
Our first Erasmus+ project, Life in plastic is NOT fantastic, took place in October on Čiovo and brought us various new insights and sustainable values. Alongside Sunce volunteers, who participated in the project, we hosted young people from Finland, Spain, Ukraine, Georgia, and Turkey. A total of 36 young participants, along with two facilitators from six countries, learnt about sustainable living through educational workshops. More about the project follows below.
Nature and environmental protection, as well as interculturality, were the foundation of youth gatherings
Right from the start, participants got to know each other through games and then focused on learning about recycling, waste sorting, and getting acquainted with the work plan. Over the course of nine program days, topics on environmental protection, sustainable development, and nature conservation were thoroughly covered in various educational workshops.
Cultural diversity was also promoted during intercultural evenings, where participants from different countries could present their homeland—its food, music, identity, customs, and way of life. Throughout the Erasmus project, participants were encouraged to gain intercultural experience and explore differences and habits in each of the participating countries, which contribute to sustainability practices. Waste sorting was particularly emphasized through research on different waste types, waste reduction, and a safe and efficient waste management approach.


Educational workshops and practical activities to achieve the goals of the Erasmus project
The project’s goal was to educate young people in an accessible and engaging way about the complexity of the relationship between human actions and environmental impacts while empowering them to turn that understanding into practical changes in their daily lives. By conducting a series of practical activities reflecting the values of environmentally responsible behavior, the project’s objectives were achieved. These included workshops on alternative materials for single-use plastic items, such as making beeswax wraps, homemade soap, and eco-friendly cleaning products. With the help of the Puntar Diving Club, participants learnt firsthand about the importance of diving in sea cleaning and got familiar with diving equipment, as well as potential challenges divers might face.


The project’s highlight took place on a nearby local beach, where participants carried out a clean-up action and waste monitoring, collecting a total of 127.65 kilograms of waste. The project was rounded off with the creation of a digital guide on how to reduce ecological footprints in daily life, which was also promoted on social media for a broader audience.
Young people’s experiences from Sunce’s first Erasmus project: clean-up action and hands-on workshops as the most successful activities
We asked our volunteers who participated in the project to share their impressions and reflect on what they had learned. Our volunteer Andro, who was also the team leader of the Sunce group, shared his thoughts on what he considered the most useful workshop:
– Considering the theme of the student exchange Life in plastic is NOT fantastic, the clean-up action of the Kancelirovac cove left the biggest impression on the participants and was also the most useful workshop. I believe most young people are unaware of how much waste is present in nature, and this cleanup action gave them insight into how serious the problem actually is, – Andro emphasized.
Andro was also surprised and intrigued by the reactions of the project participants:
– The most interesting part was seeing participants’ reactions when they realized that waste is not only present on the surface but also buried underground and cannot simply be removed—it has become part of the ecosystem. That visual proof is the most impactful way to leave an impression on people because it’s easy to talk about numbers and show pictures that we forget quickly. People are simply not aware of how much damage has already been done due to irresponsible behavior and how much effort it takes to even slightly reduce the negative impact, – he added.
– To end on a positive note, at the end of the clean-up action, when participants saw how much waste they had collected and heard the total weight of the gathered trash, they left feeling satisfied, believing they had at least helped nature in some way. I hope this will motivate them to join other eco-actions, – Andro concluded in a positive spirit.
Our volunteer and project participant, Teuta, found the project to be a great experience.
– The Life in plastic is NOT fantastic project was a fantastic combination of learning, fun, and socializing. Young people from six different countries had the opportunity to exchange experiences, learn about the environment and the importance of sustainability, but also have a lot of fun and make friends. The beeswax wrap and soap-making workshops were especially interesting because they were both educational and enjoyable. These activities allowed everyone to participate creatively while learning something useful for environmental preservation, – said Teuta.


Finally, our volunteer Filipa, who participated in this exciting youth exchange, shared her thoughts and highlighted her favorite workshops:
– The best experiences were the diving lecture, the game guessing the decomposition time of waste, the clean-up action, and workshops like soap and cleaning product making. These were the most concrete activities where we could learn something truly useful, – Filipa stated.
Filipa also had the opportunity to lead some of the workshops, gaining valuable experience.
– As one of the volunteers, I was especially pleased with the activities I conducted with Lucija. We followed the program instructions, and I think we managed well in delivering them. The biggest satisfaction for me was participating in the presentation on Croatia’s national evening, for which we put in a lot of effort, – she pointed out.
– I think the project was relatively successful. What makes sense to continue from this project are some of the team games for elementary school children, while the more hands-on workshops, like those I mentioned (soap making, cleaning products, beach cleanups), are useful for older age groups and could be implemented in high schools and universities, – Filipa commented on the project’s sustainability and the benefits of its workshops in the future.
Although this was only our first Erasmus+ project, encouraged by the great experience and successfully achieved goals, we hope to continue enabling such exchanges and youth gatherings in the future. Besides connecting them, these projects shape young people into environmentally conscious citizens ready to tackle the ecological challenges of the future.
Stay tuned to find out about new volunteering opportunities on time. In the meantime, if you haven’t already, join Sunce’s volunteer team!