Young volunteers were at the heart of this journey. With their hands in the clay and their energy fueling the work, they learned how to build, restore, and regenerate. For them, the project was not just about walls and roofs, but about skills, community, and a vision of sustainable living.

Like Green Seeds, Emmanuel’s story shows that climate action begins with imagination, solidarity, and the courage to create homes and communities that thrive with nature—not against it.

The farm has become a vibrant hub of biodiversity, food autonomy, and community resilience. Young people and volunteers join to learn by doing: planting, harvesting, building, and discovering what sustainable living looks like in practice. Through workshops, eco-tourism, and a small café serving meals made from their own produce, Olivia shows that resilience grows where creativity, community, and ecology meet.

Like Green Seeds, La Goursaline proves that climate action begins with imagination and solidarity. By starting small, sharing knowledge, and living in harmony with the land, Olivia’s story inspires young people across Europe to see that a sustainable future is not only possible—it is already being cultivated.

• Emad

• Sneha

• Dawid

• Hassan

Green Construction & Sustainable Transport:

Green construction focuses on designing and building structures that minimize environmental impact through energy efficiency, eco-friendly materials, and low-carbon methods, while sustainable transport promotes clean, efficient, and accessible mobility systems such as electric vehicles, public transit, cycling, and shared mobility, all aiming to reduce emissions and create healthier, more sustainable cities.

Challenges

• Not enough skilled workers: there aren’t enough trained people to do all the jobs needed.

• High costs at the start green projects often need big investments before savings show.

• Rules and approvals take time: getting government permits or aligning with policies can slow things down.

• Old buildings are hard to fix: many homes and offices were built long ago and need complex upgrades.

• Limited awareness: some owners don’t know the benefits of renovating for energy

• Charging gaps: not enough charging stations yet, especially outside big cities.

• Weak power grids: electricity networks may struggle to handle millions of electric cars or trains.

• Uneven adoption: some regions move fast, others are left behind.

Opportunities

• Green Construction

  • Building upgrades: renovating schools, hospitals, and homes to save energy.

  • New heating systems: installing modern heat pumps instead of gas boilers.

  • Better insulation: making walls, windows, and roofs more efficient to cut energy bills.

    
    

    Sustainable Transport

  • Electric charging stations: jobs in building and maintaining more charging points in cities and highways.

  • Clean public transport: expanding buses and trains that run on electricity or other clean energy.

  • Urban mobility: improving bike lanes

    and shared transport systems in cities.

Roles in demand:

Green Construction Jobs

• Energy Checker: Tests how energy-efficient a building is.

• Carbon Assessor: Measures a building’s CO₂ footprint.

• Digital Planner (BIM): Uses software to design eco-friendly upgrades.

• Green Heating Specialist: Installs systems like heat pumps.

• System Tester: Makes sure heating/ventilation works efficiently.

Sustainable Transport Jobs

• EV Charging Technician: Installs & maintains charging stations.

• Smart Charging Assistant: Manages charging to avoid grid overload.

• Transport Data Helper: Uses data to improve buses, trains, and bike systems.

• Battery Recycling Assistant: Handles and recycles electric car batteries.

1. Waste Segregation

2. Tracking the source of waste .

3. A structured recycling national plan.

4. Treat as disaster management.

5. Storage of waste

6. Standardizing waste management through governments .

7. Public education on waste management and recycling .

8. Misconceptions on recycling and recycled products .

9. Simplifying the recycling process for public .

Opportunities:

1. Circular Economy .

2. Upcycling.

3. Promotion of recycled products.

4. Increasing innovation.

5. Smart waste management.

6. Promote green jobs.

7. Incentives for reused products.

8. Data driven solutions.

9. Waste to energy methods.

10. Promoting sustainable solutions.

Skills:

1. Hydrologists.

2. ⁠Waste management specialists .

3. Environmental courses/ classes in education spaces.

4. ⁠Waste management engineering .

5. ⁠Data-driven solutions development .

6. ⁠Environmental research practices.

7. ⁠Impacts analysis/trainings.

1) Community Based Tourist Guide:

2) Ecotourism & adventure Guides

3) Sustainable business Advisors

4) Rural Development Advisors.

5) Green Policy promotor.

6) Marketing and Digital Specialists.

7) Environmental Scientist.

8) Rural Development

9) Community Empowerment

Challenges

1) Over tourism

2) Pollution and waste

3) Habitat disturbance

4) Cultural commodification

5) Inequality

6) Displacements

7) Uneven development

8) Greenwashing

Skills:

1) Ecological literacy

2) conservation

3) intercultural communication

4) storytelling

5) Business management

6) Marketing

7) Crisis management

• Dawid

• Emad

• Hassan

Definition:

Green construction means designing, constructing, and operating buildings in ways that reduce negative environmental impacts and improve human well-being. It focuses on energy efficiency, renewable materials, waste reduction, and eco-friendly design.

Challenges:

• Higher upfront costs compared to conventional construction.

• Limited availability of sustainable materials in some regions.

• Lack of skilled workforce trained in green building practices.

• Resistance to change from traditional construction companies.

• Regulations and certifications can be complex and costly.

Roles In demand:

• Baseline (1–5 scale): average = 3.42

• Final (1–5 scale): average ≈ 4.33

Progress: Participants significantly increased their knowledge about climate change and sustainability. Most now rate their understanding as high (4–5).

2. Awareness of Personal Impact on the Environment

• Baseline: Half were “Somewhat informed” and half “Very well informed”

• Final: Almost all participants reported “Yes”, that they are more aware of how their actions affect the environment; one responded partially

Progress: Awareness of personal environmental impact clearly improved after the encounter.

3. Motivation to Act

• Baseline: Average motivation = 4.58/5 (very high)

• Final: Nearly all participants are willing to engage in environmental initiatives (Yes)

Progress: Motivation remains very high, with participants more ready to take concrete actions.

4. Willingness to Join NGOs or Community Initiatives

• Baseline: Yes – 7, Maybe – 4, No – 0

• Final: Yes – 10, Maybe – 1, No – 0

Progress: Participants show a stronger commitment to actively participate in NGOs or local environmental projects.

5. Topics and Resources for Further Learning

Participants in the final survey expressed interest in:

• Climate-friendly jobs and green skills

• Sustainable cities, transport, and architecture

• Preservation of local flora and fauna

• Climate policy, renewable energy, and behavioral change

• Practical tools for action, like carbon footprint calculators, DIY sustainability kits, checklists, and community project guides

Implication: There is a clear interest in both theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on tools to take action in their communities.

6. Barriers Identified

Participants noted common barriers for youth participation in environmental initiatives:

• Lack of information

• Lack of support from community/organizations

• Lack of time

• Lack of motivation

• Lack of funding/resources

Implication: Future programs should address these barriers by providing accessible resources, mentorship, and structured community support.

7. Overall Progress

- Knowledge and awareness of climate change have significantly improved.

• Motivation to take action remains high and participants are now more willing to engage in initiatives.

• The program helped identify both key learning topics and practical tools needed for further engagement.

• There is a strong readiness among participants to share knowledge and involve others, indicating potential multiplier effects in their communities.

Conclusion: The Green Seeds Youth Encounter effectively increased knowledge, awareness, and commitment among young participants, providing a strong foundation for ongoing engagement and action in climate change and sustainability initiatives.

Together with young farmers and students, he experiments with cover crops, diversity, and practices that bring life back into the ground. What makes his initiative powerful is not only the techniques, but the spirit of peer exchange and solidarity: a community where farmers learn openly from each other, without competition, building solutions that last.

This is exactly what Green Seeds stands for. Just as Yann shows that soil can heal when people unite, the project empowers young people across Europe to take climate action together. The lesson is clear: fighting climate change begins with solidarity, unity, and the courage to change – from the ground up.

Toolkit roots:

• Module 1: Understanding Local Behaviours

• Module 2: Youth Empowerment & Green Skills

• Module 3: Nature Connection & Eco-Reflection

This activity transformed climate reflection into a playful, socially engaging game suitable for a party environment. The prompts were derived from toolkit methods such as eco-reflection questions, motivation mapping, and barrier exploration from Module 1, as well as personal skills identification and green-career exploration from Module 2. The dares - ranging from acting out pollinators to inventing green job titles - directly echoed the creative, embodied learning methods used in Module 3, where nature awareness and imagination-based storytelling are central.

Examples:

Truth

1.       What’s one unsustainable habit you have that you secretly feel guilty about?

2. Have you ever pretended to be more eco-friendly than you actually are?

3. What’s one thing you wish you did for the climate but haven’t started yet?

4. How often do you think about climate change in your daily life?

5. What’s the most climate-harmful thing you do regularly?

6. Do you ever feel eco-anxiety? What triggers it?

7. If your home had to reduce energy consumption by 20%, what would you sacrifice first?

8. What’s one piece of “green advice” you think is overrated?

9. What sustainable change did you try and fail to keep up?

10. Do you feel connected to your local environment? Why or why not?

11. What’s one environmental issue in your town that really bothers you?

12.   Have you ever wanted to join a climate action? Why or why not?

13.   Have you ever been to a climate protest? If not, would you like to join one someday?

14.   What’s the biggest barrier keeping you from doing more for the planet?

15.   Which climate action do you think actually matters most locally?

16.   Who in your life inspires you to be more sustainable?

17.   What’s the most impactful climate project you’ve seen or joined?

18.   If you could fix ONE local environmental problem overnight, what would it be?

19.   What green skill would you like to develop?

20.   Do you think climate activism is accessible to everyone?

21.   What’s one climate solution you find surprisingly cool?

22.   What’s one climate concept you still don’t fully understand?

23.   If money wasn’t an issue, what climate project would you start tomorrow?

Dares

1. Ask someone nearby what “sustainability” means to them and share their answer.

2. Find someone wearing green and compliment them “for their commitment to the planet.”

3. Show us your “green superpower pose.”

4. Act out a pollinator (bee, butterfly, bat) for 10 seconds.

5. Imitate a wind turbine turning for 15 seconds.

6. Tell the group one eco-fact in the style of a breaking news report.

7. Do a 10-second “melting ice cap” performance.

8. Present your climate alter-ego (name + special power).

9.       Invent a new green job title on the spot and describe it in one sentence.

10.   Draw (in 30 seconds) a green climate action and let the others guess.

11.   Imitate a climate catastrophe and let the others guess.

12.   Tell a short story about a tree’s perspective on humans.

13.   Explain composting as if you were drunk (even if you’re not).

14.   Describe an endangered species dramatically and passionately.

15.   Invent a new plant species with a magical ability.

16.   Identify three objects near you and say how to reuse them creatively (circular economy).

17.   Name three native species in your region.

18.   Point to something in the room that could save energy if changed.

19.   Name one food item you could buy locally to reduce your footprint.

Impact:
The activity successfully prompted deep reflection in short bursts, making climate dialogue approachable. Youth reported feeling “surprised at how quickly meaningful conversations emerged,” and youth workers noted the game’s usefulness for informal group-building and climate awareness in non-formal settings.

• Module 3: Nature-Based Storytelling

• Module 2: Reflective Practice & Meaning-Making

• Module 1: Emotional Engagement in Climate Education

Participants co-wrote a poem titled “In the Garden Where We Planted the Seeds”, projected on a vintage-paper style canvas. Each guest added one sentence, building a shared narrative of care, hope, ecological responsibility, and intergenerational continuity.

Final poem excerpt:

"I want to plant my favorite lavender plant together with hope for the next generation to be more respectful to the environment, to cope
so the water I’m made of turns desert to sea
so people get aware that I DO exist, take care of me
And always remember that every seed is a seed of hope that needs thoughtful and caring hands and hearts to nurture it."

Impact:
This exercise mirrored the toolkit’s emphasis on storytelling as a tool for green empowerment, helping young people articulate emotions and ecological identity. Youth described the poem as “grounding,” while youth workers emphasised how seamlessly it integrated creative expression with environmental values.

• Module 2: Identifying Skills, Strengths & Roles in the Green Transition

• Module 3: Archetypes & Nature Imagery for Eco-Reflection

  
  

The tarot-reading corner used a set of 12 climate archetypes developed for the event. Each card represented a role essential to a sustainable community: Steward, Pollinator, Regenerator, Seed, Connector, Visionary, Innovator, Protector, Advocate, Cultivator, Aligner, and Resistor.

The readings helped guests explore their personal agency, skills, and values in relation to sustainability - an approach deeply aligned with Module 2’s skill-mapping and Module 3’s nature-inspired identity exercises.

Printable Canva designs of each card + back sides of the cards can be found here: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG79WweL58/tZ9phlKaEFMSyFvSMU3Q5w/edit?utm_content=DAG79WweL58&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Impact:
Youth workers found the tarot approach "an unexpectedly powerful reflective tool" that could easily be adapted for group coaching or mentorship. Young people described the readings as “motivating,” “empowering,” and “a fun way to see yourself differently.”

The overall aim was to explore how core toolkit methods can be simplified and gamified while still preserving their educational value, making them accessible for mixed groups and short-term formats.

Methodological Basis in the Toolkit

The workshop activities were based on the following toolkit components:

• Module 1 – Local Climate Action Catalyst

  • Phase 1: Understand Your Local Environment

  • Phase 2: Brainstorming Local Solutions

• Module 2 – Green Career Explorer

  • Phase 1: Green Jobs Spotlight (examples from the Green Jobs Profiles in the Resources section)

Because the original toolkit activities are designed primarily for longer workshops or multi-day youth mobilities, all methods were adapted to fit a single-session format while keeping the pedagogical logic of observation, reflection and solution-building.

Activity 1 – Fictional Environmental Mapping through Storytelling

Toolkit reference:
Module 1, Phase 1 – Understand Your Local Environment

Original toolkit approach:
Participants observe their real local environment through walks and structured observation checklists, identifying environmental issues and community assets.

Adaptation in the pilot workshop:
Instead of working with real local environments, participants were asked to create a fictional city, town or village and define:

• environmental issues

• community assets

To support creativity and lower the entry threshold, each participant rolled Rory’s Story Cubes and had to integrate the resulting symbol into the shared story.

Reason for adaptation:

• The workshop duration was limited to 2 hours.

• Participants were not pre-selected and could not be assumed to have prior environmental knowledge.

• Working with real local issues in a short, one-off session can increase eco-anxiety, without providing enough time for reflection or emotional processing.

• Fictional storytelling allowed participants to control how deeply they engaged with real-world problems, while still practicing observation and analysis skills.

Added value:
This approach made Phase 1 accessible, playful and inclusive, while still introducing key concepts such as environmental challenges and community resources.

Activity 2 – Solution Brainstorming with Rotating Stories

Toolkit reference:
Module 1, Phase 2 – Brainstorming Local Solutions

Original toolkit approach:
Participants brainstorm solutions based on real environmental issues identified during local observations.

Adaptation in the pilot workshop:
Groups exchanged their fictional stories and were asked to develop solutions for another group’s settlement, not their own.
To support ideation, Planet A sustainability cards were offered as inspiration.

Reason for adaptation:

• Rotating stories encouraged peer learning and prevented groups from becoming too attached to their own ideas.

• Working with fictional contexts reduced pressure and allowed experimentation.

• The cards provided structure for beginners, even if not all groups found them equally useful.

Reflection:
Some groups struggled when fictional stories contained supernatural or sci-fi elements, which made realistic solutions more difficult. This insight is useful for future adaptations, especially when the focus is on feasibility.

Activity 3 – Superhero Professions and Green Skills

Toolkit reference:
Module 2, Phase 1 – Green Jobs Spotlight (Green Jobs Profiles)

Original toolkit approach:
Participants explore green career paths through profiles, interviews and reflection on skills and interests.

Adaptation in the pilot workshop:
Participants imagined a “superhero” or superhero team, not with magical powers, but with real professional skills drawn from the Green Jobs Profiles, such as:

• Renewable Energy Technician

• Sustainable Agriculture Specialist

• Environmental Consultant

Participants visualised these roles through drawings or written descriptions, focusing on skills and competencies.

Reason for adaptation:

• The superhero metaphor made career topics approachable and engaging for mixed-age groups.

• It connected environmental action with real-world professions without becoming abstract or overly technical.

• It supported empowerment by framing skills as tools for change rather than distant job titles.

Cross-Cutting Methodological Choices

Across all activities, the following principles guided the adaptations:

• Playfulness before complexity to ensure engagement across knowledge levels.

• Fictional settings to reduce eco-anxiety in short-term formats.

• Game elements (story cubes, cards, rotation) to sustain energy and motivation.

• Progressive structure from observation to solutions to empowerment, consistent with the toolkit logic.

Transferability for Youth Workers

This pilot format is particularly suitable for:

• Short workshops (1.5–2.5 hours)

• Open calls and mixed groups

• Younger audiences or beginners

• Situations without follow-up sessions

The methods can easily be scaled up by replacing fictional elements with real local observations when working in longer formats or with established groups.

• Module 1, Phase 2: Imagining Local Solutions & Community Futures

• Module 3: Ecological Thinking & Rewilding Imagination

This futures-thinking method mirrors the toolkit’s exercises on visioning sustainable futures, community mapping, and low-barrier co-creation tools. Participants were invited to imagine their city in 2050 and express their visions through sticky notes placed on a large blackboard.

Examples of contributions included:

• “More playgrounds and benches than cars in the streets”

• “Canopy of trees”

• “Wildflowers everywhere”

• “Green rooftops”

• “Strong local communities”

• “Ecological flying cars”

Impact:
The wall generated a visually rich collective landscape of hopes and priorities. Youth workers observed that this tool could easily be replicated in youth centres or classrooms to stimulate discussion about local action and policy advocacy. Young participants noted that seeing others’ visions made sustainable futures “feel more achievable.”

Case example: Foresight 2030 UNDP Serbia: Youth and UN teams used scenario planning to envision sustainable futures for Serbia.

Case example: Actively Critical-Critically Active Youth Exchange (Germany): 22 youth participants explored media literacy, fake news, and digital rights through structured dialogue and creative workshops.

Case example: Green Camp “Climate Ambassadors” (Georgia): Youth aged 13-16 engaged in hiking, role play, and climate education with experts.

Case example: Digital Transformation of Inclusive Youth Work - Erasmus+ Project: Youth with fewer opportunities gained digital and sustainability skills through bootcamps and virtual learning tools.

Case example: Climate Youth Ambassadors (Sweden & Denmark): Youth from rural areas trained to advocate for climate action and lead peer campaigns.

Case example: Empowering the Unheard-Youth and Environment Europe (YEE): Youth from marginalized communities led climate action campaigns with support from YEE, promoting inclusive participation and dismantling barriers to engagement.

Case example: Sustainable Community Project (Germany, Berlin): A youth-led community partnered with local residents, NGOs, and municipalities to host repair cafés, permaculture gardening, and non-commercial seminars. These collaborations provided mentorship, shared resources, and strengthened ties through artistic workshops and civic engagement.

EYP Climate Youth Action Plan / European Youth Parliament

Youth-Led Solutions: Creating Eco-Leaders across Continents