In May 2023, youth workers from Hungary joined the Erasmus+ training course Gender-Driven Sustainability, hosted in Benalmádena, Spain. This international event brought together young leaders and youth professionals from across Europe to explore how gender equality and climate sustainability are connected, and how youth work can promote both. The training offered practical methods and deep conversations on empowering young people, especially women and gender-diverse youth, to take active roles in building more inclusive and sustainable communities. For the Hungarian team, representing the NGO Creative Youth Academy Hungary, the project was not just a training—it became a powerful call to action.
At the time of the project, Hungary was experiencing both environmental and social challenges that affected the daily lives of its young people. Climate-related issues such as droughts, pollution, and the loss of green urban spaces were becoming more visible. At the same time, the topic of gender equality remained sensitive and often overlooked in public discussions. Youth work programs in smaller towns and rural areas rarely touched on gender issues, and many young people had never participated in open conversations about inclusion or equity. Climate education in schools was limited to technical facts, and gender roles were often presented in traditional ways. This left little space for critical thinking or active participation from young people—especially girls and non-dominant groups—who wanted to express their ideas for change.
For the participants from Creative Youth Academy Hungary, the training in Benalmádena offered a completely different experience. It was the first time they had seen gender and climate discussed together in such a natural and clear way. The sessions highlighted how women and girls around the world face specific challenges during climate disasters, and how their voices are often missing from decision-making processes. Through real case studies and conversations with youth workers from Spain, France, and the Netherlands, the Hungarian team began to see how climate justice also includes questions of fairness, access, and safety.
What made the experience even more powerful was the chance to learn from local community leaders in Benalmádena. One youth initiative shared how they organized gender-inclusive beach clean-ups, where every participant’s story was part of the action. Another showed how they built a network of young people to promote equal participation in green entrepreneurship. These examples showed the Hungarian team that gender inclusion is not about creating separate projects—it’s about changing the way every project is done, so that all young people feel welcome, valued, and heard.
Inspired by what they had seen and learned, the Hungarian team returned home determined to create space for local youth to explore these topics. Within weeks of the training, Creative Youth Academy Hungary launched a new program called Green Equals. This youth-led initiative aimed to build awareness about gender-inclusive climate action, especially in underrepresented areas where such topics were rarely discussed. The first step was organizing workshops and dialogue sessions in secondary schools and community centers. These activities focused on storytelling, team discussions, and local environmental projects. Each session invited participants to reflect on their personal experiences, gender roles in their communities, and their hopes for a more sustainable future.
What made Green Equals unique was its method. Rather than presenting information through lectures, the team used creative tools like collaborative mural painting, nature-based role-play, and short videos produced by the youth themselves. These formats helped young people express ideas more freely and connect emotionally with the topic. One school group in a rural area created a photo series showing “invisible” environmental workers—mostly women—who helped clean streets and care for plants, but were never celebrated. Another group in Budapest designed posters showing everyday sustainable actions taken by boys and girls equally, with the message that protecting the planet is a shared job.
As the project grew, it reached more towns and attracted new supporters. Teachers appreciated the fresh and respectful approach, and parents reported that their children began asking deeper questions at home. Young people who had never spoken in front of a group started leading discussions or helping design project activities. Several municipalities offered venues and helped share the youth-produced materials through local media. Most importantly, the youth felt they were building something meaningful, together.
The team at Creative Youth Academy Hungary also used the project to connect with other organizations, building a small national network for gender and climate education. They shared their workshop model with other youth centers, some of which adapted it for different age groups or themes. One center even created a summer camp around the idea, mixing eco-activities with leadership games focused on inclusion.
The long-term impact of Green Equals is still growing, but some results are already clear. More young people understand that gender and environment are not separate topics—they are connected through the way society is built. Youth workers now feel more confident in using inclusive methods. Schools are more open to allowing critical conversations in the classroom. And perhaps most importantly, more girls and gender-diverse youth now feel that they have the right and the ability to be climate leaders.
The team’s experience in Benalmádena reminded them that real empowerment starts when young people are given space, support, and trust. Change happens when voices that were silent before are finally heard—not just in meetings or on paper, but in the streets, the parks, and the projects where youth shape their own future.
The road to inclusion is not always easy. In Hungary, many communities still resist change, and some topics remain difficult to speak about. But youth work has the power to keep opening doors. By combining creativity, care, and the lessons from international projects like this one, youth workers can guide a new generation that is not only more sustainable—but also more just, equal, and ready to lead.
Youth are not waiting anymore. They are ready now. They are speaking out, acting up, and building a future where everyone can belong—and everyone can thrive.