GENIE: A Journey into Gamification, Nature, and Youth Empowerment
Our experience as Asociación Desaplatánate in Italy, June 2025
This past June, we from Desaplatánate had the chance to participate in GENIE – Gamified Education for Nature, Inclusion and Environment, a truly enriching Erasmus+ training held in Roccaromana (Naples), Italy. It was an inspiring international gathering that gave us the chance to grow as youth workers, educators, and environmental advocates — all through the power of games.
🌍 Why GENIE Matters
Environmental degradation is one of the biggest challenges of our time. But raising awareness about it — especially among young people — isn’t always easy. That’s where gamification comes in: by using game mechanics in education, we can boost motivation, participation, and connection with nature in a fun, meaningful way.
🎯 What We Learned
The GENIE project brought together participants from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Greece, each one contributing their own perspective on youth work and environmental education. Led by a brilliant team of trainers (Manuel, Danilo, Andrea and Stefano), we dove into a packed program of:
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Team building and non-formal learning
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Outdoor education and biodiversity hikes
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Game development and testing
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Tools to make sustainability playful and practical
🧩 Throughout the week, we didn’t just talk about gamification — we created it. Together, we developed an innovative role-based outdoor sports game that helps raise awareness about environmental issues while fostering teamwork and physical activity. The game is now available online for other youth workers to use! [🔗 GAME LINK ]
💡 Takeaways We Bring Home
This Erasmus+ experience empowered us with:
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Practical strategies to integrate gamification into youth work
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A deeper connection with nature and its educational value
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Tools to engage young people in meaningful learning
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A strong international network of like-minded changemakers
GENIE reminded us that learning can — and should — be fun, purposeful, and inclusive.
🙏 Thank you Erasmus+ and ASNU for making it happen!
If you’re a youth worker passionate about education, nature, and innovation, don’t miss the chance to join a training like this. It might just change your way of working… and thinking.