Youth Green Compass: Empowering Young People for a Greener Future

What does it take to create a more sustainable future? More importantly, how can young people become active contributors to that change?

Youth Green Compass is a 24-month European cooperation project that brings together organizations from Lithuania, Spain, Italy, France, and Austria with a shared mission: to empower young people to engage with sustainability, climate action, and the green transition in meaningful and practical ways.

At a time when environmental challenges increasingly shape our societies, the project aims to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to participate in green initiatives, make more conscious everyday choices, and contribute to building sustainable communities.

Through a combination of non-formal education, gamification, and active participation, Youth Green Compass creates opportunities for young people to explore key topics related to the European Green Deal, environmental sustainability, and active citizenship. Participants are encouraged not only to learn about these issues, but also to reflect on local challenges and develop innovative solutions for their own communities.

Key Outputs and Activities

Throughout the project, a wide range of educational resources, community activities, and digital tools are being developed to support young people on their sustainability journey.

Educational Board Game

One of the project’s flagship outputs is an innovative educational board game designed for youth workers, educators, and young people.

Through discussion, collaboration, and gamified learning, participants explore environmental challenges while developing critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. The game helps players understand the interconnected relationship between nature, society, and the economy while encouraging active engagement with sustainability issues.

The game is accompanied by practical guidelines that make it easy for youth workers and educators to facilitate and replicate the activity in different learning environments. This resource provides methodologies, facilitation techniques, and non-formal education approaches that can be used to engage young people in discussions and activities related to climate action, sustainability, and active citizenship. Physical copies of the game are being distributed to NGOs, youth organizations, educators, and youth workers across the participating countries.

Download the game.

World Environmental Week

As part of the project, 35 youth-led environmental events are being organized across the five partner countries. These activities encourage young people to take ownership of sustainability initiatives, raise awareness within their communities, and create local actions that contribute to environmental protection and social responsibility.

Through workshops, awareness campaigns, community actions, and public events, participants are encouraged to transform environmental awareness into concrete local action.

CityCompass

Available on the Google Play Store, the CityCompass App helps users discover sustainable businesses, initiatives, and community spaces that actively contribute to greener cities. Through carefully selected Green Points, users can find eco-friendly cafés, sustainable shops, local markets, environmental projects, and other initiatives that promote responsible lifestyles and community well-being.

Download the app.

Green City Maps

To make sustainable choices more visible and accessible, the project has developed Green City Maps that highlight environmentally responsible places and activities in participating European cities: Alicante (Spain), Kaunas (Lithuania), Paris (France), Rome (Italy) and Vienna (Austria). These maps provide practical guidance for residents and visitors looking to support local sustainability initiatives.

Explore the maps.

Building a Greener Europe Together

Beyond educational tools and activities, Youth Green Compass promotes dialogue between young people, youth workers, and policymakers, creating spaces where ideas can be exchanged and local realities can inspire sustainable action. Through workshops, Green Challenges, community initiatives, educational resources, and international cooperation, the project seeks to amplify young voices and encourage active participation in shaping a greener, more inclusive, and more resilient Europe.

By connecting environmental awareness with practical action, Youth Green Compass helps young people become active agents of change, empowering them to contribute to a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Europe.

 

Project duration: December 2024 – November 2026
Countries involved: Lithuania, Spain, Italy, France, and Austria

Youth Green Compass is a project funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, EACEA, or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.