The primary aim of the project was to enhance the capacity of youth workers to engage young people in addressing climate change and building resilience against physical catastrophes. We sought to equip youth workers with practical, accessible, and innovative tools that would enable them to raise awareness, promote sustainable practices, and foster active citizenship among young people. The project had three concrete objectives: To develop evidence-based guidelines and good practices for youth workers on how to effectively raise awareness about environmental protection and support resilience-building in the face of natural disasters. These guidelines were designed to be applicable in diverse youth work contexts. To design and deliver an online educational game that would engage young people in an interactive learning process focused on climate change, environmental sustainability, and disaster preparedness. This digital tool aimed to modernize youth engagement through gamified learning and immersive experiences. To build capacity through a blended "train the trainer" program for youth workers, delivered through both face-to-face and digital formats. This training supported knowledge exchange, development, and long-term impact.
The project was initiated in response to the urgent need to empower youth workers with the necessary tools, resources, and methodologies to effectively address climate change and environmental protection with young people. Climate change poses a severe and growing threat to global ecosystems and human well-being, and young people are both among the most vulnerable to its effects and the most powerful agents of change. However, many youth workers, particularly those operating in disadvantaged areas, lack access to adequate training and resources to engage youth meaningfully in these topics. The project was developed to bridge this gap by equipping youth workers with evidence-informed guidelines, a capacity-building "train the trainer" program, and an innovative online game focused on resilience and environmental awareness. Our needs assessment revealed that youth workers lacked both the content knowledge and pedagogical tools to foster resilience to physical catastrophes and promote climate action. The project therefore addressed not only an environmental and educational gap, but also supported youth participation and civic engagement through a co-creation approach that empowered youth-serving professions.