Description
Environmental counseling is facing new challenges. Clients search references on specific themes from related people. Vertical flow of information and indifferent content of EC nowadays doesn’t follow this trend. The project reflects the latest research results concerning “client-side” obstacles in counseling for public in the CZ: Data smog, trust in information, credibility, reliability and currency of them. The project aims to open up new dimension of distance in EC, brings both fine and up-to-date content as well as possibility to boost its credibility by sharing experiences in communities of users. The project uses innovative tools for distance EC on the principles of new media. The name “poradme.se” is close to the meaning “Let’s get(to counsel) together”. The solution uses free open source mediawiki linked to the social networks (SN). The main output is an open EC tool used by a large community of users/clients from diverse target groups based on SN principles. Except the large public, specific target groups are:public bodies,students of high schools and universities, young families, entrepreneurs, seniors and environmental counselors.
Summary of project results
The aim of this project was to ease off distrust – embedded within target groups – towards “frontal” information management of public and common issues regarding environmental practices and sustainable development. The ultimate goal was to create a new type of advisory. This type of advisory reflects the newest sociological research and creates an area for users to share confidence in the published information and manuals. It was designed firstly on the basis of knowledge of changes in behavior patterns within representative target groups. Secondly the project was designed based on the new opportunities of current tools for content sharing. What we achieved: - creating a community portal with environmental advisory closely linked to social media - creating valuable, high-quality, user friendly content - engage at least 3 NGO’s in cooperation on the portal itself - creating an user community on the portal as well as social media communities around the portal - increase the marketing and social media qualifications of project workers involved We reacted to existing up-to-date issues; therefore we also turned our attention to topics such as Subsidies Programme for small heating sources and the information around new responsibilities for owners of solid fuel combustion furnaces. Based on social media on-going communication with the users, we adapted the content to their needs. Topics generated based on these discussions turned into reality with the examples of following: shopping guide for appliances, addressing palm oil issues as well as food additive issues. Due to the activities of community a change of labeling took place and later on even the change of product composition. We managed to generate quarterly overviews of valid environmental rules and regulations. This updated overview is used for example by the National contact point of the LIFE programme. We engaged and cooperated with the ekoporadnypraha.cz society. The cases they solve served as an inspiration on how and where to grow the portal. Due to this cooperation we managed to create a hybrid content format – a short flyer augmented by information on the portal. We managed to cover the topics of water savings and energy savings in households in this matter.
Summary of bilateral results