ESC Volunteering – Sustainable Development Education Project

MONOPATIA ALLILEGGIIS (Solidarity Tracks)/European Solidarity Corps

I am currently volunteering at the Solidarity Tracks organization, which operates on the island of Lefkada in Greece. The main focus of the organization is sustainable development, economic and environmental awareness, and community-based social initiatives. The projects are built on active participation of local communities and aim to create behavioral change.My volunteering activity is carried out under the European Commission’s European Solidarity Corps (ESC) program. The ESC program aims to give young people international experience in social, economic, and environmental fields, to work on real problems and to create sustainable impact at the community level.

Main Areas of the Project

The main goal of the project is not only to share information about sustainable development, but to create real behavioral change. For this reason, the activities focus more on practical application and participant-based formats rather than only theoretical explanation. Through edu-games and micro-learning sessions, we try to present complex ideas in a simpler and more understandable way. The aim is not just for people to listen, but to actively engage with the topic, ask questions, and think critically.

At the same time, we work on awareness initiatives related to the circular economy. In this area, the focus is not only to explain the theoretical framework of the concept, but to connect it with daily life and the local context. One of the main goals is to encourage people to think more confidently about their decisions related to consumption, entrepreneurship, and idea development. Overall, our activities are not focused on passive information sharing, but on shaping thinking patterns and supporting small but meaningful behavioral changes. For me, this process is especially interesting because it creates an opportunity to combine social engagement with economic logic.

My Role and Contribution

I take part in planning and implementing workshops and training sessions. During the monthly sessions, I work both in organizational tasks and as a facilitator. Currently, my main focus is on a circular economy project that I am developing in its early stage. In this phase, I am working on:

I am working on the conceptual phase of this initiative. The main objective of this initiative is to connect economic and business thinking with sustainability principles. By transforming the concept of circular economy into a practical and locally relevant format, I aim to contribute, even in a small way, to a change in thinking at the community level.

Lefkada

Lefkada island is located in the Ionian Sea in Greece. It is one of the few Ionian islands connected to the mainland by a bridge. The island is known for famous beaches such as Porto Katsiki and Egremni, its high cliffs, and its turquoise sea. Lefkada Town is the administrative and cultural center of the island. Areas such as Nydri and Vasiliki are active regions for tourism and water sports.