Young people are pivotal in driving the (future) implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fostering successful sustainable transformation both globally and regionally. To achieve this, they need engaging learning opportunities and effective support to acquire essential sustainability competencies. By establishing this foundation, the young generation will be empowered to assume responsibility and actively contribute to shaping a sustainable future.

However, the challenge lies in designing learning settings that effectively engage, motivate and cater to diverse groups of young people, enabling them to collaborate on solutions for future challenges. Understanding the sustainability awareness and competencies of young individuals is crucial for developing tailored learning interventions. In Germany, numerous well-established-surveys routinely gather data on the daily lives, attitudes, and opinions of young people [1-5]. At the European level, the #ClimateofChange project conducted one of the latest surveys across 23 European countries, primarily exploring young people’s perception and knowledge regarding the interplay between climate change and migration [6]. While shedding light on motivations for sustainable living, the study also unveils variations based on gender, residence in urban or rural areas, and educational background. However, the existing German studies lack the specificity to scrutinize data at a regional level, such as our focus on the northwest part of Lower Saxony, characterized mainly by rural regions.

Additionally, our emphasis is on embracing the diversity of young individuals, taking into account their social backgrounds, interests, and needs to cater to all segments of society. Many existing studies exhibit a pre-existing bias towards groups with a heightened affinity for sustainability, as these individuals are more likely to participate in interviews on this topic. Consequently, we conducted focus group discussions, engaging with diverse groups of young people from various contexts, to gain deeper insights into their awareness of sustainability and their proficiency in sustainability competencies.

These findings serve as the foundation for crafting a novel learning intervention rooted in the principles of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) [7] and ‘learning workshops’ [“Lernwerkstaetten”], a concept originating in German-speaking countries in the 1990s [8]. The innovative format is built upon action-oriented and transformative pedagogy, prioritizing learner-centric approaches, reflection loops, active participation, and exploratory, interconnected learning as main pedagogical principles [9 and 10]. Furthermore, the design of the learning environment is pivotal in realizing these pedagogical objectives. Leveraging the 'learning workshops' concept provides a valuable framework, particularly in shaping an environment that fosters diverse ways of learning and cultivates an atmosphere of astonishment, irritation, exploration, invention, and inspiration [11].

The amalgamation of prior experiences with these concepts and the insights gleaned from the focus groups will enable us to formulate a novel approach aimed at effectively empowering young people to actively engage in sustainable transformation. To foster a comprehensive understanding of both cross-regional dynamics and regional nuances, engaging in European-level exchanges proves invaluable. While our initial focus is on a regional level, targeting specific groups of young people, our findings and newly developed concepts can contribute to an international discourse on empowering youth for the globally essential sustainable transformation. Thus, a crucial aspect involves comprehending the intricacies of the addressed groups, a goal our study aims to advance.

Vital data was acquired through nine focus group discussions [12] with groups from various contexts; involving participants aged 14 to 25. Typical interview groups comprised 4-8 individuals. To ensure a comfortable environment, we worked with groups where young people actively chose to participate voluntarily and had pre-existing familiarity with one another. These groups encompassed a variety of contexts, including Fridays For Future activists, nature/environment protection groups, church groups, sport teams, and groups from youth clubs. Our goal was to include young people from diverse educational backgrounds and social milieus. The focus group discussions explored the following aspects: recent global and local issues, the significance of various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), self-assessment of personal sustainability competencies, engagement for sustainability, and learning habits and preferences. All discussions were recorded, and the transcripts underwent qualitative content analysis [13].

This study provides insights into the sustainability awareness and competencies of diverse groups of young people residing in the northwest part of Lower Saxony, Germany. It enhances our understanding of effective outreach strategies for young individuals and informs the design of ESD learning environments, optimizing engagement in these learning processes. The study yields crucial findings both verbally and pedagogically, forming a relevant foundation for the development of new learning interventions. While the spatial focus is on northwest Lower Saxony, the results can serve as an example for rural areas. Comparisons with awareness and competencies of young people in other European rural areas will be insightful. In addition, identifying similarities or key differences compared to urban areas contributes to understanding how to provide effective learning opportunities for the young generation in the context of local and global sustainable transformations. Thus, an international perspective supports the actual development of innovative learning interventions.

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