Shaping GreenCOMP for the Youth Field

Erasmus+ Cooperation partnerships in youth

  • About the project
  • Outputs
  • Activities
About the project

Sustain-Ability is a 36-month Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership project coordinated by the International Youth Work Trainers Guild, designed to explore and apply the European sustainability competence framework (GreenComp) in the youth field.

Born out of a clear demand for practical, competence-based sustainability learning, this project seeks to bridge the gap between high-level frameworks and youth workers’ everyday realities. It responds to the urgent need for a systemic, holistic, and inclusive approach to education for sustainability—one that goes far beyond green slogans and into lived, community-rooted action.

Over the course of the project, the partners will:


  • Review GreenComp and assess its relevance and accessibility for youth work
  • Develop and test non-formal education tools that promote Green Competencies in young peopleDisseminate materials and outcomes across youth work networks, amplifying their impact across Europe

Why is this relevant for the community of international youth work trainers?

The international youth work sector is already committed to values of inclusion, social justice, and participatory education—values that are inherently intertwined with sustainability. But meaningful engagement with the climate crisis and green transitions also requires specific competences: systems thinking, critical reflection, ethical action, and future-minded planning.

GreenComp offers a comprehensive map of those competences. Yet, without tools, methods, and practices tailored for non-formal educators, it remains out of reach for many.

Sustain-Ability answers that need. It translates the abstract into the actionable, and creates pathways for youth trainers to integrate sustainability into their educational design and delivery.

This project not only builds tools—it strengthens our collective capacity to act, reflect, and evolve together.

Outputs

Sustain-Ability is generating a wide range of open-access resources that make the GreenComp framework practical and relevant for youth work professionals. The team is currently mapping how GreenComp is understood and applied within the youth sector, producing a comprehensive report that explores both challenges and opportunities for integrating sustainability competences into non-formal education.

At the same time, the partnership is designing a tailored curriculum framework that translates the GreenComp dimensions into meaningful educational pathways for youth workers. This framework is serving as the foundation for a series of non-formal learning materials, including activity guides, session outlines, and multimedia content that support the development of green competences in young people.

An interactive self-assessment tool is also being created in collaboration with the Cities of Learning platform, allowing youth workers and learners to explore and reflect on their sustainability competences in a user-friendly and engaging way. In parallel, the project team is producing a set of animated videos that visually explain the GreenComp framework and demonstrate how the tools can be used in real-life youth work settings.

A youth-led communication campaign is being developed to amplify the project’s message, inviting young people to take an active role in promoting green competencies in their communities. All materials are being tested and fine-tuned through local and international pilot activities, ensuring their relevance and usability. These outputs are gradually being made available online as a cohesive and accessible resource hub for the wider youth work community.

Activities

The Sustain-Ability journey unfolds through five interconnected phases:

1. Review GreenComp in Youth Work

Led by ZMAG (Croatia), this work explores how GreenComp is currently understood and used across youth and education sectors, gathering input through research, mapping, and focus groups.

2. Creation of Educational Materials

Guided by the Guild, a team of educators from all partner organisations will co-develop a flexible, youth-friendly curriculum and materials aligned with GreenComp.

3. Testing & Evaluation

Both local and international pilots will be run—engaging over 300 young people and 30 youth workers—collecting feedback and evidence on the educational effectiveness of the tools.

4. Dissemination & Outreach

Spearheaded by GEN Europe (Spain and Germany), this phase will amplify the project’s results through strategic communication, animated explainer videos, and community-led storytelling.

5. Coordination & Management

Led by the IYWT Guild, ensuring clear communication, shared responsibility, and ongoing learning among the partner consortium.

Consortium

The project has been created and implemented by an international consortium of four organisations.

  • International Youth Work Trainers Guild (Germany)

  • A.R.T. Fusion (Romania)

  • ZMAG – Zelena Mreža Aktivističkih Grupa (Croatia)

  • REPLAY Network aps (Italy)

  • Global Ecovillage Network of Europe e.V. (Germany)

  • Global Ecovillage Network of Europe (Spain)

Funding

The project is co-funded by the European Union through Jugend für Europa, the German National Agency for ERASMUS+ and the European Solidarity Corps. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or JUGEND für Europa. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.