The overarching goal of Mycorrhiza is to empower youth workers with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to address youngsters' climate emotions and promote mental well-being and ecological action among young people. By integrating environmental education, emotional agility, collective intelligence into youth work practices, the project aims to foster mental health, social inclusion, and active participation in ecological initiatives. Our specific objectives are to: 1. ADDRESS ANXIETY AND CLIMATE EMOTIONS IN YOUTH WORK PRACTICES • Increase awareness: equip youth workers with a deeper understanding of mental health struggles caused by the climate crisis, including triggers, symptoms, and impact on young people. • Provide tools and strategies: train youth workers to offer practical support and coping mechanisms to climate anxious youth through emotional agility, nature-based learning, and embodied practices. • Promote mental well-being: create safer, supportive spaces where youth workers can encourage mental resilience and emotional health in their target groups. 2. STRENGTHEN YOUTH WORKERS’ COMPETENCES IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION • Enhance green skills: teach youth workers how to implement sustainable practices and educate young people about their personal ecological impact. • Foster active participation: enable youth workers to motivate and support young people in engaging with ecological initiatives, contributing to local and global environmental solutions. • Innovative learning methods: introduce experiential and nature-based learning approaches that promote personal and professional growth. 3. PROMOTE INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY IN YOUTH WORK • Target marginalized groups: involve eco-youth workers and young people with fewer opportunities, including those from economically or socially disadvantaged backgrounds, in all aspects of the project. • Intercultural and intergenerational dialogue: build bridges between participants from diverse cultural, professional, and generational backgrounds, fostering mutual understanding and collaboration. • Collective intelligence: develop the ability of youth workers to leverage the diversity of their groups, creating inclusive spaces where all voices are heard and valued. 4. INSPIRE LONG-TERM CHANGE AND COLLABORATION IN YOUTH WORK • Capacity building: equip youth workers to independently apply Mycorrhiza’s methods and tools in their organisations, ensuring lasting benefits for their communities. • Foster professional networks: encourage cross-border collaboration and support networks among youth workers to share best practices and co-create future projects. • Create ripple effects: empower participants to engage their target groups, organisations, and local communities in follow-up activities, amplifying the impact of Mycorrhiza. EXPECTED OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH WORK PRACTICE • Professional development: youth workers will acquire new competences in supporting eco-anxious youth, facilitating sustainable projects, and fostering inclusive environments. • Innovative tools: participants will gain access to innovative, actionable tools for promoting mental health, sustainability, and active citizenship in their daily work. • Improved practices: the project will inspire a shift in youth work practices, integrating ecological awareness and emotional intelligence as core elements of youth development. • Stronger community connections: by encouraging local engagement and collective action, Mycorrhiza will foster a sense of belonging and responsibility among youth workers and their target groups.