the interconnectedness of all environments—urban and rural alike.
This project was born from a shared recognition: traditional outdoor education often overlooks urban realities, and young people in cities rarely get opportunities to explore their environment beyond everyday routines. By revisiting outdoor education through an urban lens, our initiative brings together professionals and young adults from diverse backgrounds to rethink how we experience, survive, and ultimately transform city life. Over two phases, participants dive into themes like nature vs. culture, social inequalities, the right to public spaces, and envisioning utopian cities—culminating in the creation of practical digital resources designed to make outdoor education accessible and relevant for urban areas worldwide.
Our project is coordinated by Hoch Drei e.V. (Germany) and carried out in partnership with dedicated organisations from Armenia, Georgia, Poland, and Italy. Together, our team combines expertise in youth work, civic education, sustainability, gender equality, and community empowerment to deliver an innovative learning platform that serves diverse urban contexts.
