As part of the Learning and Inclusion for Sustainable Community Engagement (LISTEN) project, the South-East European Research Centre (SEERC) and Light Trees organised a four-day capacity-building event titled “Design WITH and FOR the Community”, held in Katerini and Thessaloniki, Greece, on 3–4 and 8–9 October 2025.
The event brought together 81 participants, representatives ofcivil society organisations, volunteer associations, youth workers, and community members from across Central Macedonia and beyond. Through hands-on workshops, field visits, and interactive sessions, participants explored how to design, fund, and sustain community-led initiatives that respond to local priorities.
Hosted at Kapnikos Stathmos in Katerini, Alexander Innovation Zone, and the Municipality of Thessaloniki’s Amateur Dance School, the programme blended technical training and emotional resilience-building.
This capacity-building series marks an important milestone in LISTEN’s mission to foster inclusive, sustainable, and community-driven engagement. The next step will be the Community Engagement Local Festivals, where participants will apply their new skills to co-create local actions reflecting the needs and aspirations of their communities.
You can read more about the capacity-building event in Greece here!