ECO-KOMPETENT Training Course: Tackling Climate Anxiety.
Verein BIKE and partners gathered in the scenic village of Rettenegg to empower youth workers in addressing the climate crisis. Embracing the breathtaking Alpine nature and navigating the rich diversity of an inclusive group, participants explored mental resilience, eco-anxiety, and community integration.
EDUCATION
From June 8th to 14th, 2026, we at Verein BIKE hosted the international training course "ECO-COMPETENT: Tackling climate anxiety" in the beautiful mountain setting of Rettenegg, Austria. Supported by the European Union, this unique mobility brought together 24 passionate youth workers representing eight different countries—Austria, Croatia, Italy, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Türkiye—to confront the growing wave of eco-anxiety among young people. Over the course of the week, our expert facilitators guided the group through specialized capacity-building exercises, diving into practical tools like organizing climate cafés, running sustainable mobility workshops, and teaching psychological resilience techniques to help youth navigate the climate crisis without falling into despair.
Because our program was packed with diverse training modules, workshops, and deep-dive discussions, pinning down a rigid, hour-by-hour schedule was a fun challenge, so we let the dynamic needs of the group and the alpine environment shape our days. While the weather next to the Alps can be famously unpredictable, we made sure to seize every single non-rainy moment to move our activities completely outdoors and immerse ourselves in the amazing nature surrounding Rettenegg. From reflective workshops on the grass to refreshing walks and a long hike through the green hills, connecting directly with the environment provided the perfect backdrop for healing climate anxiety.
True to our project's commitment to inclusion, our group featured a beautifully diverse mix of backgrounds, capabilities, and life experiences, which naturally included a small part of our participant group who were deaf. At the very beginning, ensuring seamless communication and full integration presented a real and meaningful challenge for everyone, but it quickly transformed into one of the most rewarding aspects of the entire training as we learned how to adapt our workshop paces, use visual cues, and discover alternative ways to ensure everyone felt entirely included and heard.
Our training week was a masterclass in community building, mental health resilience, and cross-cultural friendship, proving that when youth workers unite to support one another, we can face even the heaviest global challenges with hope and solidarity. Participants are now headed back to their home countries equipped with new tools and ready to deliver local climate events to amplify this impact, and we are incredibly proud of this group and fully energized for the next steps of our green journey! 🌍🌲💚
Visit our Instagram to see some amazing videos from the training!
BIKE empowers the generations of tomorrow with skills for healthy and green commuting in cities and beyond.
Reframe your inbox
Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss a story.
We care about your data in our privacy policy.