Description
The project addresses the challenges facing the applicant related to insufficient organizational and financial capacity and lack of a long-term strategy. The project aims at boosting the applicant’s capacity while raising the awareness of the local community about a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. First, an organizational analysis will be carried out. Second, the following documents will be prepared: a strategic map, a long-term operational strategy, a business plan and a marketing strategy. Third, the building of the centre in Gudevitsa village will be renovated. Next, 60 participants will take part in the 5 workshops on green building. Next, 8 educational programmes will be drafted and tested during a pilot 5-day camp for 10 children aged 7-14, a 3-day camp for 10 young people aged 14-25 and a 3-day camp for families. Next, 25-30 sites from the Alive Places Network will be visited. The project will benefit the children, parents, members of the local community.
Summary of project results
The project was needed due to the insufficient organizational capacity and the lack of a long-term strategy for the development of Badeshte Sega 2006 Community Centre in the village of Gudevitsa, Smolyan District. The lack of sustainable educational eco-centres and the inefficiency of the environmental education in the country are two more issues that explain the need of such project. The project helped develop the organizational capacity of the Community Centre; documents for the organizational development of the Community Centre and measures for the use of sustainable practices were developed, i.e. an organizational strategy, operational documents, recommendations, a business plan and a marketing strategy. An education, demonstration and resource centre for good practices called Nature School was opened in the village of Gudevitsa; the Community Centre had its roof and electrical system repaired. The capacity was boosted and the conditions for the work of the Network for Sustainable Experience called Living Places was improved through working meetings, materials and an online platform. The pilot initiatives helped create not only economically viable educational programmes but also stirred permanent interest in parents and teachers in the services provided and the channel for their dissemination. The portfolio of programmes is the foundation of the commercial activity of the Community Centre. The programmes were tested through 3 pilot initiatives for children, young people and families. 5 workshops were carried out in the village of Gudevitsa; they served in fact as a practical seminar for sustainable practices. A website was developed, i.e. a platform of eco-villages and independent communities in Bulgaria (
www.possiblelife.org). In addition, the book Creating a Life Together by Diana Leafe Christian was translated into Bulgarian, published in a circulation of 300 copies and disseminated among the community and the stakeholders. Partnership with Change the World (Norway) took place through the provision of expertise to support the development of the organizational capacity of the Community Centre, promotion of bilateral relations with Norway and the organization of a joint seminar.
Summary of bilateral results
The partnership was established at a very early preparatory phase of the project proposal which helped the partners to get to know each other and to be aware of all possibilities for cooperation. The initial study visit contributed to refining the planned expertise and the joint activities. This later helped the smooth realization of the project and increased the overall achievements of all activities. The partnership included provision of organizational expertise and specific measures for development of commercial activities of the project promoter, visits and consultations, and participation of the Norwegian partner as a main speaker at a seminar conducted in Bulgaria. The bilateral partnership contributed to the project by providing international scope of the activities implemented on organizational and regional level in Bulgaria. The Norwegian partner provided organization specific expertise and practical and innovative directions for development of commercial and non-profit activities in the educational centre School in the Nature of NC Future Now. It also contributed to the development of the Network for Sustainable Exchange “Alive Places” by providing consultancy to participants in the seminar “Alive Communities” at which the Chairman of the Norwegian partner was a key speaker. The partnership of Change the World, Norway contributed to the achievement of better credibility of the project results and strengthening of the cooperation between the participants in "Alive Places" Network