Rooted in the idea that food can be a driver of social change, this Erasmus+ Youth Training Course gathered participants from nine European countries in the rural setting of Borrello, Abruzzo. It marked a new phase of the SENC (Social Enterprise and Natural Capital) project, focusing on how sustainable food production and traditional knowledge can foster local development, inclusion and environmental responsibility.

Over the course of ten days, participants took part in over 20 hands-on international cooking workshops, exploring recipes that were seasonal, slow, local, responsible and traditional. Each meal became an occasion to share skills, stories and cultural heritage, forming the base for more structured reflections on food systems and sustainability.

The training then moved into three thematic labs:
• Social Entrepreneurship, where participants designed a model for a community-based holiday experience promoting sustainability and local engagement.
• Social Communication, which led to the concept of a zine and website titled “Let’s Get Seasonal, a tool for food education and outreach” that combines seasonal calendars, recipes and advice.
• Educational Modules, which used local products like olives and grains to create playful learning tools aimed at increasing awareness around food systems and environmental practices.

The course successfully merged practical tradition with forward-thinking entrepreneurship, culminating in outputs that will feed into upcoming youth exchanges. It showed how protected areas, small towns and shared meals can become spaces for learning, innovation and the empowerment of young people.

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