Our project, Youth4Air, which ran from 2021 to 2024, was initially developed in collaboration with the UNICEF office in Serbia, aiming to empower young people to become advocates for cleaner air and a fairer approach to the environment. Through the creation of the first Youth Declaration on Clean Air in Serbia and the establishment of a network of Youth4Air ambassadors across the country, we demonstrated how meaningful youth participation can influence public discourse and local policies.

The Youth4Air ambassador network, which included 60 young people, conducted over 300 peer-education workshops in 40 cities and high schools across Serbia, reaching thousands of students. During these workshops, participants collaboratively drafted 300 local youth declarations, which were then consolidated into the first National Youth Declaration on Clean Air.

This project-based learning program represents a unique model of youth engagement in public policy-making in Serbia. The declaration, signed by hundreds of young people and presented to decision-makers, led to several recommendations being directly incorporated into local air protection plans.

Based on this proven model, we developed a comprehensive methodology for youth engagement, grounded in Hart’s Ladder of Participation, the Council of Europe’s Living Democracy manuals, systems thinking, and project-based learning. This methodology enables young people to explore, through experiential workshops, collaborative creation, and public advocacy, how environmental challenges intersect with decision-making processes.