ISLANDERS: Many islands - One community.

<< Background >>The project was based on recognition of the special circumstances and needs of young people in island communities. These communities often possess strong identities, unique natural environments, and distinctive cultures and histories. However, they face various challenges which particularly affect young people. The project envisaged an innovative way to address these circumstances based on the expertise of the partnership including youth organisations from islands across Europe. We sought to develop and test new approaches to empowering young people to explore their heritage while developing their understanding of the connections between culture and nature. Our aim was to listen to different voices from the edges of Europe, engage young people with the relevance of their culture and the special places they live, and help them to recognise their own roles in shaping their futures, those of their islands, and that of the EU. Through this ecocultural approach and an understanding of the power of storytelling in building relationships and inspiring imagination, we aimed to strengthen intergenerational connection, promote sustainability, and envisage positive and inclusive futures.<< Objectives >>The project aimed to address the challenges faced by young people in island communities while developing their potential for a youth work methodology centred on storytelling and the connections between culture and nature. We sought to enhance the creative, social and digital skills of young participants while supporting their active engagement in cultural heritage and environmental restoration. We worked to establish a sustainable network of small islands across Europe, connecting communities through their shared and diverse experiences and bringing the voices of the periphery to the forefront of conversations about the future of Europe. By gathering and sharing stories from island cultures, the project enabled young people to reflect on their identities in relation to both culture and nature, encouraging a sense of ownership and pride in their heritage. Our objectives included building understanding of the relationship between past, present and future, promoting intergenerational and interpersonal connections, empowering young people to envision and contribute to more inclusive, resilient futures for their communities. We aimed to develop an innovative methodology transferable to other European islands and contexts in youth work<< Implementation >>The first phase of the project focused on training and capacity building for youth workers in the five participating countries. A series of webinars included sessions for partners to share their expertise and experiences, sessions focused on the power of storytelling, and contributions from experts in youth engagement and cultural heritage. We then held an LTTA in Greece in which the key concepts and methods of the project were explored further.The second phase implemented training pathways for young people in each country, taking a community-led and non-formal approach to engage participants in cultural heritage and environmental responsibility while developing their skills in storytelling and communication. Six in-person labs were held in four countries. Due to the special circumstances of Sweden, (as planned) the training was delivered online, with sessions open to all to build transnational connections between participants. An LTTA for 8 young people from each country was held in Brussels in July 2024.Throughout the project, the digital platform was used as a space for participants to share their stories and creations, and communication tools were used to raise awareness of the project, its results, and European funding.<< Results >>The digital platform showcases the stories and perspectives of young people and hosts online learning while also being the project’s main hub for communication and dissemination. The gallery features videos and creations by young people and webinar highlights. The members’ area contains extracts from the online course and participants’ stories. The platform hosts the project results and 16 blog posts with news and perspectives from our activities, and is intended as an ongoing resource and network.The ‘Framework for youth workers on the use of storytelling, cultural heritage, and environmental restoration in island communities’ presents the theoretical context for the project and insights developed from our training for youth workers. It is a transferable resource for practitioners seeking to utilise and experiment with the Islanders approach in new contexts.The document ‘Innovation pathways for the use of ecoculturalism and narrative in building sustainable communities and inclusive futures for small islands’ describes the labs with young people as well as the transnational training in Brussels and the online activities. It is a hands-on toolkit enabling youth workers to use our training pathways in their practice.