The United Nations’ declaration of 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development highlights the growing recognition that sustainable change is driven not only by policies, but by people. Volunteers play a vital role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals by contributing time, skills, and expertise to initiatives that strengthen communities, protect the environment, and promote inclusion. This global focus aligns closely with the vision and practical work of the Erasmus+ project GreenVET Pathway, in which p-consulting.gr actively contributes.
GreenVET Pathway supports vocational education and training institutions in adopting a Whole Institution Approach to sustainability. Rather than limiting sustainability to classroom content, the project encourages VET schools to embed sustainable thinking across governance, teaching, infrastructure, partnerships, and everyday practices. Volunteer engagement is a natural enabler of this approach. Teachers experimenting with new methodologies, students participating in community-oriented sustainability actions, and staff supporting green initiatives often do so through voluntary commitment and collaboration, reflecting the core values promoted by the International Year of Volunteers.
Through its key deliverables, GreenVET provides concrete tools that empower this type of engagement. The GreenVET Framework helps schools structure their sustainability journey, while the interactive worksheets support educators and school leaders in transforming ideas into implementable actions. The GreenVET Online Path and the forthcoming database of best practices further showcase how VET schools across Europe are already mobilising their communities to act, often in partnership with local stakeholders, NGOs, and businesses. These actions demonstrate how volunteer-driven initiatives can deliver measurable environmental and social impact while strengthening institutional culture.
For organisations like p-consulting.gr, the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development reinforces the importance of projects such as GreenVET that translate global priorities into practical, scalable solutions. By supporting VET institutions in creating enabling environments for participation and collaboration, GreenVET contributes to a broader ecosystem where volunteerism is recognised, supported, and integrated into long-term development strategies.
As 2026 is here, the link between volunteer action and sustainable education becomes increasingly clear. GreenVET Pathway stands as an example of how European cooperation, supported by committed partners and engaged communities, can empower vocational education to act as a catalyst for sustainable development, not only through policy alignment, but through people-driven change.
