SUSTAIN-ACT Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Lifestyles and Environmental Responsibility (KA1 Youth Exchange)

SUSTAIN-ACT
Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Lifestyles and Environmental Responsibility
Type: KA1 Youth Exchange
Duration: 5 Days (+2 Travel Days)
Number Participants from Each Country: 7+1 young people (18–25) (32 in total)

SUMMARY
Young people are increasingly aware of environmental challenges such as climate change, overconsumption, and waste production; however, this awareness does not always translate into sustainable daily practices. Many sustainability concepts remain abstract, technical, or disconnected from young people’s lived realities.
The SUSTAIN-ACT project addresses this gap by empowering young people to better understand sustainability through experiential learning, non-formal education methods, and peer-based reflection. The project focuses on transforming environmental awareness into concrete, realistic, and youth-led sustainable actions that can be applied in everyday life and local communities.

KEY NEEDS
Theory–Practice Gap in Sustainability:
Young people often receive information about sustainability but lack opportunities to translate knowledge into daily behavioural change.
Limited Youth Engagement in Environmental Action:
Environmental topics are frequently discussed top-down, reducing young people’s sense of ownership and active participation.
Lack of Practical Sustainable Lifestyle Skills:
Concepts such as zero waste, responsible consumption, and sustainable mobility are insufficiently explored through hands-on methods.
Eco-Anxiety and Low Agency:
Continuous exposure to environmental crises can create anxiety and helplessness rather than empowerment and solution-oriented thinking.

OBJECTIVES
The project aims to:
Increase young people’s understanding of sustainability in relation to their daily habits and local contexts.
Strengthen young people’s ability to adopt sustainable lifestyles through practical, achievable actions.
Foster active participation, critical thinking, and environmental responsibility using non-formal education methods.
Encourage peer learning, reflection, and intercultural exchange on environmental challenges.
Support young people in recognising sustainability-related competences through Youthpass.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE
Phase 1 – Awareness & Connection
Introduction to sustainability concepts, climate challenges, and personal environmental impact through interactive activities and group discussions.
Phase 2 – Sustainable Lifestyles in Practice
Hands-on workshops focusing on zero waste, responsible consumption, sustainable food choices, and daily eco-friendly habits.
Phase 3 – Critical Thinking & Media Awareness
Exploring greenwashing, misinformation, and critical evaluation of environmental messages in media and digital spaces.
Phase 4 – Action & Reflection
Youth-led mini actions, reflection sessions, and group sharing to connect learning outcomes with personal and collective responsibility, including Youthpass reflection.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Increased environmental awareness combined with realistic, action-oriented sustainability practices.
Improved sense of agency and reduced eco-anxiety through solution-focused learning.
Strengthened key competences such as critical thinking, active citizenship, teamwork, and learning to learn.
Enhanced intercultural understanding and peer learning around environmental challenges.
Greater visibility of sustainability-related learning outcomes through Youthpass recognition.