Within the frame of the project “Future Skills and Sustainable development in the Green Salons” our Institution is developing several activities to attract VET´s student’s attention on sustainability and eco- friendly behaviors.
But ¿What is Sustainability?
In essence sustainable development is about five key principles:
• quality of life;
• fairness and equity;
• participation and partnership;
• care for our environment and respect for ecological constraints – recognizing there are ‘environmental limits’; and
• thought for the future and the precautionary principle.
All these are principles are the goals of our European Project and we know that the first step we have to take is changing minds and tasks within our school. Therefore we have planned different actions to do along the academic year and here is a resume of it:
– Promoting CSR and solidarity:
A) On the 14-12-2015 we invited an Association of women with mobility problems (spinal injury) to receive different beauty and hairdressing cares to make them feel better and more attractive. A total of 20 women received our student´s attention during the whole morning and they were even taught how to make a personal and basic make up to increase their self- esteem.

B) The 17-03-2016 our hairdressing students visited a Poor People Nursery Home to gift them hair and beauty cares. It was a wonderful experience to realize the kindness and politeness of our students and the sincere gratitude of the elderly people.

– Strengthening recycling and natural cosmetics.
Along the second semester our students have done a research about the waste generated in a hair and beauty salon and its removal. According with it they have designed a big mural and set waste containers all around our school to classify and treat our own disposal.

Beauty Students have done a research about medicinal plants and natural actives principles and on the following days they will make natural cosmetics such as soaps, creams and gloss.

– Participating in Hair and Beauty meetings to disseminate the Project: “Future Skills and Sustainable entrepreneurship in the green salons”.
A) During the Hair and Beauty Andalucía Skills Context (Cordoba 4-6 April 2016), our teacher and project member Esther López, seized the moment to talk with providers and teachers about the project goals. She exchanged interesting information and feedback about the project that will help us to reach our objectives.

Showing our Project to LÓreal Head Logistic Responsible for Spain

B) The 26th of April it will take place in Marbella a working session for teachers to discuss about new trends in Hair and Beauty Sector. Our colleague Esther will assist to explain the importance of sustainability in the next future and all the incomes and learning material the European Project is developing to reach that goal.

– Empowering sustainable entrepreneurship.
On the 6th of May we´ll assist to a conference about eco-entrepreneurship and collaborative entrepreneurs organized by red verso. http://www.redverso.org/

For a further information about all these activities you can visit IES El Palo web: www.ieselpalo.com/eventos.