Description

Themes and goals

The International Tool Fair (ITF) is an Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps community-of-practice event that gathers diverse organisations and project leaders within Youth, Sports, School Education, Higher Education, Adult Education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) sectors across Europe and beyond borders.

The event provides an opportunity to learn, collaborate and share knowledge around innovative methods and best practices in formal and non-formal learning, through the exploration and exchange of ‘educational tools’. An educational tool can be thought of as the way we transfer and implement educational goals into a practice that engages participants in the learning process. Tools can take various forms, such as simulation exercises, creative workshops, role-plays, outdoor activities and more.

The 20th edition of the International Tool Fair, GREEN FUTURE: Tools for Sustainable Transformation, will take place on 19–23 October 2026 in Poland.

This edition of the ITF will focus on how education for sustainable development can drive meaningful change through innovative tools and approaches.

Expected results

• Explore a range of qualitative tools and approaches focused on sustainable transformation through facilitator-led workshops, peer-to-peer discussions, deep-engagement sessions, and interactive activities.
• Become inspired and connect new tools, methodologies, and practices to their organisation’s context, local reality, and professional/personal experiences by working around the notion of transferability.
• Share and discuss how to use Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) tools across sectors and in diverse contexts and settings.
• Reflect on sustainable practices, research, and competences across all sectors (Youth, School Education, Adult Education, Higher Education, VET, Sport, and European Solidarity Corps).

Additional information

The different features of the International Tool Fair allow the participants – through innovative approaches and practices – to explore the theme via various perspectives.

Tools Workshops

Tools Workshops sessions offer opportunities for some of the participants to run and facilitate their own workshop built on a proposed tool, providing thus a space for peer-learning in an international context between different youth actors sectors. Tool Workshops are chosen from participants selected to participate in the ITF, but not all participants need to present a tool workshop. 

Tools to Explore

Tools-to-Explore sessions are an opportunity for participants to go deeper into understanding and developing tools/approaches around a particular theme or sub-theme. They are thematic sessions offering novel approaches of working with youth workers, youth educators and/or young people. Tools to Explore are facilitated by experts in the field, who are invited to contribute to the ITF.

Tool Coaching

Tool Coaches are a well-established feature of the International Tool Fair. All those selected to present their educational tool in a workshop or a Tool to Explore are assigned a coach who can support and challenge them to do the best out of their tool, as well as to make the most out of their own learning process. They have a coaching and mentoring role, in line with the themes of the International Tool Fair and the process and rationale of the workshops’ sessions. The tool coaches’ role includes contact with the presenter prior to their session, attendance at the session and a follow-up conversation as soon as possible afterward to ensure that even presenters have a positive learning experience at the International Tool Fair.

Have an initiative you would like to promote or a tool but don’t want to lead a workshop?

Tools Market

Tools Market is an opportunity to share a broader range of tools, publications and ideas brought by the participants. Not all of the proposals can be presented in a workshop setting and some do not require so much time. In this way, the Tools Market becomes the time and place to showcase and explore what the community is working on with specific focus and contribution from youth actors of the hosting country.

The programme also includes:

TF Talks

Tool Fair Talks are the equivalent of TED Talks but specifically arranged for the International Tool Fair, offering inspirational talks challenging the participants and triggering deeper reflections on a theme linked to the main topic of the event. The talks are delivered by experts in the field, who are invited to contribute to the ITF.

Hot Spot of EU Youth programmes

The EU Hot Spot provides a dedicated space during the breaks with information about the programmes thanks to the NAs and SALTOs staff members present at the event in order to answer questions and talk to the participants about the functioning of both the Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps programmes.

Criteria

• Able to communicate in English
• Devoted to participating in the full process of the activity
• Have visions and plans how to use what they learned in their work
• Have the potential to develop their competencies in relation to the objectives of the activity
• Optionally: willing to run a Tools Workshop (not compulsory, just an open opportunity)

Do I need to present a tool to participate?

No. Presenting a tool workshop is optional. The ITF programme is shaped by the diverse contributions of its participants and facilitating a tool workshop is just one of many ways to engage and contribute. Participants are selected and welcomed based on their motivation, experience and the relevance of their profile. Those who do wish to share a tool are warmly encouraged to do so, as every contribution enriches the ITF programme.

Safety, accessibility and sustainability

At this event, we follow the principles of a safer space. We strive to ensure that everyone is welcomed as they are and that no one has to fear discrimination or harassment. We want you to respect the same principle.

Our activities are accessible to people with different abilities. Please let us know your individual needs in advance so that we can help you participate.

Important notes

Number of participants: 120 (60 Youth and 60 Education & Training)

Participation in ITF XX does not require presenting a tool. Participants are selected on the basis of their motivation, experience and the relevance of their profile to the theme. Those who also wish to facilitate a workshop to share an educational tool are warmly encouraged to do so – they will need to provide a description of the tool and explain how they will run it in an interactive way (hands-on testing for around 20 participants per workshop), dedicating some time to reflect on its transferability to other contexts, sectors and realities.

Profile of participants: youth actors in both non-formal and formal sectors / trainers, teachers, non-governmental organisations and project leaders within Youth, Sports, School Education, Higher Education, Adult Education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) sectors across Europe and beyond borders.