In many countries, rural areas are often associated with unfavourable conditions for living and employment. Many young people do not have access to high-quality education and are at risk of social exclusion. Some of them leave rural areas to look for better professional realisation and personal fulfilment.

RECALL aims to empower youth to develop sustainable business ideas and to rediscover rural areas as places where they can apply their creativity through innovation and entrepreneurship based on the ideas of the circular economy. Green skills are the knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a society that reduces the impact of human activity on the environment (EU commission (Skills panorama), 2015). Employed with these skills youth organisations and young people can also find inspiration in local cultural traditions and practices to set up their green entrepreneurial businesses.

The project seeks to build the capacity of youth organisations in Europe and Asia to promote green skills, circular economy and youth-led green entrepreneurship in encouraging positive social change in rural areas of involved countries. Based on their cultural traditions and identity, young people can find inspiration to use nature and local resources sustainably, to start entrepreneurial endeavours, which preserve the environment, and to contribute to their communities’ wellbeing.

RECALL seeks synergies between the four pillars of sustainable development – environment, economy, society and culture to fight youth unemployment and social exclusion in rural areas.