In January 2025, a unique Erasmus+ project titled “Youth Work in Environmental Education and Sustainable Development” gathered youth workers from across Europe on the lush island of Réunion, France. This program was more than just a training—it was a transformative experience built to develop strong competences in sustainability, environmental education, and digital safety. It combined theoretical knowledge with hands-on experiences, giving participants a toolkit for leading impactful educational initiatives that help young people become more eco-responsible and socially aware. Through an intensive week of learning and exchange, youth workers discovered how to design community actions that connect nature conservation with digital well-being.
In Italy, there has been growing concern over environmental issues and the lack of sustainable education in both schools and informal settings. Many communities face problems such as poor recycling systems, plastic overuse, and limited access to green spaces for youth. At the same time, many young people spend hours online, where cyberbullying, misinformation, and digital burnout have become common. Before this project, it was clear that new tools and strategies were needed to teach sustainability in a way that also speaks to the digital realities of youth today. The youth organization Minerva, based in Italy, had already been working on promoting eco-responsible behavior, but this project offered the chance to expand its approach by combining environmental education with digital safety and resilience.
The training course on Réunion Island offered a new way of looking at sustainability. Participants were immersed in the island’s ecosystems, exploring forests, coastal zones, and conservation areas guided by environmental professionals. These moments showed how nature and community can work together to protect biodiversity. One of the most powerful experiences was visiting a local school where students were leading small climate initiatives, such as composting, gardening, and reducing single-use plastic. These actions, though simple, were deeply inspiring and reminded everyone that change starts with small but consistent steps.
Besides learning about the environment, the training also focused on how to keep young people safe and supported in digital spaces. Through interactive workshops and group exercises, participants explored methods to prevent cyberbullying, reduce online risks, and create inclusive online environments. Discussions covered how negative digital behavior can reduce young people's connection with nature and increase feelings of isolation or stress. Trainers introduced new tools for integrating digital responsibility into environmental education, showing that these two areas are strongly connected in today’s youth work.
After the training, the youth worker from Minerva felt inspired to create a new local program in Italy called “EcoClick.” This initiative combined sustainability education with online safety and responsible digital behavior. The program targeted secondary school students and used creative workshops to help them understand how their actions, both in the physical world and online, affect the planet and their community. The workshops started with practical sessions like creating eco-friendly products, building vertical gardens, and organizing clean-up events in the neighborhood. Then, the sessions continued with digital literacy, focusing on how to recognize online threats, how to protect oneself from cyberbullying, and how to use social media for positive climate messaging.
The combination of these two topics attracted a lot of interest from schools and families. Students were excited to participate because the activities were hands-on, dynamic, and deeply connected to their everyday lives. Teachers said that many participants began to take more responsibility for their online behavior and started thinking about how their choices impacted the environment. Some students even started their own small campaigns on social media to raise awareness about eco-friendly habits, using hashtags and challenges that encouraged others to act sustainably.
The success of “EcoClick” led to new partnerships. Local schools began to integrate parts of the project into their regular teaching, and other youth centers expressed interest in hosting similar workshops. Minerva also collaborated with a local environmental organization to create a summer camp version of the program, where teenagers could learn about sustainability while also practicing safe digital communication. In just a few months, the initiative showed that it is possible to teach two important skills—environmental responsibility and digital resilience—at the same time, with real results.
Beyond the local community, the project helped to shape the thinking of other youth workers. The experience in Réunion showed that climate change education is not just about facts and figures, but about attitudes, behavior, and the way people connect to both the planet and each other. The program made it clear that young people need safe environments—both in real life and online—where they can grow, express themselves, and learn how to contribute positively to their surroundings. The model created by “EcoClick” became an example of how youth work can respond to the complex needs of the new generation.
Looking ahead, the youth worker from Minerva believes that the future of education lies in this kind of holistic approach. Young people do not live in separate worlds—the digital and the natural are part of one reality. When they are given the tools to understand both, they can make smarter choices, build stronger communities, and become leaders in sustainability and inclusion. Projects like the Erasmus+ training in Réunion Island prove that with the right knowledge, support, and space for creativity, youth workers can guide young people to be not only aware of the problems in the world but also ready to be part of the solution.
The experience left a lasting impact on everyone involved. It built a network of motivated youth workers, opened minds to new teaching methods, and planted the seeds for long-term change. As environmental and digital challenges continue to grow, youth work must be ready to evolve. Thanks to Erasmus+ and organizations like Minerva, this evolution is not only possible—it is already happening. With each workshop, with each young person reached, and with each idea turned into action, the vision of a greener, safer, and more connected future becomes stronger.