The aim of the FOOD-Y EU project is to empower young people in in solving food waste issues in their communities, because according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), around 30% of all food produced globally is lost (in the production phase) or wasted (in the retail and consumption phase). During the FOOD-Y EU project the consortium worked on: *increasing their staff and trainers knowledge on food waste management and its impact on the environment, *increasing their preparation on circular economy is used to manage food waste and ‘closing the loop’ and turning community in sustainable and better organized entities *preparing and testing a program to activate youth in understand the importance of not wasting (any) resources and to provide them the skills needed to contrast it *training the educators and youth workers tasked with supporting them *sharing the results with the local community and informing them on the project, its impact on the young participants and their community.
The inspiration for the present project is given by the inadequate opportunities offered to young people in developing practical skills needed to function as a citizen in a multi-agency and fast changing environment. According to the Survey HOW DO WE BUILD A STRONGER, MORE UNITED EU, EUROBAROMETER; 2019, 42% of the responders stated that climate change behaviours, critical thinking or entrepreneurship competences are not taught sufficiently in schools. On top of that, 49% of the respondents said that schools should support them in getting ready for employment, giving them a change to succeed and fostering their creativity, adaptability and entrepreneurial mind set. For this reason, the FOOD-Y EU project promotes the empowerment, participation, active citizenship and sense of initiative, using social entrepreneurship as an effective intervention to re-engage young NEET in solving issues in their communities, connected to food and its waste.