Description
The project addresses the need to raise the awareness of school students about sustainable energy. The project aims at providing information to students about sustainable energy policies and how to support them via school clubs. First, 7 trainers will be trained to work with students. Second, interactive information materials on energy efficiency will be prepared for 6th-9th-grade students. Third, awareness raising campaigns will be held to launch 12 school clubs in 12 schools in Balchik, Bourgas, Ichtiman and Sofia. Next, 300 school club members will be trained. Fourth, club action plans will be drafted and 12 energy efficiency and renewables measures will be implemented. Finally, a network of school clubs on sustainable energy will be set up and experience will be exchanged with similar Norwegian organizations. The project will benefit the main target group of about 600 students as well as local authorities, teachers and NGOs. The partner will contribute with its expertise.
Summary of project results
The project aimed at establishing a model for setting up sustainable energy school clubs (SE) that can be easily multiplied in future in the schools in the country and developing a detailed and comprehensive package of information materials and targeted presentations to increase the knowledge of the club members about the topic. The model includes setting up a club at school, training extensively its members, involving them with the development of an Action Plan and the actual implementation of the measures from the plan. As a result the NGO (FEP) contacted 13 schools (3 in Ichtiman Municipality, 3 in Bourgas Municipality, 1 in Balchik Municipality and 6 in Sofia City Municipality). FEP and its partner ENSI put in a lot of effort to prepare good quality information and educational materials for students in 5-11th grade on SE issues:
http://www.europerspectives.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=v…. A model was developed for setting up clubs in schools to involve children, teachers and the school management with the topic of SE. 13 school clubs for SE were set up. 309 pupils were trained as members of the clubs. Each club developed and carried out an Action Plan. At least 600 pupils have been involved in the implementation of the measures in the schools during the school year. All measures have been widely communicated via the social and local media. The representatives of the municipalities of Bourgas Ichtiman and Sofia took part and helped with project implementation. The interest in SE of other schools following the broad awareness raising campaign showed that the tested model can further develop in Bulgaria. The project partners helped the team of FEP to be trained in issues to do with EE and RES, municipal energy planning and climate change, all of the underlying the training of the pupils in the clubs. Energy Saving International AS (ENSI) contacted many schools with similar activities (a list of 16 contact details of the 13 clubs in Bulgaria), which helped disseminate information in Norway about the work carried out in Bulgaria.
Summary of bilateral results
Collaborating with Energy Saving International AS (ENSI) was extremely important for the project. Thanks to the partnership, the team members of EPF received training at a professional level on energy efficiency and renewable energy, municipal energy planning, climate change, which became the foundation for teaching the students of the clubs. The ENSI experts contributed greatly to the quality of all project activities, namely presentations, information materials and a catalogue of best practices. ENSI established contacts with many schools in Norway with such activities, which was a significant contribution to the dissemination of information on project activities in Norway. The result was a list of 16 contacts in Norway for communication with the 13 clubs in Bulgaria. All 16 contacts in turn received information with brief descriptions of the Bulgarian clubs. Overall EPF received more than expected contribution from the partner in this project. ENSI’s experts in Bulgaria participated very actively in the activities and contributed significantly to achieving the highest quality of the materials suitable for the particular target group of the project - 5-11 grade students.