Comunità Sostenibili

Small towns in Alto Belice Corleonese are losing their young people: there are few learning opportunities, little room to take part in decisions, and topics such as the environment and mental health are rarely discussed. Yet Sicily is one of the regions most exposed to drought and to problems with waste management.

In our Voice Action survey (March 2024, 62 responses from young people in Alto Belice Corleonese), 69% named jobs and careers among their everyday challenges, 47% mental health and 42% the environment and climate. 82% rated how well local decision-makers represent them at 5 or less out of 10.

Comunità Sostenibili builds on these findings and on our experience with SalvaGente. The idea is simple: give young people space, tools and a voice in their own community, and bring them into direct dialogue with local decision-makers.

The project started in March 2025 and runs for two years. It has three phases, each launched with a public presentation and closed with a community event where young people share what they have done.

Phase 1 · Environment

Hands-on workshops on upcycling as an alternative to fast fashion, sustainable farming (composting, crop rotation), permaculture and growing microgreens to cook with. Alongside the workshops, webinars on everyday sustainable habits, water management and drought, and cutting down on plastic.

Phase 2 · Mental wellbeing

Meetings and workshops on anxiety and stress, on depression and how to recognise the signs, and on empathetic communication and active listening, with mindfulness exercises and a workshop on medicinal plants.

Phase 3 · European opportunities

Sessions on Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, and a two-day training to find out how to travel, volunteer and take part in projects across Europe.

Now

In the final part of the project, young people propose and run their own activities. The project closes in February 2027 with a final event open to the whole community.

How we work

Throughout the project there are round tables with mayors and local officials, young facilitators trained to lead the workshops, and regular moments to gather ideas and feedback. At the end of each phase participants complete their Youthpass, the European certificate of skills. Activities are aimed above all at young people with fewer opportunities, including those not in education or employment.

We run it together with Europiamo ETS and the municipalities of Marineo, Bolognetta, Godrano and Cefalà Diana.