nEU Citizenship: civic engagement through sustainable development

In this interview, Georgia-Anna Chondrou, Communication & Marketing Manager for nEU Citizenship, talks about the project – from the initial idea to the lasting impact on its participants.

What was the process of coming up with the idea?

This project is the result of a brainstorming session between the two organisations. We wanted to have a cool idea to support our young people in becoming more engaged, motivate them to be active citizens, and embrace European values. At Youthmakers Hub, our goal is to create and spread social impact and change across communities in Europe and Africa. The other organisation involved in the project, Ecogenia, is the 1st climate corps in Greece to mobilise youth in critical climate action. So this project was conceived from the roots and the values of both organisations.

How did you even start planning such a big project?

We started with a general idea: How can we help someone, who wants to make a change, actually do something instead of just thinking about it? We designed various parts of the project to address questions like ‘How can we contribute to society with only a small team?’ or ‘How can we implement our ideas and secure funding?’ We decided to make it all practical by having participants find solutions to sustainability challenges and suggest them to local authorities At the same time, we also planned seminars, trainings, and roundtable discussions with experts to get insights and opinions.

And how did you implement all that? What were the stages of organising this project?

First, in the process of writing the proposal, we defined our objectives, goals, and target audience. Then, we applied for funding. Once it was approved, we started implementing all that we had written in the application, beginning with creating the brand identity, setting up social media channels, and building the community for this project. When this was ready, we started organising the activities. The first event took place in May and we were simultaneously trying to find speakers, stakeholders, and locations for the next activity. Multitasking is challenging, so it’s essential to build a network, find the best people for each role, and ensure they collaborate.

Speaking of finding the right people, who was on your team and what kind of people do you need for such projects?

You don’t need a large team if you have a clear plan, know exactly what needs to be done, and have good project management. But you do need people who are passionate about the project and understand it like their own. As the project progressed, new members joined, forming different teams for various activities, all united by their passion for the project. Everyone genuinely wanted to be involved.

And how often did you meet as a team?

Each team member knew their tasks from the start, so we mostly only met during the events. We had weekly email updates and virtual meetings when something couldn’t be discussed or resolved by email.

You engaged participants in many seminars and workshops. How did you come up with these activities?

We aimed to teach young people how to create and evaluate ideas. How to write the ideas down and submit them for funding. To create a bridge between theory and practice, but to have it all in a non-formal structure, so as to encourage participants not only to listen, but to speak, interact, and express different points of view. For that purpose, we needed to include different formats. We had workshops and training sessions, as well as roundtable discussions with people who are involved in politics, social activities and organisations. This allowed our participants to communicate directly with the stakeholders who have knowledge and influence in the matters of environment and sustainability, and to discuss their everyday challenges and tasks.

How did you get those stakeholders on board?

We reached out to various municipalities. For example, when we co-organised the Climathon in Chania with Ecogenia Athena Research Center and EIT Climate-KIC Hub Greece, we engaged the local municipality to find jury members and representatives from the area. Additionally, we thought that it would be a good idea to involve groups working on initiatives in the fields similar to our project. So we reached out to national and local organisations and to universities to find stakeholders, experts, and civic society representatives. We contacted them via email and asked for their permission to promote ourselves within their networks, and so on.

The project involved organising events across five locations (Dorida, Chania, Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki). What is the key to success in organising a project on such a scale?

It was challenging, but we were very specific about what we wanted to do, and in each location, we tried to engage the local authorities and communities. This is particularly helpful in small towns and villages, where people are often happy to receive outside attention, especially if it could benefit their community. For example, in the village of Dorida, we held a workshop addressing local needs, and we even invited locals to share their opinions.

How did you promote the events to attract participants?

We distributed promotional materials at events on similar topics, posted on social media, and published press releases in the local news outlets. We also sent numerous emails to local universities and municipalities to spread the word about our events among their students and youth groups, and to give us their contacts. This approach worked, but we often had to follow up repeatedly. We also published testimonials from the participants of the first events to promote the subsequent ones.

Which of these approaches worked best to motivate young people to participate?

Personally talking to people offers more opportunities than just posting on social media. However, you should promote through all available channels simultaneously.

Were there any difficulties or challenges in organising the project?

We didn’t encounter any specific challenges that couldn’t be managed with a good team, collaboration, and communication. The hardest part was finding participants willing to invest their time. However, in the end, the impact and feedback made it all worthwhile.

How do you measure the impact?

We had participants from very different backgrounds – some just starting in life, some didn’t go to universities, and some simply wanted to find their path. The common factor was their desire to contribute to the future and embrace sustainability in their daily lives, both personally and professionally. After the project ended, we stayed in touch and discovered that every participant did something related to sustainability. Some joined our team for the next project, others were inspired to create something, and some found jobs in sustainability and environmental fields. We’re very glad that we could help them take that small first step on the path that they now follow.

Project Roadmap