Eco-School “Environment and Innovation” programme
| Issue | Environment |
|---|---|
| Aim | Enable children to improve the environment by planning and implementing their own creative ideas. |
| Area | 2005 to 2007: Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom
2007 to 2009: Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Turkey |
Duration
First cycle is complete, and the second started in November 2007.
Organisation
Funding
Amount for the second cycle to be determined.
Testimonial
Communication with TME has been excellent and this has considerably helped the project implementation and continuous overall improvement. TME is involved in all the main project decisions, such as selection criteria definition, and project working theme. Our work with TME may extend further than the current projected two years to involve more countries.
Eco-School “Environment and Innovation” programme
“Environment and Innovation” was launched to encourage Eco-Schools to find innovative and creative solutions to environmental problems.
The schools send proposals to a national jury, which comprises representatives from local Toyota companies and other organisations involved in the project. The jury selects the winning schools and awards grants so that the proposals can be developed into concrete projects. After implementation, the jury evaluates the results and selects a national champion who is then invited to enter an international competition with other national champions. The Eco-Schools Committee of each of the national champions receives prize money to support an extension of the project
The European jury, which consists of representatives of international environmental organisations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Commission along with FEE and Toyota, will select a European champion based on criteria focussed around sustainability and innovation. The European champion school receives an award and €3,000 which should be used to support an extension of their school project in the following year.
The programme has a two-year cycle, which allows enough time for the schools to develop and implement their project. Each cycle has a different theme. The theme for the first cycle was “Sustainable Mobility”. In 2008/9 the theme is "Climate Change: Let's Save Energy!".
29 schools have been selected and received grants to work on their proposed projects and will compete for the National and European Awards. For more update, please click here.
Results
- Over 100 schools from four countries participated
- Nearly 25,000 students were directly involved in project decision making and implementation
- Over 1,500 teachers supported the students to develop their innovative project ideas
- 25 projects were awarded grants and completed to enhance sustainable mobility in the school neighbourhoods
- 10,000 DVDs of the programme were distributed to 40 countries with an aim to share the good practices
- Millfield Primary School in England is the European Winner for its wonderfully creative and sustainable project: “Stamp Stanley: Walk-to-Millfield”. The project created a long-term and sustainable incentive for children to walk to school by installing permanent checkpoints along the various routes. Children stamp a token on every ‘green’ school journey. The tokens are saved and exchanged in school for a wide range of rewards. There is a video presentation available at: www.managenergy.net/conference/2008education.html
Further information
www.eco-schools.org/innovation2008/index.php
About the European winner Millfield Primary School’s “Stamp Stanley: Walk to Millfield” project:
www.managenergy.net/conference/2008education.html
About Eco-Schools:
www.eco-schools.org
Contact
Eco-Schools International Co-ordinator
Tel.: +351 21 394 2745
Fax: +351 21 394 2749
estela@eco-schools.org or coordination@eco-schools.org
