Eco-Tourism for Social Entrepreneurship Health and Well-Being Among Youth

From October 8th to 11th, youth from Ireland, Estonia, Romania, and Portugal gathered to explore the connection between youth NGOs and eco-tourism as a tool for community development. The youth mobility was part of our Eco-Tourism Erasmus+ project. The project ‘Eco-Tourism for Social Entrepreneurship Health and Well-Being Among Youth‘ is a KA210 youth project that aims to empower young people in rural and urban communities to engage with their green areas and take innovative action towards fighting climate change through the promotion of ecotourism. The project involves young people and youth organisations from Estonia, Ireland, Portugal and Romania. They will be involved in local activities, webinars and 2 mobilties. During the project, a booklet, a website and an app will also be created. The project has a Facebook page and Instagram page updated with all ongoing and scheduled activities. Day 1: Introduction and Discussions The opening day was all about introductions. After some teambuilding activities, participants engaged in partner presentations to share insights into their organisations and local contexts. In the afternoon, they joined an roundtable discussion on the role that young people can play in community growth. Day 2: Discovering Local Innovations The second day delved deeper into local initiatives. Participants took part in a workshop led by the NGO Mare Nostrum on micro plastic. They also received a visit from local organisations, gaining valuable insights into the NGO creation and work for young people in Constanța. The day concluded with young people revising the outputs created for the project and sharing valuable feedback for improvement and dissemination. In the evening, we had a lively cultural night offering participants the chance to celebrate Irish and Portuguese cultures through food and traditional music. Day 3: Hands-On Learning and Exploration Day three was dedicated to practical learning, as each country piloted a workshop plan included in the Eco-Tourism Toolkit. Participants got hands-on experience in brainstorming their NGO ideas, networking and creating a social media plan for their NGO. In the afternoon, young people took part in a fun activity around the city to build resilience and communication skills. The day ended with an outdoor activity that took the group into Constanța’s cultural sites, testing the eco-tourism routes designed to guide visitors while highlighting sustainability. In the evening, we had a lovely time eating together at a Romanian restaurant, where we had our Romanian and Estonian cultural night. Day 4: Wrapping Up and Looking Forward On the final day, participants reflected on the mobility, sharing ideas on how to implement eco-tourism projects in their communities. To share these moments, we shot video interviews to capture their feedback on the experience. What’s next? The next phase of the project includes online and in-person events in all partner countries to present the project resources. They will also be available for free to use and download. More information coming soon on our social media! Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages to find other opportunities!