Four countries, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine, were represented in the “Smart house and garden” youth exchange by young people mainly living in economically disadvantaged rural regions. The programme was implemented so that the participants could jointly explore, through non-formal learning methods, an approach that helped them plan their future more consciously, taking environmental sustainability into account and using useful digital technologies. The diverse group of participants worked and learned together during the ten-day exchange, motivated by the importance of raising awareness. The programme represented several values and had a number of key objectives: it was diverse and inclusive, environmentally friendly, based on active participation and the needs of the participants, included European and local values, was innovative, supported young people’s employment opportunities, provided space for skills development, and drew attention to sustainability. It was important for us to provide opportunities for many disadvantaged young people to take part in a programme that strengthened active social participation and European identity. The participants jointly planned, implemented, evaluated and promoted their work according to their own needs. The main aim of our project was to process the “SMART approach” based on digitalisation through the active participation of young people. During the programme, they discovered the opportunities within this approach, their initiative improved, and they became more innovative, motivated and creative. Sustainability also became a central element in their everyday lives and future work. “Smart house and garden” did not simply mean using smart IT tools in the house and garden, but represented a much more complex approach. It meant being environmentally friendly, preferably zero waste, diverse and inclusive, involved in democratic life, using sustainable services, and being connected to local and European values. In this way, houses and gardens where young people with useful green skills planned their future could become part of a “Sustainable Green Europe”. In addition to the main aim of the programme, several important specific objectives were also highlighted. The first specific objective was to give a key role to the development of digital competence. During the programme, the participants used several IT and information tools, a separate digital day was organised, and the development of this competence was based on the previously assessed common needs of the young people. The second specific objective was to ensure that inclusion and diversity accompanied the whole programme. This priority was also explored in depth during a separate thematic day. The third specific objective was to keep European and local values at the centre of the programme and to highlight good examples of democratic communities. During the programme, several key competences were developed. • By developing scientific competence, the participants became more capable of acting locally in an environmentally friendly and practical way while thinking globally in order to achieve individual and community goals. They became familiar with sustainable living and management of natural resources and were encouraged to contribute to rural development. • Due to the theme of the programme, competences related to technology and engineering were also significantly developed, as smart technology was at the centre of the work. • Digital competence received special attention during the programme. The participants used several IT and information tools, took part in a separate digital day, and the development of this competence was based on their previously assessed common needs. • Through entrepreneurial competence, the young people’s initiative and sense of responsibility improved. They became more familiar with mainly “green” jobs connected to the “SMART economy”, and the programme aimed to strengthen their entrepreneurial mindset. • In the field of personal, social and civic competences, the young people had the opportunity to try themselves in an intercultural environment. Through this, they became more open to understanding and accepting different cultures. • Learning to learn was of key importance. Through project work, group work and peer learning methods, the aim was for the participants to be able to use their new knowledge and skills later at home, in education, at work and even in a future enterprise. • Through non-formal tasks, literacy, mathematical competence, cultural awareness and expression were also strengthened. • Multilingual competence was also present, as in several programme elements, such as learning about competences, writing songs and working in international groups, attention was paid to practising several languages.