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Description
The aim of the project is to develop cooperation between local communities and self-governments of 6 Pomeranian municipalities in the area of environmental protection. Within the UN Agenda 2030, Poland has committed itself to achieving 17 global sustainable development goals. One of them is responsible consumption and production, closely linked to environmental protection. Environmental safety is one of the main operational objectives in the Pomeranian Province Strategy 2030. At the same time, the authors of the Strategy underline the need for cooperation of all levels of administration, NGOs, business and residents. Based on our experience in building dialogue and cross-sectoral partnerships, we would like to support the development of common solutions that can be implemented by local governments. To this end, we will use the process of designing social innovations with the Design Thinking methodology. Thanks to the workshop work of an interdisciplinary team, specific solutions for climate protection will be designed, at least one of which will be implemented by a selected municipality. We will support the implementation of the remaining developed solutions by the participating municipalities. The project will help to intensify joint activities for climate protection and at the same time to strengthen 20 community leaders. Main activities in the project are: joint development of solutions for climate and environmental protection, implementation and dissemination of climate innovations through development and consultation of a cooperation model to implement similar solutions in other municipalities in Poland and local cooperation forums, support for leaders of change through mentoring process strengthening leadership competences and intersectoral cooperation.
Summary of project results
The main objective of the project "Dialogue and cross-sectoral cooperation as the engine of green innovations in the region" was to build a culture of cooperation and social dialogue in the area of environmental protection and ecology between representatives of local communities and local government units from 6 Pomeranian communes. We planned to solve this objective using the process of designing social innovations using the design thinking method. Thanks to the joint workshop work of the interdisciplinary team, specific solutions in the area of environmental protection and climate were designed, which were implemented into the local policies of individual communes. Additionally, the project was to expand knowledge in the area of the need for joint action for activities related to caring for the environment in local communities and at the same time strengthen 20 local leaders in social activities.
The project was implemented between 1.02.2022 and 30.12.2023. It was carried out in 6 communes of the Pomeranian Voivodeship: Kościerzyna commune, Żukowo, Pruszcz Gdański, the city of Lębork, Malbork and Gdańsk. A total of 320 people took part in it (people participating in workshops, local forums, briefings, support). 24 design thinking workshops were carried out, a total of over 150 hours of workshops.
PRODUCTS
- We carried out 6 processes of designing solutions for environmental and climate protection using the service design method, including one process only partially implemented using this method due to the challenge selected by the working group. A total of 81 people took part in the processes, representing local governments, NGOs, informal groups, local community).
- 6 reports were created with proposals for solutions ready for implementation at the commune level.
- One cooperation manual was created, the ebook "BECAUSE the AIM IS WHAT COUNTS - HOW TO BUILD RELATIONS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND RESPOND TO SOCIAL CHALLENGES". The ebook was sent to 1200 entities and published on the upfoundation website.
- 6 LOCAL COOPERATION FORUMS were organized to disseminate knowledge about solutions and civic dialogue as well as the need to take care of the natural environment and climate. A total of 180 people took part in them.
- A MENTORING PROGRAM - LEADERS AND CHANGE LEADERS was implemented, during which 200 hours were completed. As part of the program, two meetings for leaders and change leaders were held, in which a total of 20 people participated.
- 2 EVALUATION REPORTS were created, a partial and a final one.
- 1 project opening event (briefing) was held, with 24 participants.
- 10 solutions for local changes were designed in 6 municipalities.
Thanks to the workshop work of interdisciplinary teams, consisting of people representing ngos, local governments and business with the support of moderators of the design thinking process, solutions in the area of climate protection were designed: GDAŃSK: GREEN CITY ACUPUNCTURE, i.e. point greening of the city, community gardens and the ''dukaTY eko'' APPLICATION - encouraging pro-ecological activity, ŻUKOWO: TREES ADOPTION, i.e. a planting system and ECO BEACH of a community nature, PRUSZCZ GDAŃSKI: COMMUNITY GARDEN ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE - in the Młody Straszyn housing estate in close cooperation with the developer and the GMINNA FABRYKA ZIELOnych INNOWACJI - a concept for the exchange of experiences and practices and a team that can support the implementation of eco projects, LĘBORK: "PARK CHROBREGO - NEW EDUCATIONAL- SENSORY”: Construction of a unique educational and sensory route and infrastructure in Chrobry Park. The project won in the Citizens'' Budget. KOŚCIERZYNA MUNICIPALITY: The team took up the issue of unauthorized construction in naturally attractive areas. A social campaign "HOUSE RULES" was designed. MALBORK: GREEN ACCESSIBILITY - a guide for managers of urban space on how to change wasteland into a green area and KACZY DOŁEK - a real plan for the development of the square in Malbork, taking into account various needs. The project received funding from the citizens'' budget. The work of each team was summarized during Local Inter-Sectoral Forums - 6 meetings with a live broadcast for local government authorities, NGOs, residents, businesses. An important result was the strengthening of local leaders in social activities through consultations, workshops, integration activities (total 320h of support). The action summarizing the solutions proposed in the project was the creation of an e-book BECAUSE THE GOAL COUNTS HOW TO BUILD RELATIONS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND RESPOND TO SOCIAL CHALLENGES. The guide is the essence of the experiences and recommendations that we have gathered in the project.