More information
Description
The aim of the project is to increase the residents'' influence on local policies and to revive and strengthen the idea of civic energy in small and medium-sized towns. The project responds to the challenges of the economic crisis and the increasing scale of energy poverty. These problems particularly affect residents of small and medium-sized towns. We act in 6 towns where we are implementing an information campaign and conduct a series of educational meetings to give people the necessary knowledge and tools to create local policies. We carry out a diagnosis of local climate policies in the participating towns. We engage residents to create local grassroots energy communities. In this project a cascade model is used where trained activists representing the grassroots energy communities and local NGOs will transfer the knowledge and skills further to the residents of their towns. In this way, we will spread the idea of civic energy as a method of energy transition and as a way to prevent energy poverty in smaller towns.
Summary of project results
Our goal was to revive and strengthen the idea of grassroots organizing, animating 6 energy communities in small and medium-sized towns and increasing their influence on local policies. The problem of energy poverty also varies locally. In small and medium-sized towns in Poland, the risk of energy poverty is much higher, there are towns with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants. The project was intended to encourage local communities and authorities to recognize the potential of small-scale energy as an efficient, affordable solution for people at risk of fuel poverty in rural areas, laying the foundations for the creation of local social energy cooperatives.
1. Online opening conference Promotion of the conference in social media and the Internet 2. A series of 6 webinars with Q&A sessions conducted via our social media and website on social energy, showing the benefits for local communities and local governments, good practices, including those based on data from the Partner, challenges and barriers, and legal possibilities. Each webinar was preceded by a 2-week promotion of the event in social media and the Internet, in particular on our website and in friendly activist networks. 3. Research local policies in individual cities participating in the project. 6 reports were created. 4. Organization of meetings of neighborhood energy groups, 72 meetings in total. 5. Support for local campaigns run by communities. 6. Support from external experts - meetings of experts with local groups. 7. Meetings of local groups with representatives of local authorities, officials and councilors. 8. A series of training courses on the development of social energy and energy cooperatives for representatives of local groups. Online and stationary training also includes training for local social energy leaders. 3 joint online trainings and 3 stationary trainings. 9. A permanent local and national campaign promoting social energy and project activities conducted in parallel to the social organizing process. 10. A series of training courses and workshops strengthening the competences of urban activists from member organizations of the Congress of Urban Movements. 6 training sessions (one 3-day, 5 2-day), each for 15 people.
We used the community organizing method and "entered" the project into 6 towns where, in cooperation with local NGOs, we prepared the ground for changes including the grass-roots creation of innovative and environmentally friendly ways of producing energy by communities of citizens. By engaging resident groups in 6 cities, we influenced local policies, including the programs and plans of these local governments, among others. by creating conditions for the development of modern, green and energy cooperatives and communities at the local government level, building social capital and a culture of trust in the long term.