# Roots & Routes — Youth Training Modules
**Empowering Youth Through Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism**

Open Educational Resource (OER) · Erasmus+ KA210-YOU · Project **2025-1-ES02-KA210-YOU-000349717** · Licence **CC BY-NC-SA 4.0**
Partners: Asociación La Añada Europea (ES, coordinator) · Remény Horgonya Szociális Segítő Egyesület (HU) · EuroLinks (TR)

Four ready-to-deliver, non-formal education modules for youth (16–25) and youth workers. Each module contains learning outcomes, sessions (content + method + timing), facilitator notes, a worksheet, a pre/post self-check with answer key, and the Youthpass key competences it builds.

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## Module 1 — Discovering Cultural Heritage
*What heritage is — and why youth should care · ~2.5–3 h · 8–25 participants · Age 16–25 · Room + short walk*

**Learning outcomes.** By the end, participants can:
- define **tangible** and **intangible** cultural heritage and give examples;
- recognise heritage in their own town and start a simple inventory;
- explain the main UNESCO conventions and why heritage protection matters.

### Session 1.1 — What is cultural heritage? *(45 min)*
**Aim:** build a shared, accurate understanding of heritage.

Cultural heritage is what a community inherits from the past, keeps in the present, and passes on. **Tangible heritage** is physical: monuments, historic buildings, archaeological sites, artworks and objects. **Intangible heritage** is living: oral traditions and storytelling, music and dance, festivals and rituals, craftsmanship and gastronomy. Alongside these sits **natural heritage**. Two UNESCO conventions frame the field: the **1972 World Heritage Convention** and the **2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage**.

**Method:** Brainstorm "What does heritage mean to you?", then a **card sort** — small groups sort 15 cards (a castle, a lullaby, a recipe, a folk dance, a bridge, a dialect) into tangible / intangible / natural. Debrief the tricky ones.

### Session 1.2 — Heritage in your own town *(60 min)*
**Aim:** connect heritage to daily life and see why it is at risk.

Heritage is around us: a neighbourhood fountain, a grandmother's recipe, a local festival, a craftsperson's workshop. It is lost through neglect, rapid urban change, migration, or when traditions are not passed on. Young people are powerful **custodians**: by noticing, documenting and sharing heritage, they keep it alive.

**Method:** A 30-minute **heritage walk** (or a virtual walk on the Roots & Routes map). In pairs, photograph and note three heritage elements; each pair presents one. Follow-up task: **interview an elder** about one tradition.

### Session 1.3 — Why protect it — and how UNESCO works *(45 min)*
**Aim:** understand the value of heritage and the systems that protect it.

Heritage matters for **identity and memory**, for **education**, and for the **local economy** through responsible tourism. UNESCO keeps the **World Heritage List** and the **Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage**; countries propose sites on **Tentative Lists**. But protection depends above all on **communities** — and on young people choosing to care.

**Method:** Case discussion with two contrasting examples from the partner countries (an inscribed World Heritage city vs. a fragile local tradition). Groups answer: Who protects it? What threatens it? What could youth do?

**Facilitator notes.** Keep definitions concrete with local examples. Avoid framing heritage as "only old, grand things" — everyday and minority heritage counts too. Invite participants from different cultures to share one heritage element from home; this builds intercultural respect, a core EU value.

**Worksheet 1 — My Local Heritage Inventory.** List four heritage elements from your community (raw material for Module 2).

| Heritage element | Tangible / Intangible | Why it matters to you | At risk? How? |
|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |

**Self-check (pre / post).**
1. Give one example each of tangible and intangible heritage.
2. Which UNESCO convention protects living traditions such as music and craftsmanship?
3. Name two reasons cultural heritage can be lost.
4. True or false: only governments can protect heritage.
5. Why are young people important for heritage protection?

*Answer key:* 1) e.g. a castle (tangible) / a folk song (intangible). 2) The 2003 Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention. 3) e.g. neglect, rapid urban change, migration, traditions not passed on. 4) False — communities and individuals protect it too. 5) They notice, document, share and keep traditions alive.

**Youthpass key competences:** Cultural awareness & expression · Literacy · Personal, social & learning to learn.
**References:** UNESCO 1972 World Heritage Convention; UNESCO 2003 Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention; Council of Europe Faro Convention.

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## Module 2 — Digital Storytelling & Heritage Mapping
*Tell heritage stories the way youth communicate · ~3 h · 8–25 participants · Age 16–25 · Phones/laptops + Wi-Fi*

**Learning outcomes.** By the end, participants can:
- plan a short digital story about a heritage site;
- add a point to a digital heritage map (e.g. the Roots & Routes platform);
- produce simple photo/video content **ethically**, respecting rights and consent.

### Session 2.1 — Storytelling that connects *(55 min)*
**Aim:** learn a structure that turns facts into a story people remember.

Data informs, but stories move people. A strong heritage story has four beats: a **character** (a maker, a young narrator), a **place** (the site), a **change or tension** (why it matters, what is at risk), and **meaning** (what to feel or do). Keep it to 60–90 seconds. Show, don't tell — one honest detail beats ten adjectives.

**Method:** Compare two 60-second examples (weak vs strong). Using their Module 1 worksheet, each participant drafts a story on the storyboard template (Worksheet 2A).

### Session 2.2 — From a list to a living map *(55 min)*
**Aim:** turn heritage notes into a point on an interactive map.

Heritage mapping places heritage on a shared map anyone can explore. Good map data has a clear **name**, an accurate **location**, a short **description**, a **photo**, and — for this project — a **sustainable-tourism tip**. On the Roots & Routes platform, youth add their own point through the "Add your heritage point" form; the map grows with every contributor.

**Method:** Live demo of adding a point on the platform. Participants complete the map data sheet (Worksheet 2B) for one element and add it (or to a shared spreadsheet if offline).

### Session 2.3 — Rights, consent & giving credit *(45 min)*
**Aim:** create content responsibly and legally.

Before you publish: **ask consent** before photographing a person, and never share images of children without a guardian's permission (part of GDPR). Respect **copyright** — use your own photos or openly licensed media (e.g. Creative Commons) and always **attribute** the author. When you embed someone else's virtual tour, credit the source and do not present it as your own.

**Method:** "Publish or not?" scenario cards (a close-up of a stranger, a friend's photo found online, a CC BY image). Groups decide and justify. Introduce an attribution line: *Title — Author — Source — Licence — URL.*

**Facilitator notes.** Low-tech works: a phone camera is enough. If Wi-Fi is unreliable, capture on paper and upload later. Emphasise online safety — no home addresses, no locations that reveal a minor's routine.

**Worksheet 2A — Story Storyboard.**

| Character | Place | Change / tension | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |  |

**Worksheet 2B — Map Data Sheet.**

| Name | Location (place / GPS) | 1–2 sentence description | Sustainable-tourism tip |
|---|---|---|---|
|  |  |  |  |

**Self-check (pre / post).**
1. Name the four beats of a good heritage story.
2. List three fields that every map point should have.
3. What must you do before publishing a photo of a person?
4. Which licence lets you reuse an online photo with attribution?
5. Write a correct attribution line for a Creative Commons image.

*Answer key:* 1) Character, place, change/tension, meaning. 2) e.g. name, location, description (also photo, tip). 3) Ask consent (guardian consent for minors). 4) A Creative Commons licence such as CC BY (or CC0/public domain). 5) e.g. "Title — Author — Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0 — URL".

**Youthpass key competences:** Digital · Cultural awareness & expression · Communication (multilingual).
**References:** Creative Commons licences (creativecommons.org); EU GDPR; Roots & Routes digital platform (Result 1).

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## Module 3 — Sustainable & Community-Based Tourism
*Tourism that protects — not exhausts — heritage · ~2.5–3 h · 8–25 participants · Age 16–25 · Room + optional visit*

**Learning outcomes.** By the end, participants can:
- explain sustainable and community-based tourism;
- spot the signs of overtourism and its impact on heritage;
- design a low-impact visit or route to a heritage site.

### Session 3.1 — The three pillars of sustainability *(50 min)*
**Aim:** understand what makes tourism sustainable.

Sustainable tourism meets today's needs without harming future generations' access to heritage. It balances three pillars: **economic** (income stays local, supports jobs), **social/cultural** (residents' lives and traditions are respected) and **environmental** (nature and sites are protected). **Overtourism** is the warning sign: eroded paths, crowded old towns, rising rents, tired residents, damaged sites.

**Method:** "Three pillars" sort: groups place impact cards (jobs, litter, crowding, higher prices, restored crafts, water use) under the right pillar and mark each positive or negative. Debrief trade-offs.

### Session 3.2 — Community-based tourism *(50 min)*
**Aim:** see how local people can lead and benefit.

In **community-based tourism**, residents shape the experience and keep the benefit local: family guesthouses, local guides, craft workshops, food from nearby farms, stories told by the people who live them. It links naturally to heritage — a young guide sharing their town's traditions both protects heritage and earns a livelihood. With nature and low impact at the centre, this is **ecotourism**.

**Method:** Present one real example per partner country (herder-led grassland tours, olive-oil heritage routes, village craft weekends). Groups list who leads, who benefits, and how heritage is protected.

### Session 3.3 — Design a low-impact visit *(50 min)*
**Aim:** apply the ideas by planning a responsible route.

A responsible visit manages **when** (avoid peak times), **how many** (small groups), **how you travel** (walk, cycle, public transport) and **where money goes** (local businesses). It respects rules at fragile sites and leaves no trace.

**Method:** Using Worksheet 3, teams design a half-day sustainable route to a local heritage site and pitch it in 2 minutes. Peers score it on the three pillars.

**Facilitator notes.** Keep it honest — tourism can harm as well as help. Encourage realistic, small ideas participants could actually run. Link back to Module 1 heritage and Module 2 storytelling: a route needs a story.

**Worksheet 3 — Design a Sustainable Heritage Route.**

| Field | Your plan |
|---|---|
| Heritage site & short story |  |
| Best time to visit (avoid crowds) |  |
| Group size & how you travel |  |
| Local businesses that benefit |  |
| One rule to protect the site |  |

**Self-check (pre / post).**
1. Name the three pillars of sustainable tourism.
2. Give two signs of overtourism.
3. What makes tourism "community-based"?
4. List two ways to lower the impact of a heritage visit.
5. Why does a sustainable route also need a good story?

*Answer key:* 1) Economic, social/cultural, environmental. 2) e.g. crowding, eroded paths, rising rents, damaged sites. 3) Local people lead the experience and keep the benefit. 4) e.g. off-peak visits, small groups, walk/cycle/public transport, buy local. 5) A story gives visitors a reason to care and to travel responsibly.

**Youthpass key competences:** Citizenship · Entrepreneurship · Cultural awareness & expression.
**References:** UNWTO definition of sustainable tourism; UN SDGs 8, 11 & 12; Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria.

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## Module 4 — Youth Cultural Entrepreneurship
*Turn heritage into a real initiative · ~3 h · 8–25 participants · Age 16–25 · Room with wall space*

**Learning outcomes.** By the end, participants can:
- shape a heritage idea into a mini business model;
- identify partners and realistic first steps;
- pitch their initiative clearly to the community.

### Session 4.1 — From passion to project *(50 min)*
**Aim:** start from a real need, not from a product.

Cultural entrepreneurship means creating value — social, cultural and sometimes financial — from heritage. Strong ideas begin with three questions: what **problem or need** exists (a fading craft, a heritage site few young people know), what **value** you offer, and **who** the audience is. A social enterprise reinvests income into protecting heritage, so profit and purpose work together.

**Method:** "Problem tree" — groups pick one heritage challenge from Module 1, map its causes and effects, then flip it into an opportunity.

### Session 4.2 — A simple business model canvas *(55 min)*
**Aim:** turn the idea into a one-page plan.

A lightweight canvas keeps an idea clear: **What** (the offer), **For whom** (audience), **How** (key activities & resources), **Partners** (who helps), **Costs** and **Income/sustainability** (how it keeps going), and the **heritage impact**. Small is fine — a youth-run heritage walk, a digital recipe archive, a craft weekend.

**Method:** Each team fills the one-page canvas (Worksheet 4) on flipchart paper. The facilitator circulates and challenges assumptions gently.

### Session 4.3 — Find allies & pitch it *(45 min)*
**Aim:** connect to the real world and communicate the idea.

No initiative grows alone. Useful allies: **municipalities** (permissions, venues), **NGOs and youth centres** (reach, volunteers), **museums and cultural bodies** (expertise), and **local tourism businesses** (customers). A good pitch is 90 seconds: the problem, your idea, who benefits, and your first concrete step.

**Method:** Teams deliver a 90-second pitch using the template; peers give one strength and one question. Close by each participant naming their **first step for next week**.

**Facilitator notes.** Reward realistic ideas over ambitious slogans. Here "entrepreneurship" is about initiative and impact, not only money. Link to Erasmus+ next steps: a strong idea can become a youth activity or a future project.

**Worksheet 4 — One-Page Heritage Initiative Canvas.**

| What is the offer? | For whom (audience)? |
|---|---|
|  |  |
| **Key activities & resources** | **Partners / allies** |
|  |  |
| **How it sustains itself** | **Heritage impact + first step** |
|  |  |

*90-second pitch:* "The problem is ___. Our idea is ___. It helps ___. Our first step is ___."

**Self-check (pre / post).**
1. What three questions should a heritage idea start from?
2. Name three parts of a simple business model canvas.
3. Give two types of local allies and what they offer.
4. What are the four parts of a 90-second pitch?
5. Why is a realistic first step important?

*Answer key:* 1) What need/problem, what value, who the audience is. 2) e.g. offer, audience, activities/resources, partners, costs, income/sustainability, impact. 3) e.g. municipality (venue/permissions), NGO/youth centre (reach), museum (expertise), tourism business (customers). 4) Problem, idea, who benefits, first step. 5) It turns an idea into action and builds momentum and credibility.

**Youthpass key competences:** Entrepreneurship · Personal, social & learning to learn · Communication.
**References:** EntreComp — European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework; Business Model Canvas (Osterwalder); Erasmus+ Youthpass.

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*Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) — free to share and adapt for non-commercial purposes, with attribution, provided the same licence is kept.*