Erasmus+ KA210-ADU • 2025–2026

From Your
Balcony
to the Green Future

A pan-European partnership empowering adults to grow food on their balconies, fight climate change, and build greener communities — one seedling at a time.

Explore Our Mission Meet Our Partners
4
Partner Countries
18mo
Project Duration
€60K
EU Funding
120+
Educators Reached
Who We Are

A European Alliance for a
Greener Tomorrow

Green Future is an Erasmus+ small-scale partnership bringing together four organisations across Slovakia, Turkey, Germany, and Slovenia. Together, we address one of our era's most pressing challenges: climate change and its impact on food security, biodiversity, and the daily lives of ordinary Europeans.

We believe lasting change starts close to home — literally. By teaching adults how to cultivate fruits and vegetables on their balconies and terraces, we create ripples of environmental action, economic empowerment, and social inclusion across Europe.

Climate Action
Reducing greenhouse gases through urban food production
Social Inclusion
Empowering unemployed adults, refugees & caregivers
Adult Education
Upskilling citizens with hands-on green knowledge
Circular Economy
Turning organic waste into fertilizer and tools
"Every balcony has the potential to become a small green revolution."

— Green Future Partnership, 2025

March 2025
Project Launch
August 2026
Project Close
Active in: 🇸🇰 🇹🇷 🇩🇪 🇸🇮
🇪🇺
Co-funded by
Erasmus+
Erasmus+ International Consortium

Our Partner Organisations

Four organisations. Four countries. One shared commitment to a greener Europe.

SK Slovakia
Svidník
49.3°N 21.6°E
Lead Coordinator
Non-governmental organisation
CERD
3+ yrs exp.
Project Coordinator · SK

CERD — Centre for Education and Regional Development

CERD leads the project from Slovakia's Prešov region. Specialising in vocational training and career development for economically disadvantaged communities, CERD brings expertise in curriculum design, educational research, and EU project management — including previous experience with Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020.

Key Strengths
Curriculum Development EU Project Management Adult Education Research Regional Development
Role in Project

Project coordination, budget oversight, digital book production, Instagram management, final reporting.

Website
TR Turkey
Ankara
39.9°N 32.9°E
Partner Organisation
Non-governmental organisation
ACIA
2+ yrs exp.
Partner · TR

AKGÜN YARATICI FİKİRLER DERNEĞİ (ACIA)

Founded in 2023 by educators, ACIA works to improve the digital, environmental, and social adaptation skills of adults, youth, disabled individuals, refugees, and immigrants. Based in Ankara, ACIA brings strong connections to local municipalities and a network of agriculture-specialist educators.

Key Strengths
Digital & Environmental Education Social Integration Agricultural Networks EPALE Platform
Role in Project

Kick-off meeting host, website creation, quality monitoring, EPALE content publishing.

DE Germany
Bremen
53.1°N 8.8°E
Partner Organisation
Non-governmental organisation
Shelter
16+ yrs exp.
Partner · DE

shelter international e.V.

Founded in 2017 in Bremen, Shelter promotes education, social inclusion, and intercultural exchange. Running training programmes on sustainable agriculture and environmental awareness, with a particular focus on supporting migrants and refugees into society.

Key Strengths
Sustainable Agriculture Migrant Integration Environmental Advocacy Community Building
Role in Project

Learning Workshop I host (Germany), Facebook management, participant satisfaction surveys.

SI Slovenia
Nazarje
46.3°N 14.9°E
Partner Organisation
Public development agency
DA SAŠA
15+ yrs exp.
Partner · SI

Razvojna Agencija Savinjsko-Šaleške Regije (DA SAŠA)

DA SAŠA is the regional development agency for Slovenia's Savinja-Šalek region. With 15 years of experience, DA SAŠA drives sustainable tourism, local food production, and biodiversity conservation — bringing invaluable expertise in circular economy and green transitions.

Key Strengths
Regional Sustainable Dev. Circular Economy Biodiversity Conservation Rural Inclusion
Role in Project

Growing Workshop II host (Slovenia), project dissemination lead, YouTube channel.

Website
How We Found Each Other

Our partnership was formed through the EPALE Platform and rigorous selection based on expertise in environmental issues, adult education, and agricultural knowledge. Each partner brings irreplaceable strengths — together, we are stronger than the sum of our parts.

4 Countries
6 Active Routes
105+ Participants
2024–26 Erasmus+
Erasmus+ Partner Network

European Connections

Four organisations across four countries — click any node to explore the partnership.

Click a glowing node to view partner details  ·  Routes animate in real-time

Purpose & Direction

Mission & Vision

Two guiding principles shape everything we do — a clear mission for today and an ambitious vision for tomorrow.

Our Mission

Empower Every Adult to Grow Food and Fight Climate Change

We equip adults across Europe — especially those facing social or economic barriers — with the practical knowledge and green skills to grow their own fruits and vegetables on balconies and terraces. In doing so, we combat global warming, strengthen family economies, and build more resilient communities.

Our Vision

A Europe Where Every Balcony Contributes to a Greener Planet

We envision a Europe where urban balconies are vibrant green spaces, where adults of all backgrounds have the confidence and skills to contribute to local food security, and where the fight against climate change is a shared, intergenerational responsibility passed from educator to learner and from parent to child.

Concrete Project Objectives

01

Balcony Gardening Equipment

Teach adults to identify and produce plant-growing tools — including upcycling household waste into functional gardening equipment.

02

Natural Fertilizer Production

Enable adults to create organic fertilizers from kitchen scraps, fruit peels, and vegetable waste — closing the loop on household waste.

03

Energy-Efficient Balcony Design

Design growing spaces that account for sunlight, wind exposure, and seasonal climate — maximising yields while saving energy.

04

Digital Learning Resource

Produce a comprehensive 100+ page digital book available freely in multiple languages across the EPALE platform and project website.

05

Multiplier Events

Organise national dissemination events across all four partner countries, reaching 120+ educators and adult learners.

06

Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer

Establish lasting frameworks for educators to pass green skills across generations — contributing to Europe's long-term climate resilience.

Project Journey

18 Months, 4 Countries,
One Green Mission

March 2025

Project Launch

Slovakia — Lead Organisation

CERD formally launches the Green Future project. Partners establish communication channels, appoint quality monitoring, dissemination and survey officers. Website and social media go live.

May 2025

Kick-Off Meeting

Ankara, Turkey — ACIA hosts

All four partner organisations meet in Ankara to align on goals, assign responsibilities, plan activities, and forge the personal bonds that make cross-border collaboration thrive.

June 2025

Learning Workshop I

Bremen, Germany — Shelter International hosts

Educators from all partner countries gather in Bremen for five intensive days. They learn to identify balcony gardening equipment, upcycle waste into tools, and produce natural fertilizers through composting and animal manure techniques.

October 2025

Growing Workshop II

Nazarje, Slovenia — DA SAŠA hosts

Six days of hands-on planting in Slovenia's Savinja Valley. Participants design energy-efficient balconies, classify plants by climate and sun orientation, and work in multicultural groups to plant and grow real produce.

Nov 2025 – Mar 2026

Digital Book & Multiplier Events

All four partner countries

CERD leads the creation of a comprehensive 100+ page digital guidebook. Each partner simultaneously hosts a national multiplier event, inviting 30+ local educators and community leaders to discover the project's findings.

May 2026

Results & Evaluation Meeting

Slovakia — CERD hosts

Partners reconvene to measure impact, evaluate outcomes against quality indicators, decide on sustainability pathways, and co-author the final project report for submission to the Erasmus+ Results Platform.

August 2026

Project Close

Europe-wide impact

The Green Future digital book remains freely available. The project website, social channels, and EPALE platform entries continue to serve educators and adults across Europe, ensuring lasting impact beyond the funded period.

What Drives Us

Our Core Values

Six principles anchor every decision, workshop, and partnership across the Green Future project.

Environmental Responsibility

Every activity we undertake prioritises reducing greenhouse gases, conserving biodiversity, and promoting regenerative practices that heal the planet rather than harm it.

Radical Inclusion

We design for those most at risk: unemployed adults, stay-at-home mothers, immigrants, refugees, and people with disabilities. If it does not reach the margins, it has not reached far enough.

Transnational Solidarity

Climate change knows no borders. Our cross-border partnerships reflect our conviction that lasting solutions require different nations, cultures, and perspectives working as one.

Lifelong Learning

We believe learning does not end with school. Adults at any age can acquire new green skills, reshape their habits, and become powerful agents of environmental change.

Circular Thinking

Waste is a resource waiting to be rediscovered. We embed circular economy principles throughout — from upcycled garden tools to compost made from kitchen scraps.

Intergenerational Legacy

The knowledge we create today must outlive this project. We build resources, habits, and networks designed to transfer green wisdom from generation to generation.

Scope & Scale

The Numbers Behind
Our Green Mission

Behind every statistic is a person whose confidence grew, a balcony that turned green, or a family that spent a little less on groceries. These numbers represent lives touched by a shared European commitment to climate action.

  • A 100+ page multilingual digital book freely available across Europe
  • At least 120 educators reached through national multiplier events
  • Adults in 4 countries equipped with practical balcony gardening skills
  • Organic waste diverted from landfill and turned into natural fertilizer
  • Project results published on Erasmus+ Results Platform and EPALE
€60,000
EU Grant Awarded
Erasmus+ lump sum funding
4
Partner Countries
Slovakia · Turkey · Germany · Slovenia
18
Months Duration
March 2025 – August 2026
6
Project Activities
Workshops, meetings & outputs
120+
Educators Reached
Via multiplier events across 4 countries
100+
Page Digital Guide
Free & multilingual intellectual output

Budget at a Glance

How the €60,000 EU grant is allocated across project activities.

Learning Workshops (Germany & Slovenia) €29,875
Project Management & Dissemination €12,000
Kick-Off & Evaluation Meetings €12,375
Intellectual Output & Multiplier Events €5,750
Programs & Activities

What We Do & How

Six carefully designed activities unfold across four countries, turning theory into hands-on green practice.

01
Slovakia — Remote coordination 18 months · €12,000

Project Management & Dissemination

Lead: CERD (Slovakia)

The backbone of the entire project. Covers expert educator fees, workshop materials, website hosting, social media promotion, quality monitoring systems, and risk management protocols. CERD coordinates monthly online partner meetings and quarterly reporting cycles throughout the 18-month period.

Coordination Quality Monitoring Website Risk Management
02
Ankara, Turkey — ACIA hosts 2 days · €6,264

Kick-Off Meeting

Lead: ACIA (Turkey)

All four partner organisations convene in Ankara for an intensive two-day launch. Managers align on objectives, appoint role-holders (quality monitor, dissemination lead, survey coordinator, financial officer), discuss participant selection criteria, and establish the collaboration frameworks that will guide the project to completion.

Partnership Building Role Assignment Budget Planning Strategy
03
Bremen, Germany — Shelter hosts 5 days · €14,882

Learning to Grow: Tools, Waste & Fertilizers

Lead: Shelter International (Germany)

16 educators and 20+ local adults participate in five intensive days of hands-on workshops. Day 1 covers the negative effects of global warming on agriculture. Days 2-3 focus on identifying balcony equipment and producing gardening tools from recycled waste materials. Days 4-5 explore natural fertilizer production: composting from kitchen waste and understanding soil nutrient requirements by plant type.

Waste Upcycling Natural Fertilizers Composting Green Tools
04
Nazarje, Slovenia — DA SAŠA hosts 6 days · €14,993

Growing Vegetables & Fruits on Balconies

Lead: DA SAŠA (Slovenia)

In Slovenia's Savinja Valley, participants work in multicultural groups to design energy-efficient balconies and plant real produce. Groups assess sunlight, wind and temperature exposure; select climate-appropriate plants; create planting plans; and share cross-cultural growing knowledge. The Slovenian partner also prepares agricultural materials using techniques learned in Germany.

Balcony Design Plant Selection Energy Efficiency Group Learning
05
All four partner countries 4.5 months · €5,750

Digital Book & Multiplier Events

Lead: CERD (Slovakia) — leads production; all partners hold multiplier events

CERD leads the production of a comprehensive 100+ page multilingual digital guidebook covering balcony design, waste-to-tool creation, fertilizer production, soil preparation, and planting guides. Simultaneously, each partner hosts a one-day national multiplier event inviting 30+ local educators and administrators, disseminating findings via EPALE and social media.

Digital Book Multilingual Multiplier Events EPALE
06
Slovakia — CERD hosts 2 days · €6,111

Results & Evaluation Meeting

Lead: CERD (Slovakia)

Partners reunite in Slovakia for the project's closing meeting. Quality monitoring reports are reviewed, satisfaction survey results are analysed, and partners evaluate whether all objectives were achieved. Decisions on sustainability and knowledge transfer are formalised, and the final project report is collaboratively prepared for the Erasmus+ platform.

Impact Assessment Sustainability Final Reporting Evaluation
Who We Serve

Inclusion is Not an Afterthought —
It is Our Starting Point

Green Future was designed from day one to reach those who are most often left behind — and to prove that sustainability is for everyone.

Stay-at-Home Parents

"Growing food gave me a new purpose and connected me to people again."

Mothers and caregivers at home often become socially isolated. We invite them to transform their balconies into productive green spaces — creating social connection, economic contribution, and personal fulfilment alongside environmental impact.

Immigrants & Refugees

"Learning together, regardless of where we come from, is how we build Europe."

Shelter International's work with migrants forms the heart of our German activities. By learning alongside locals, immigrants and refugees gain practical skills, build new social networks, and find pathways to greater integration and economic independence.

Persons with Disabilities

"This project showed me what I could do, not what I cannot."

Adults with physical or cognitive disabilities are full participants in our project. Balcony gardening offers accessible, meaningful work that builds confidence, daily routine, and a tangible connection to the natural world.

Unemployed Adults

"Growing my own food cut my grocery bill and gave me skills I am proud of."

In regions of high unemployment, food costs can be crushing. Our project teaches unemployed adults to supplement their families' food supply, reduces household expenses, and equips them with marketable green skills that can open doors to employment.

Adult Educators

"I returned from Germany with new knowledge I could not wait to share."

Educators are multipliers. Every trainer who participates in our workshops goes home with the knowledge, materials, and confidence to upskill dozens more adults. We invest in educators because they invest in their communities.

NGOs & Institutions

"Green Future showed us there is real demand for climate education in our community."

Municipalities, foundations, NGOs, and adult education institutions are among our dissemination targets. We aim to inspire organisations that have not yet engaged with climate action to start — and to show those already active how adult education can deepen their impact.

"When an unemployed mother in Turkey grows tomatoes on her balcony, she is not just feeding her family. She is making Europe greener."

— Green Future Partnership Vision Statement

Get in Touch

Interested in our project, want to collaborate, or have questions about balcony gardening? We would love to hear from you.

Send a Message

Download the Digital Book

Our free multilingual guide to balcony gardening will be available once published in early 2026. Sign up for updates.

Get Notified

Join the Community

Follow our journey on social media, share your own balcony garden, and become part of Europe's growing green movement.

Follow Us

Follow the Project

Stay up to date with our activities, workshop highlights, and the digital book launch.

Instagram
@frombalconytogreenfuture
Facebook
From Your Balcony to the Green Future
EPALE
EPALE Platform
Erasmus+
Results Platform

The future is green.
And it starts on your balcony.

Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union • KA210-ADU • 2024 Round 2