In May 2023, a team of youth workers from Lithuania took part in the international training course Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development in Island Communities, held in Guadeloupe Island, France. Although the training focused on challenges faced by island communities, the Lithuanian team quickly found strong connections to the environmental problems emerging in their own country—particularly in urban areas.
The experience was deeply inspiring. Through interactive sessions, field visits, and exchanges with youth from other countries, participants explored new ways to address environmental issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, and weak youth involvement in decision-making. One of the most powerful lessons came from witnessing how young people in Guadeloupe were creating change through small-scale eco-projects. Community gardens, public clean-up campaigns, and upcycling activities showed that even low-budget, youth-led actions could reshape public spaces and raise awareness.
This international perspective helped the Lithuanian team reflect on their own situation. In cities like Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda, fast urban development had resulted in the loss of green areas and public natural spaces. Concrete expansion led to increased heat in summers, worse air quality, and fewer areas where young people could connect with nature. At the same time, youth were rarely included in urban planning processes, and environmental education in schools remained limited and theoretical.
Motivated by what they had learned in Guadeloupe, the team returned home and launched an initiative called Youth Green Spots. This project focused on reclaiming neglected or abandoned urban areas and turning them into small green zones designed, built, and maintained by young people. These spaces became places for learning, community-building, and environmental action.
With the support of local municipalities, schools, and volunteers, the team created community gardens, pocket parks, and outdoor classrooms using recycled materials. These areas were used for workshops on composting, biodiversity, and climate-friendly living. Youth also organized events and social media campaigns to share their work and encourage others to join. Several municipalities showed interest in the initiative, and discussions began about including youth voices in future urban development plans.
The impact of this project reached beyond physical transformation. It empowered young people to take ownership of their environment, helped them develop leadership skills, and encouraged collaboration between generations. It also brought more attention to the importance of sustainability in everyday life—not just in nature reserves or remote places, but right in the heart of cities.
By combining creativity, local action, and international knowledge, Tavo Europa’s youth proved that real change starts with engaged communities. Their journey shows that young people can be powerful agents of environmental transformation—when they are given the space, the tools, and the trust to lead.