The youth exchange “Sustainability as a Way of Thinking” was designed as the second stage of a wider two-part Erasmus+ initiative. It followed the training course “Sustainability as an Attitude” (October 2024), where youth workers from partner countries identified a common challenge: young people often understand sustainability only as recycling or climate change, but not as a holistic mindset that includes emotional well-being, community responsibility, cooperation and creative expression. The youth exchange aimed to address this gap by offering a fully youth-led, experiential and intercultural project where young people could practice sustainability, not just learn about it. 1: Empower young people as leaders of change A core intention was to put youth at the centre of the process. Participants were responsible for leading workshops, planning activities, managing daily Service & Care roles, and co-creating the final performance. Youth workers acted only as facilitators, supporting young people in decision-making, cooperation and problem solving. This approach strengthened leadership, initiative, teamwork, communication and organisational skills—key Youthpass competences. 2: Promote sustainability as a holistic mindset The project aimed to expand the participants’ understanding of sustainability beyond environmental topics. Through permaculture tasks, nature-based theatre exercises, Dragon Dreaming practices, community agreements, and outdoor creation, young people explored sustainability as a personal, social and ecological attitude. The objective was to inspire behavioural changes and a long-term commitment to ecological responsibility. 3: Foster cross-cultural collaboration and European identity By bringing together young people from Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Austria, the Czech Republic and Italy, the exchange sought to develop: intercultural awareness, respect for diversity, shared European values (dignity, equality, human rights, democracy), and a feeling of belonging to a wider European community. Mixed working groups ensured daily cooperation, dialogue and creative co-creation. 4: Develop personal and social competences through experiential learning The project incorporated daily reflection through Dragon Dreaming’s Dreaming–Planning–Doing–Celebrating cycle, evening evaluation circles, emotional check-ins, and creative reflection (movement, drawing, storytelling). These activities supported self-awareness, emotional expression, empathy, conflict resolution, and mental well-being—directly supporting Youth Goal 5 (“Mental Health & Wellbeing”). 5: Integrate theatre and environmental activism A major aim was to explore how artistic methods can communicate sustainability in engaging, accessible ways. Participants experimented with physical theatre, object theatre, nature-based improvisation and storytelling to express environmental ideas. The final outdoor performance demonstrated how theatre can be a powerful tool for eco-activism and community education. 6: Encourage local action and dissemination after the project A key goal was to inspire young people to bring sustainability home. Each national group committed to organising a local workshop after the exchange, combining theatre and environmental learning. Participants were encouraged to share their results on social media and within their communities, increasing Erasmus+ visibility and multiplying impact. 7: Strengthen cooperation between partner organisations As this project followed a successful training course, another objective was to deepen the multinational partnership between theatre organisations, eco-activists and youth groups. By working together across two project stages, partners strengthened long-term collaboration, exchanged methodologies, and introduced newcomers to the Erasmus+ Programme.