The CONTRIBUTE project aimed to train and empower young people through innovative training in urban gardening, urban markets, and social entrepreneurship, integrating non-formal education with digital tools and face-to-face experiences. The main objective was to offer accessible, practical, and transformative learning opportunities that promoted active citizenship, a sense of initiative, and youth entrepreneurship, including social entrepreneurship with an environmental focus. The aim was for young people to acquire key skills related to urban sustainability, community regeneration, and the green economy, encouraging their direct participation in the transformation of their local environments. In addition, the project aspired to foster a new generation of “green youth” with entrepreneurial skills geared toward sustainable development. From a broader perspective, CONTRIBUTE aimed to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), by offering quality training focused on contemporary environmental challenges.
The CONTRIBUTE project was requested with the aim of responding to key needs identified among European youth, particularly in relation to the promotion of active citizenship, youth entrepreneurship—including social entrepreneurship—and environmental awareness. Through non-formal education, the project seeks to offer innovative learning opportunities that combine digital tools and face-to-face activities, taking advantage of the versatility of this approach to reach young people with different profiles and backgrounds. The project specifically addresses the need to train young people in emerging areas such as urban gardening, local markets, and social entrepreneurship, integrating these contents into a practical, accessible, and inclusive educational approach. At the same time, CONTRIBUTE responds to two priority Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 4 and SDG 11, fostering the development of green business skills and promoting urban regeneration and sustainability. Likewise, the need to strengthen the civic participation of young people in building more sustainable communities was identified. CONTRIBUTE also promotes youth entrepreneurship.