Green Trails is a successful example of a KA210-YOU Erasmus+ small-scale partnership focused on environmental education through non-formal learning. The project targeted young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including migrants and refugees, and equipped them with green skills, environmental awareness, and practical tools for sustainable living.

The project was co-led by:

• ARKTIC (Germany) – with expertise in environmental education and project coordination

• Logos NGO (Poland) – experienced in youth work, non-formal methods, and inclusion 

🧭 Objectives 

1. To foster dialogue between participants and participating organisations and strengthen youth participation in Poland and Germany, empowering young people to become more mindful of the environment.
2. To make participation in our local projects more accessible to young people, including people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
3. To equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to make sustainable choices in their daily lives
4. To bring a greater European dimension to our youth work at the local level through regular exchange of ideas, practices, and mobilities between staff and participants involved in ARKTIC and NGO Logos' local projects.

🧰 Methodology

The project used non-formal and experiential learning, focusing on “learning by doing”. Activities were co-designed with participants, included hands-on elements, and promoted reflection and action.

Key components included:

Sustainable Fashion

• Learning about fast fashion's environmental and social impact

• Upcycling second-hand clothing into new designs

• Organising a fashion show to promote ethical and creative reuse

Recycled Art Workshops

• Introducing principles of recycling and circular thinking

• Polish participants collected all the waste materials themselves in advance of the workshops

• Turning trash into art installations through teamwork and creativity

• Hosting a public exhibition to share their message with the local community

Community Clean-up Events

• Organised in the format of an interactive city quest

• Teams completed tasks across the city related to waste, environmental challenges, and local urban knowledge

• Combined urban exploration with hands-on learning about pollution, ecosystems, and civic responsibility

Outdoor Learning

• Activities included hiking, forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku), yoga in nature and observation

• Focused on emotional connection to nature and group bonding

Promoted wellbeing alongside environmental education


👥 Target Groups

• Young people aged 18–30

• Refugees, migrants, and youth from conflict-affected regions (Ukraine, Syria, Armenia, Belarus, Turkey)

• Most were first-time Erasmus+ participants

• Many faced economic, social, and educational challenges

Importantly, almost the same group of participants took part in almost all project activities. This built:

• A sense of safety and inclusion

• Strong peer connections and teamwork

Deeper engagement with the learning process

📈 Results & Impact

👥 On Participants:

• Improved understanding of sustainability and environmental issues

• Stronger motivation to make eco-conscious daily choices

• Increased confidence and key soft skills (collaboration, creativity, problem-solving)

• Social integration, cultural exchange, and lasting friendships

• Encouragement to engage in future learning, volunteering or civic initiatives

🏢 On Organisations – Short & Long Term:

• Stronger capacity to design and deliver environmental learning activities for youth with fewer opportunities

• Staff gained new skills through transnational exchange and peer learning

• Local visibility increased thanks to public events, helping attract new participants and stakeholders

• The project laid the foundation for a sustainable, long-term partnership between ARKTIC and Logos

• Social media promotion expanded the reach of the project beyond local communities

  Specifically for:

• ARKTIC:

  • Gained valuable experience in implementing non-formal and experiential learning methods

  • Expanded its focus to include refugees and youth from marginalised communities

  • Strengthened its network of partners through cross-border cooperation

• Logos:

  • Gained deeper insight into environmental and sustainability issues thanks to ARKTIC’s expertise

  • Improved project management skills within its team

  • Strengthened its ability to implement and lead green education initiatives in the future

    ✔️ Success Factors

• Consistent participation across all activities built group cohesion and trust

• Balanced partnership and clear role division improved efficiency and learning

• Fun, creative formats made sustainability accessible to all learning levels

• Activities were adaptable, low-cost and inclusive, suitable for smaller NGOs and local settings

• Use of public spaces and events increased community involvement and visibility

  💡 Lessons Learned

• You don’t need a big budget to make an impact — just the right idea and the right people

• Repeating group settings across activities creates a powerful learning community

• Outdoor and artistic methods are highly effective in engaging marginalised youth

• A small-scale Erasmus+ KA210 project is an excellent starting point for first-time applicants and organisations testing new approaches

• Empowerment grows when participants are trusted and involved at every stage

  🔗 Resources & Contact

  Templates, workshop outlines, and materials can be shared upon request. We are happy to support other organisations that aim to implement similar projects.
  
  “Green Trails” was a project by Alliance for Research, Knowledge Transfer & International Cooperation e.V and Logos NGO, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.Project Nr. 2023-3-DE04-KA210-YOU-000184113