ROOT – Rural Opportunities and Outreach for Tomorrow

At a time when rural youth face limited economic prospects and urban youth often feel disconnected from nature and sustainable living, the RootED project bridges these worlds, creating a collaborative space where both groups co-create solutions for the future. By blending non-formal learning, digital tools, peer-to-peer collaboration, and entrepreneurial action, RootED empowers youth to transform local resources into sustainable agrotourism opportunities, strengthening rural-urban connections and fostering community-led innovation.OBJECTIVESRootED strengthens the capacity of youth organisations in Erasmus+ programme countries (Spain, Serbia, Turkey) and Mediterranean partner countries (Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia), equipping them with innovative tools and methodologies to engage youth in agrotourism as a pathway to entrepreneurship, environmental awareness, and social inclusion. Through cross-border cooperation, the project directly addresses youth employment, digital and green skills development, and inclusion—fully aligned with the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 and its core pillars: Engage, Connect, and Empower.METHODOLOGYRootED’s methodology includes:Youth Workers' Handbook with adaptable non-formal education tools.Interactive RootED Toolkit designed for peer learning and community engagement.Digital Agritourism Academy, open-access platform offering video tutorials, case studies, and gamified challenges.Local RootED Agro-Lab Bootcamps combining learning, ideation, and teamwork.Youth Mobility & International Ideathon where multicultural teams tackle real-world agrotourism challenges.RootED Digital Map connecting rural innovators and youth organisations across Europe and the Mediterranean.Policy Recommendations Paper for embedding youth-led rural innovation into future policy frameworks.IMPLEMENTATIONCapacity building for 18 youth workers, Local Bootcamps for 120 youth, International Mobility for 30 youth, Peer-to-peer learning and knowledge transfer