Mobility in Varna: Exploring the Role of Youth in Organizing Public Awareness Events on Recycling and Waste Management
From 29 April to 3 May 2026, the second international mobility of the Erasmus+ project “Fostering Active Youth Participation in Environmental Advocacy” (Project number: 2025-1-BG01-KA154-YOU-
The activity was hosted by Association FOR YOU (Bulgaria), the project coordinator, and organized in cooperation with the project partners StarBalkans (Albania) and Aiforia – ecoculture e.V. (Germany). During the mobility, participants were also welcomed by the Black Sea Youth Center / Черноморски младежки център – Varna, where they had the opportunity to learn more about youth work, local initiatives, and good practices related to active participation and community engagement. Young people also had the chance to present their local campaigns implemented in Bulgaria, Albania, and Germany during April 2026 and further develop ideas for public environmental events in their communities.
During the mobility, participants took part in workshops and discussions focused on event management, youth participation, and environmental advocacy. The programme included sessions on the structure of public awareness events, step-by-step event planning, defining goals, strategies, and target audiences, as well as exploring different formats of local public events related to recycling and waste management.
Throughout the mobility, participants worked in national and international teams. They learned how to engage local communities, raise awareness about sustainable waste practices, and motivate citizens to take part in environmental initiatives.
This mobility represented an important step in empowering young people to become active environmental leaders. By combining learning-by-doing methods, youth-to-youth learning, and practical experience, the activity supported participants in becoming more confident, motivated, and capable of organizing impactful public initiatives that inspire positive environmental change. The knowledge and ideas developed during the mobility will support the organization of one public local event per country, planned for July 2026.
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