The idea for this youth exchange emerged from the participation of Álvaro and Marina, members of the youth association El Cencerro Joven (Spain), in a permaculture training course. This course addressed various socio-environmental challenges, identifying the relationship between humans and their environment as a key issue. It encouraged participants to take advantage of and adapt to the resources of their immediate natural surroundings. As a result, Álvaro and Marina recognized several socio-environmental needs that should be addressed in the future of their local community through Erasmus+ projects. A need was identified to exchange, include, and engage in mutual learning among European youth on environmental issues. Additionally, adopting sustainable lifestyles was seen as essential in order to mitigate excessive, toxic, and disproportionate consumption of natural resources. This project aims to connect participants with the local community and rural areas, making them aware of the importance of the services provided by rural environments. To achieve this, the project will analyze the natural landscape and its resources while promoting respect for different forms of life—especially flora and fauna—through non-formal education methods. The goal is to generate interest in socio-environmental issues among participants by creating spaces for participation, dialogue, and debate. Moreover, the project seeks to empower participants to take initiative upon their return to their local communities, using activism and association-based involvement as tools for change. The main problem or need arises from a lack of rural awareness, which keeps most young people disconnected from rural realities. This lack of awareness is largely due to an increasingly globalized world, where traditional artisanal, livestock, and agricultural practices are disappearing due to a lack of generational renewal. This trend further deepens cultural detachment, ignorance, and the abandonment of the natural and rural environment. ECONET takes advantage of the privileged region of eastern Cantabria, which highlights both the importance of the natural environment and ecosystem services and the problems caused by modern lifestyles. These include biodiversity loss, the decline of agriculture and livestock farming, pollution of rivers, beaches, and landscapes, and the presence of plastics, waste, and pellets along the Cantabrian coast. Since the Industrial Revolution, commerce has driven young people away from rural life. However, since the onset of COVID-19, many professions that do not require a fixed physical location have begun a process of urban-to-rural migration, creating a new landscape. Regarding the project’s objectives, the aim is to ensure that this transition occurs in a healthy and environmentally beneficial way while simultaneously revitalizing youth participation and activism. The project, in a cross-cutting manner, strongly focuses on socio-environmental needs through training activities and teamwork, fostering a sense of community and belonging. The goal is to break down barriers between individuals from different cultural, geographical, and economic backgrounds. Additionally, individual actions will serve as examples for the collective—such as implementing eco-friendly travel for all participants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and promoting a diet based on local and seasonal products. The project’s objectives can be summarized in four key ideas, formulated with a realistic perspective, considering the identified needs and challenges General Objective: • Connect participants with local areas to raise awareness about the importance of the essential services provided by rural environments through understanding, interpreting, and analyzing the natural landscape and its resources. Specific Objectives: • Promote basic knowledge of flora, fauna, and geology to inspire European youth in ecosystem conservation through the development of workshops and activities within the framework of non-formal environmental education. • Create spaces for dialogue and participation, allowing young people to discuss their local realities and identify similarities with the local community through the exploration of rural areas in the Cantabria region. • Empower participants in activism and community engagement to formalize socio-environmental needs by fostering synergies with various relevant public and private entities.