Generate change toward sustainability through youth participation, sport and exploration

<< Background >>The GREENTRACE project was developed in response to the growing demand from young people for a more concrete, participatory and real-life environmental education, and to provide educators and youth organisations with new tools to promote environmental education in an innovative and inclusive way. Specifically, we aim to address the disconnect between young people and nature, exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic, and utilise the potential of non-competitive sports to develop educational and practical pathways that promote sustainability in a more engaging and accessible manner. Non-formal education and youth work integrated with outdoor physical activity have been shown to strengthen transversal skills and encourage sustainable behaviour. However, many youth workers lack the necessary tools to incorporate these issues into their work.<< Objectives >>GREENTRACE has responded to this need by developing an innovative, multidisciplinary, replicable approach that integrates environmental education, inclusive physical activity, active participation, and the exploration of local areas to promote ecological awareness and encourage sustainable behaviour among young people.The project's specific objectives were:a) integrate sport and sustainability into educational pathways that can be replicated in different European contexts;b) strengthening the skills of youth workers and educators in multidisciplinary fields;c) to enhance the effectiveness of sustainability education methods by developing assessment systems in non-formal and informal settings;d) to create an innovative methodology that can easily be adapted to different learning environments (e.g. schools, sports and non-formal education);e) to promote exploration as a form of youth participation, community engagement, and local involvement.<< Implementation >>The GREENTRACE project was developed through a structured and collaborative process. Following an initial analysis phase and collection of good practices, the partners co-developed an innovative educational methodology integrating sustainability, sport, participation and outdoor learning. Once the GREENTRACE methodology had been finalised, training and multidisciplinary workshops were organised for 39 youth workers in four countries. This was followed by a testing phase involving over 120 young people taking part in outdoor activities in school, sports and youth contexts. These activities took place in rural and urban environments, natural parks, and primarily in outdoor educational spaces. There was a particular focus on including young people with fewer opportunities. All partners adapted the pilot activities to their respective national contexts, enabling youth workers and young participants from across Europe to share their experiences via two dedicated digital platforms: one for youth workers to exchange resources and good practices, and another for young people to promote participation, reflection and creativity.<< Results >>The project produced useful and replicable results. The main outputs were: an operational manual for youth workers in several languages illustrating the GREENTRACE educational methodology; a set of tools for assessing the educational impact of outdoor activities; and two levels of certification for the skills acquired by young participants (Youthpass and the Green Champion Licence). Of particular significance was the development of Activity Cards: a practical compendium of activities designed by youth workers and tested with young people during the pilot phase. An online questionnaire on sustainability profiles was also developed to promote environmental awareness and encourage self-assessment. All materials are available via open access on the project website, encouraging their continued use in educational, sporting, and school contexts.