Youth Participation and Democracy Award category

Row the Oars, Save The Shores

Title of the Project

Row the Oars, Save The Shores

Organisation

TR054 Sakarya University

WEBSITE

https://www.instagram.com/saueurodesk

Project link

https://international.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/icerik/28354/154544/sular-degil-kurekler-cekilsin

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRzN-4XCHwv/?igsh=azZ4eGE3OHd0bGJr

Project dates

December 9, 2025

December 9, 2025

What is it about?

The project was an outdoor volunteering and environmental awareness activity organised on 5 December, United Nations International Volunteer Day, at Lake Sapanca under the coordination of the Sakarya University Eurodesk Contact Point, with logistical support from Serdivan Municipality. The initiative combined youth participation, volunteering, and environmental action with youth information on European opportunities.

The main objectives were to promote active citizenship among young people, raise awareness of environmental challenges affecting Lake Sapanca, strengthen the culture of volunteering, and inform participants about Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps opportunities. The project also aimed to empower young people to take visible action in a public space and to experience collective responsibility for their environment.

The target group consisted of young people engaged as youth leaders, project team members, and volunteers. A total of 60 volunteers participated in the activity. Participants were selected through an open application process shared via social media and managed through an online form. To ensure effective communication and preparation, selected participants were included in a dedicated WhatsApp group where practical information, safety rules, and activity objectives were shared in advance.

Activities included canoeing on Lake Sapanca under the slogan “Let paddles move, not waters,” combined with environmental clean-up actions along the lakeshore. During the event, participants also received information about Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps, and European youth opportunities through direct dialogue with Eurodesk staff and youth leaders.

Methodologically, the project applied non-formal learning and experiential learning approaches. Young people learned by doing: paddling together, collecting waste, discussing environmental issues, and reflecting on their role as active citizens. By linking volunteering, sport, and youth information in a single action, the project created a participatory and democratic space where young people contributed directly to a shared public cause.

How is this project relevant to the specific category?

This initiative corresponds directly to the thematic category of Youth Participation and Democracy because it enabled young people to take an active role in addressing a public issue through collective action and volunteering.

Youth participation was embedded in both the design and implementation of the project. Young people did not attend as passive recipients, but as volunteers who physically contributed to environmental protection by paddling on the lake and cleaning polluted areas. Through this process, they experienced participation as action, responsibility and cooperation. The use of United Nations International Volunteer Day as the symbolic framework further strengthened the democratic dimension by linking local action to global civic values.

The activity also created a participatory space for dialogue. While working together, young people discussed environmental challenges, water level decline and individual responsibility. Eurodesk information about Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps was integrated into this process, connecting civic engagement with European opportunities for further participation and solidarity.

Democratic values such as solidarity, cooperation and collective decision-making were reflected in how the group operated. Tasks were shared, safety rules were discussed together, and participants supported each other during canoeing and clean-up activities. This horizontal structure encouraged mutual respect and a sense of ownership over the activity.

By empowering young people to act in a public natural space and by linking volunteering with youth information, the project demonstrated how democracy can be practised through everyday actions rather than formal political settings. It showed that youth participation can take the form of environmental advocacy, community service and informed engagement with European programmes.

Overall, the initiative strengthened young people’s understanding of participation as a right and a responsibility, fully aligned with the Youth Participation and Democracy category.

What was the impact of the project?

The project created impact at both individual and community levels. For participants, the activity provided a meaningful volunteering experience connected to an environmental problem. By canoeing and collecting waste from Lake Sapanca, young people developed a sense of responsibility toward their natural environment and experienced the value of collective action.

At an individual level, participants gained experience of active citizenship. They did not only receive information about European programmes but applied the values of solidarity and participation through action. Learning took place through experience: physical effort, teamwork, and reflection on environmental issues. Many participants expressed increased motivation to join volunteering activities and to explore Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps as pathways for engagement.

At the community level, the event increased visibility of environmental concerns related to the lake and demonstrated that young people can contribute to public spaces. The slogan “Let paddles move, not waters” transformed an ecological issue into a visible and symbolic action, making the problem understandable for a wider audience. The activity aligned with Sakarya University’s Green Campus approach, reinforcing the link between youth participation, environmental responsibility, and sustainable university life.

The cooperation between the university, municipality, and youth volunteers strengthened trust between institutions and young people. The project also reinforced the role of Eurodesk as a bridge between youth participation, volunteering, and European opportunities. Thanks to the symbolic character of the action at Lake Sapanca, the initiative contributed to raising social awareness about the protection of the lake and the consequences of declining water levels, reaching not only participants but also the wider community.

In the longer term, the initiative encouraged sustained civic engagement by showing young people that their actions matter and that local initiatives can be linked to European solidarity programmes. The project acted as a catalyst for participation in environmental, social, and European-level activities.

Did the project have any green focus?

The project had a strong environmental focus both in its purpose and in its organisation. Activities were carried out on Lake Sapanca using canoes, a human-powered and zero-emission means of movement. Environmental clean-up actions were conducted along the lakeshore, directly contributing to waste reduction and ecosystem protection.

Participation was organised with limited numbers to avoid overcrowding and to reduce pressure on the natural area. Communication relied mainly on digital tools, including online application forms and a WhatsApp group, which minimised the need for printed materials. Reusable equipment and existing infrastructure were used throughout the activity.

By combining physical activity with environmental action, the initiative promoted environmentally responsible behaviour and linked personal wellbeing with sustainability. The project demonstrated that youth participation and volunteering can be organised in an eco-conscious way while creating visible environmental and educational impact.

How did you ensure Eurodesk's visibility in your project?

Eurodesk visibility was ensured through both organisational leadership and on-site presence. The event was coordinated by the Sakarya University Eurodesk Contact Point in cooperation with Serdivan Municipality, and all communication highlighted Eurodesk’s role as the organiser. Eurodesk and EU visual identity were used in social media announcements, application forms, and participant communication. During the activity, Eurodesk staff and youth leaders provided face-to-face information about Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps. Visibility was further strengthened through photos and videos shared after the event, linking volunteering, environmental action, and European opportunities under the Eurodesk brand and reinforcing the partnership between the university and the municipality.

Project highlights

https://international.sakarya.edu.tr/tr/icerik/28354/154544/sular-degil-kurekler-cekilsin

Your project on video

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR7bQFhCL4L/?igsh=ZDBrZzJ1ZWM3cGk1

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DT864p4iJnZ/?igsh=MXd3eHB1eDlpazY3dA==