The general objective of the project was to promote inclusive and low threshold events like the Climathon for more people to actively engage in making their community more sustainable and resilient to the challenges due to climate change. To achieve this, we need enablers who organize those events and who are able to activate their community to participate. Our training is targeting those potential enablers. After the training, they know how to organize Climathons (and consequently other similar events) and enable active citizenship among their communities and the wider public. The specific objectives of the project were (1) Enablers are trained to organize Climathons and have access to the methods and knowledge base, (2) Enablers develop skills in management and facilitation, and gain hands-on experience, (3) Enablers participate in national and international sharing of good practice.
Partners identified several key needs addressed by the project. One of the most important gaps was the lack of practical, accessible tools that would guide individuals step by step through the process of organising a Climathon. While the concept itself was known, many potential organisers perceived it as too complex, resource-demanding or time-intensive. This created a barrier preventing motivated individuals from initiating climate action in their communities. Another need was the lack of structured support and mentoring for people interested in facilitating participatory processes. Without guidance, many initiatives remained at the conceptual level and were not translated into concrete action. The project also responded to the need for stronger community-based climate action. In many regions, civic engagement remains low and people often lack opportunities to actively participate in shaping their environment. Climathons provide a format that not only raises awareness but also creates space for collaboration, co-creation and ownership of solutions. However, to unlock this potential, it was necessary to adapt the format to different target groups and local contexts, making it more inclusive and flexible.