From June 9 to 13, 2025, the Golden Sands resort near Varna, Bulgaria, buzzed with fresh ideas and green energy as 20 youth workers from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, North Macedonia, Türkiye and Slovakia gathered for the Green Generators Training Course. Hosted by the Foundation for Entrepreneurship, Culture and Education (Bulgaria) and co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme, this initiative brought together passionate changemakers to deepen their understanding of sustainability and explore how youth work can drive meaningful ecological change.
Why Green Generators?
The core mission of Green Generators was to empower youth workers to be agents of sustainability in their local communities. By equipping participants with knowledge, skills, and tools aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and European Youth Goal #10: Sustainable Green Europe, the project aimed to turn ideas into action.
Over the course of five sunny, seaside days, participants engaged in non-formal learning activities that included:
Brainstorming definitions of sustainability
Developing “Green Protocols” targeting industries like fashion, energy, and agriculture
Exploring eco-friendly business models
Collaborating on Erasmus+ project concepts
Playing the Green Ethics: Spaces for the Future online game
Sharing cultures during intercultural evenings
Learning by Doing: Highlights from the Week
SDG Exploration
Working in groups, youth workers focused on specific SDGs such as:
· Gender Equality (SDG 5) – promoting equal opportunities, combating violence, and challenging stereotypes
· Affordable Clean Energy (SDG 7) – supporting solar panels, sustainable transportation and government incentives
· Climate Action (SDG 13) – encouraging renewable energy, eco-friendly diets and anti-fast fashion campaigns
· Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17) – pushing for greater NGO-government collaboration
Green Business Brainstorming
Participants reimagined the operations of florists, bakeries, phone companies and gift shops through a sustainability lens. They focused on everything from composting and ethical hiring to solar-powered chargers and plastic-free packaging.
Creating Green Protocols
Through role play and research, groups proposed actionable plans to reduce the environmental footprint of:
· The fast fashion industry
· Oil and gas refineries
· Meat and livestock production
· Mining operations
Youth-led Eco-Initiatives
Using the elevator pitch method, groups presented ideas like:
· Masktivists: recycled carnival masks to fundraise for environmental causes
· Green Roots Collective: promoting Romanian local producers through a GoFundMe campaign
· Youth for Future: educational programs on human rights and sustainability
· Air for Varna: developing and testing an air quality monitoring system
Mental Health Meets Sustainability
Projects like Clean Mind, Clean Life blended nature-based activities (yoga, hiking, meditation) with mental health awareness and international collaboration.
Beyond the Training Room
Evenings were dedicated to intercultural learning, with each national team hosting cultural nights full of music, food, dance and storytelling. These vibrant moments not only celebrated diversity but also strengthened cross-border solidarity and friendship.
What Participants Gained
· A deeper understanding of green living, environmental ethics and the European Green Deal
· Soft skills such as leadership, collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving
· Practical tools to initiate change locally – through education, advocacy, or entrepreneurship
· A renewed sense of community, purpose and connection
Final Thoughts
The Green Generators TC showed that youth workers are not just facilitators of change, they are generators of hope, action and sustainable impact. The outcomes of this project will echo through new projects, community initiatives and daily habits long after the sun sets on the Varna coast.
