The training course was developed in response to evidence that young people throughout Europe increasingly value cultural heritage and the preservation of local identity as essential foundations for the future of their communities, yet often lack structured educational support to translate this interest into civic responsibility and community action. According to UNESCO and the Council of Europe, heritage education strengthens young people’s critical thinking, intercultural understanding, and engagement in democratic processes, showing that cultural heritage is not merely about preservation but also about shaping identities, shared values, and responsible citizenship for future generations. In addition to cultural heritage, natural heritage is recognised as an essential dimension of what communities value and seek to protect for future generations. Natural heritage is not only part of Europe’s identity but also deeply connected to well‑being, sustainable development and community resilience. For example, the EU’s Natura 2000 network, the largest coordinated network of protected areas in the world, covers 18 % of EU land and nearly 6 % of its marine territory, specifically to safeguard valuable species and habitats while maintaining cultural landscapes shaped by generations of human‑nature interaction. This integrated approach highlights how natural and cultural heritage are intertwined and mutually reinforcing in shaping a sense of belonging and responsibility for place. Moreover, surveys indicate that at least 8 out of 10 people in the EU consider biodiversity loss a serious problem and agree that halting it is important, with many seeing halting biodiversity loss as vital to tackling climate change and maintaining healthy, sustainable communities. Despite this strong interest, youth workers across partner countries repeatedly reported that they lacked sufficient training and practical methodologies to use cultural and natural heritage as educational tools for developing civic engagement. Many youth organisations observed that while young people were aware of heritage and cultural issues, there was a gap between this awareness and their ability to participate in local decision-making, community initiatives, or projects that preserve both identities. This gap highlighted the need for professional development opportunities that equip youth workers with non-formal education methods linking cultural heritage, identity, and active citizenship, with environmental sustainability. The idea behind this training course was to address these needs by building youth workers’ capacity to integrate cultural and natural heritage into their educational practices as a holistic approach to responsible citizenship education. The course focused on developing competences in facilitating experiential learning that deepened young people’s understanding of how cultural heritage, local identity, and community values are interconnected, and how this understanding can strengthen civic participation. Environmental and ecological topics were included to show the interdependence of nature and heritage, providing context for sustainable practices that support heritage preservation. Armenia was chosen as the venue because of its rich and varied cultural and natural landscapes, offering a unique setting where youth workers could engage directly with authentic heritage sites, monuments, and living traditions. This context provided concrete examples of how cultural and natural heritage coexist, serving as powerful experiential learning environments for exploring community values, sustainable cultural practices, and civic engagement. Hosting the course in Armenia also built on local momentum around youth participation in heritage preservation, creating an inspiring setting where theoretical learning could be grounded in tangible experiences. The specific objectives of the project are to: - Increase youth workers understanding of the interconnections between cultural and natural heritage, community identity, and civic responsibility and equip them with tools for integrating cultural and natural heritage into youth work activities. - Improve youth workers capacity to design, implement, and evaluate inclusive educational activities that promote heritage awareness, intercultural dialogue, and civic participation. - Strengthen knowledge of European and international frameworks on youth participation, cultural heritage, and sustainable community development. - Foster peer-to-peer learning and international cooperation among youth workers, enabling the exchange of best practices and innovative approaches to heritage and civic education. - Inspire youth workers to multiply the learning outcomes in their local communities, engaging young people in activities - Promote reflection and awareness of contemporary challenges such as heritage conservation, cultural sustainability, and community development as part of the educational process in youth work