Entrepreneurship rooted in history, craft and the land
"Make it by your own" was an Erasmus+ Youth Exchange organised by Young Guardians, an informal group of young people from Greece. From 4 to 12 March 2026, it brought together 34 participants aged 21 to 27 from Greece, Spain, Bulgaria and Romania in Monemvasia, a remote and historic corner of Laconia in the Peloponnese, far from the technological storm of the big cities most of them call home.
The exchange offered a different lens on everyday life and enterprise. Through practical, experiential learning, participants explored how sustainable and green entrepreneurship can grow out of local history, culture and agricultural tradition: from weaving and wool to wine, honey and olive oil. Each national group contributed seven participants and a team leader, with two coordinators from the Greek hosting team guiding the programme.
At a glance
- Type: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange
- Host: Young Guardians (informal group, Greece)
- Venue: Monemvasia, Laconia, Greece
- Activity dates: 4 to 12 March 2026 (arrival 3 March, departure 13 March)
- Participants: 34 · ages 21 to 27
- Countries: Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania
- Focus: youth entrepreneurship, sustainability, rural economy, cultural heritage
Objectives
The central aim was to give young people from large European cities a new perspective on daily life and enterprise, and the confidence to build something of their own.
Tackling youth unemployment
Strengthening employability and social interaction among young Europeans.
Green & social entrepreneurship
Promoting sustainable business and the social economy, especially in the often-overlooked rural sector.
Food security awareness
Raising awareness of the value of agricultural production and where our food really comes from.
Equal opportunities
Supporting young people from remote areas or facing social and economic obstacles, and guaranteeing their full participation.
Innovation meets tradition
Developing entrepreneurial skills and competences that combine new ideas with traditional know-how.
Strengthening the local community
Bringing economic, social and environmental value to the host area by showcasing good practices from across Europe.
Intercultural understanding
Building respect between cultures and strong transnational networks for future cooperation.
Environmental awareness
Reducing the project's footprint, including through green travel, and cultivating lasting environmental consciousness.
Partner organisations
Young Guardians
Greece · Applicant7 participants, 1 team leader and 2 coordinators.
Contact: kyriakakos@younguardians.gr
Ayuntamiento de la Villajoyosa
Spain · Partner7 participants and 1 team leader from the municipality of Villajoyosa.
EuroActive BG
Bulgaria · Partner7 participants and 1 team leader, travelling by green means of transport.
Asociatia VV Robots (VV Roboti)
Romania · Partner7 participants and 1 team leader, travelling by green means of transport.
Nine days in Monemvasia
A journey through the crafts, flavours and traditions of Laconia. Each day was a live case study in sustainable, local entrepreneurship.
Welcome & preparation
- Presentation of the project, its aims and objectives
- Ice breaker and name games such as Human Knot and Two Truths and a Lie
- Working rules, learning agreement, expectations & fears
- Introduction to Youthpass and the key competences
Sustainable fashion & weaving
- Full day visit to the Geraki Weaving School, which is part of Greece's intangible cultural heritage
- Learning to weave with recycled yarns and materials for sustainable fashion
Wool & the truth about fast fashion
- How wool is produced, and a hard look at fast fashion
- Full day hands on tufting gun workshop, from start to finish
- Evening discussion on sustainability in the fashion industry
Winemaking & the castle town
- Visit to the vineyards and winery of the Tsimbidi Estate
- Guided tour of the winemaking process and cellar maturation
- Tasting of local wine varieties paired with local products
- Guided tour of the Castle of Monemvasia
A day of creativity
- A full day dedicated to hands-on creativity, making things with our own hands
- Putting the week's crafts, skills and materials into practice, from first idea to finished piece
Beekeeping & organic products
- Visit to local producers of organic honey, pollen and royal jelly
- Observing life inside the hive; honey and wax extraction
- Tasting and comparing different varieties of honey
- Game night with team building activities
Olive oil, from fruit to bottle
- Visit to the Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil in Sparta
- Every stage of olive oil production at a working oil mill
- Olive oil tasting, exploring different flavour profiles
Ideas take shape
- Hike up to the Castle of Monemvasia and personal reflection time
- Open discussions and exchange of good entrepreneurial practices from each country
- Working sessions on developing the participants' own business ideas
Farewell & evaluation
- Final evaluation of the exchange and of each participant's learning journey
- Youthpass reflection and goodbyes, with networks that will outlast the project
What the participants told us
Results from the evaluation forms submitted by the participants at the end of the exchange.
Co-funded by the European Union
- Project
- Make it by your own
- Project number
- 2025-1-EL02-KA152-YOU-000299634
- Action
- Erasmus+ KA152, Mobility of young people (Youth Exchange)
- Activity
- 4 to 12 March 2026, Monemvasia, Greece
- Applicant
- Young Guardians, informal group of young people (Greece)
- Partners
- Ayuntamiento de la Villajoyosa (Spain), EuroActive BG (Bulgaria), Asociatia VV Robots (Romania)
- National Agency
- Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation (I.NE.DI.VI.M.), Greece (EL02)