Youth for Sustainability (Y4S) is a core component of the Green Growth and Jobs Accelerator Project (GGJAP), implemented across all project countries through country-level youth networks. Supporting GGJAP’s broader objective of promoting green growth and job creation for young people, the initiative equips approximately 60 youth annually across the countries with skills in sustainability, entrepreneurship, innovation, and problem-solving through training, mentorship, and practical activities. Following this preparation, youth participants engage directly with SMEs participating in the Accelerator through internships, hackathons, and innovation activities focused on the SME’s real operational challenges.  

In Jordan, Y4S evolved in 2025 into a hands-on co-creation approach where youth and SMEs were brought together to work directly on operational and sustainability challenges faced by the SMEs. This approach was implemented in Aqaba through a three-day hackathon and capacity building workshop held  in October 2025, involving 12 youth participants and five SMEs working in sectors linked to tourism, sustainability, and the blue economy. Aqaba was selected exactly because of its relevance in these sectors, particularly  tourism and blue economy-related activities. 

The workshop combined design thinking, brainstorming sessions, mentorship, and direct collaboration between youth and SMEs. Participants worked side-by-side with businesses to identify operational challenges and co-develop practical solutions addressing sustainability. While SMEs were initially expected to attend selected sessions only, all five businesses remained actively engaged throughout the full three-day programme. According to the Jordan Y4S team, this level of engagement exceeded expectations and demonstrated the strong interest from SMEs in working directly with young innovators.

For the participating youth, the workshop was an opportunity to work directly on real-life challenges. 

“The workshop improved my ability to think under pressure and use design thinking to build realistic solutions that could contribute to protecting the marine environment in Aqaba. It was interesting to see how these challenges could be transformed into practical and applicable solutions within the blue economy.” says Nour Al Huda, a Y4S participant who joined the event.