WASAS beach volleyball hero

We Are Sand and Sea

From eco-anxiety to action

About the project

WASAS (We Are Sand And Sea) is a European project helping young people aged 12 to 18 respond to climate anxiety through inclusive physical activity in natural environments and ecopsychology.

Across Spain, Greece and Cyprus, the project brings together beach and sea sports, emotional management, environmental action and creative storytelling. By combining movement, nature and supportive group experiences, WASAS aims to turn concern about climate change into resilience, connection and practical action.

Climate change can create fear, sadness, frustration and uncertainty, especially among young people. At the same time, many face barriers to conventional or competitive sport: hearing impairment, behavioural or academic difficulties, problematic screen use, or simply a lack of confidence in sporting environments.

partners

WASAS
Arona Voley
Anemos
University of La Laguna
Co-funded by the European Union

the project

Duration

The project runs for 12 months, during which sessions combining physical activity in natural environments with ecopsychology training and climate emotion management will take place. During the European Week of Sport, an open event with an environmental theme will be held in each participating country. At the end of the project, a closing event will be held in Spain with a public presentation of the audiovisual material created by the participants: a short film in which the young people are the protagonists.

Young WASAS participants gathered on the beach beside the project banner
WASAS project team at the first in-person meeting with the project logo projected behind them

Co-funding

WASAS is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme, under the Small-Scale Sport Partnerships action. This programme supports initiatives that promote social inclusion, well-being and civic participation through grassroots sport. WASAS directly addresses these priorities by targeting groups with fewer opportunities to access sporting activities and by integrating environmental sustainability as a cross-cutting theme throughout the project.

How it works

WASAS responds by combining ecopsychology with inclusive, non-competitive activities in nature. The project creates space for young people to understand difficult emotions, move at their own pace, build supportive relationships and discover how caring for personal wellbeing can go hand in hand with caring for the environment.

  • Ecopsychology sessions

    Sessions that help participants recognise climate-related emotions and strengthen their emotional resilience.

  • Active beach sports

    Surfing, paddle surfing, kayaking, beach volleyball and catchball create opportunities to move, cooperate and enjoy nature without excessive pressure.

  • Environmental action

    Young participants contribute to activities such as beach clean-ups and more sustainable use of equipment.

  • Digital storytelling

    Short films, an e-book and social media content give young people creative ways to share what they have learned.

Meet our partners

WASAS is delivered by four organisations whose expertise connects grassroots sport, ecopsychology, inclusion, research and creative communication.

  • Arona Voley

    Spain · Coordinator

    Arona Voley logo

    Arona Voley is a women's volleyball club based in Arona, Tenerife. As project coordinator, it leads the planning of physical and sporting activities, and drafts the educational guide for climate emotion management and the storytelling manual. It brings to the project a psychological and mental well-being perspective.

  • Anemos

    Greece

    Anemos logo

    Anemos is a Greek organisation specialising in ecopsychology and interdisciplinary work at the intersection of sport science, psychology and the environment. Within WASAS, it leads the ecopsychology strand, connecting the creative dimension of the project with scientific knowledge. It brings to the consortium its expertise in designing innovative activities that integrate emotional well-being and environmental awareness.

  • Breezageri

    Cyprus

    Breezageri is a Cypriot organisation with expertise in audiovisual production and creative communication. In WASAS, it is responsible for turning the experiences of young participants into quality audiovisual content, including the project's final short film. It also takes responsibility for quality control and the preparation of the final project report.

  • University of La Laguna

    Spain

    University of La Laguna logo

    The University of La Laguna provides the academic and scientific rigour needed to ensure the project's validity. It oversees compliance with inclusion and accessibility criteria, and designs and evaluates the questionnaires on climate anxiety, ecopsychology, physical activity and participant satisfaction. Its involvement ensures that the project's results can be measured and transferred to other contexts.

CONNECTING beach sports ENTHUSIASTS WITH THE BEST locations AND beach sports community resources TO RIDE THE WAVES together.

join the project

Join the WASAS community

WASAS invites young people, families, schools, sports clubs, municipalities and environmental organisations to take part in a shared journey towards personal and planetary wellbeing.

Through inclusive tournaments, outdoor sessions, ecopsychology workshops and environmental activities, participants can experience sport as a source of connection rather than pressure.

Get in touch projectwasas@gmail.com