We are proud to present our new publication, Transformative Change Stories, a booklet that brings together the voices, experiences, and reflections of our Learning Community—a group of young people from the urban contexts of Thuringia and Saxony—who came together to explore how biodiversity relates to our everyday lives, communities, and sense of future.
This project was part of the PLANET4B initiative, and it spanned more than a year and a half of interventions, nature experiences, workshops, hikes, and shared learning moments. From the beginning, our goal was clear: bring biodiversity back into the conversations that matter. In cities, where it’s often distant or invisible, we asked what it would take to reconnect people—especially young people—with nature, and how that connection could lead to meaningful transformation.
Our Learning Community became a space where biodiversity wasn’t just something you study—it was something you feel, question, and co-create with others. We explored forests, mapped systems, tested a food governance board game, and held outdoor cinema sessions under the stars. These were not just activities—they were moments that helped us rethink how we learn, who we are, and how we belong.
Through these collective experiences, we realized that biodiversity became a shared language—a way to transcend our differences and build new relationships rooted in care, curiosity, and accountability. What started as a project about the environment quickly became a story about empowerment, inclusion, and youth-led experimentation with change.
To make sense of all we had done and learned, we followed the methodology outlined in the PLANET4B framework, developing indicators to detect and monitor change. These helped us reflect on the depth of our transformation—not just in ideas, but also in attitudes, practices, and relationships.
After more than a year and a half of activity, we sat down with twelve Learning Community members to conduct in-depth interviews. Their stories, featured in this booklet, offer a unique window into the emotional and intellectual journeys sparked by our time together. What emerged are not only reflections on biodiversity, but deeply personal narratives about growth, self-doubt, connection, and hope.
Transformative Change Stories also includes an overview of the process, our collective vision, a map of the interventions we designed and tested, and a synthesis of the lessons we’re taking forward.
Among the key insights: immersive experiences work; context matters; ownership fosters empowerment; emotional and relational learning are essential; and real transformation requires both structure and openness.
Finally, we ask: what can we do with these learnings? We believe this approach can be adapted and replicated in other communities. It can be brought into formal education, and it should inform how institutions design programs that truly include and empower young people. Most of all, it should serve as a call to decision-makers and educators: trust youth, and give them the tools, space, and support to lead.
You can now explore the full booklet in digital format here:
PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is also funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This work receives funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
