Legacy of the Soil: Strengthening Environmental Awareness and Sustainable Living Practices

Between 28 April and 5 May 2025, the Erasmus+ Mobility of Youth Workers project “Legacy of the Soil: Sustainable Agriculture and Safe Food” (Project No: 2024-3-ES02-KA153-YOU-000260774) was implemented in Gijón, Spain, with the partnership of Stowarzyszenia Polish Healthy Life Association. The project brought together youth workers from Turkey, Spain, Hungary, Poland, and Iceland to explore sustainable agriculture, food safety, ecological living, and climate action. Through a series of interactive non-formal education activities, participants increased their awareness of environmental challenges while developing practical skills and intercultural understanding.

One of the key activities, Nature's Embrace: Engaging with the Environment, encouraged participants to reflect on the impact of waste on nature through dramatization and experiential learning. By imagining themselves as different types of waste carried by the wind, participants developed empathy towards environmental issues and gained a deeper understanding of recycling and resource management. This activity stimulated critical thinking about waste generation, environmental responsibility, and sustainable consumption habits while strengthening communication and problem-solving skills through active participation.

Environmental sustainability was further explored through the Cycling Training and Global Awareness: Addressing the Climate Crisis sessions. The cycling activity highlighted the importance of environmentally friendly transportation while promoting physical well-being and healthy lifestyles. Participants improved their cycling skills and learned about the role of sustainable mobility in reducing carbon emissions, noise pollution, and traffic-related environmental impacts. The climate crisis workshop complemented this learning by providing participants with information about global environmental challenges, food security risks, and the importance of adopting sustainable behaviors to mitigate climate change.

The project also focused on promoting ecological lifestyles and active citizenship. During Living Green: Embracing Ecological Practices, participants evaluated their own environmental habits through a survey and explored real-life examples of ecological living. Discussions on organic food production, responsible consumption, water conservation, energy efficiency, and sustainable lifestyles encouraged participants to reflect on their daily choices and identify practical ways to reduce their environmental footprint. Through presentations, videos, and interactive discussions, participants gained valuable insights into building a more sustainable future.

Practical dissemination and intercultural exchange formed the final pillars of the programme. During the Dissemination Workshop: Sharing Project Insights, participants worked together to create posters and keychains using natural materials collected from a nearby forest, developing creativity, teamwork, and project management skills while preparing tools to promote the project's outcomes. Daily evaluations through Sunset Reflections: Wrapping Up the Day allowed participants to analyze challenges and learning experiences using the fishbone method, fostering critical reflection and self-assessment. The programme concluded with Cultural Immersion: Exploring Diverse Traditions, where participants shared their countries’ agricultural traditions, local foods, climate realities, and cultural heritage, strengthening intercultural dialogue and reinforcing the shared commitment to sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, and safe food systems.